We are a nation of pet owners and you could be forgiven for thinking that the British are obsessed with animals. About 13 million Britons own dogs and, due to lifestyle changes, even more have a Moggy.

Whatever, one thing for sure is that our pet ownership per head of population is amongst the highest in the world, and for all those Rovers and Tiddles there are lots of things that can, and often do, go wrong. This is where cheap pet insurance comes into its own.

Don’t forget that for every pet that has to visit the vet’s there is a bill waiting at the end of the consultation and treatment - and it will usually be a large one. Just a routine cat flu jab costs at least £70 and things go up steeply from there. One irate dog owner has recently been reported as paying over £2,000 just because his pet got a thorn in its paw and had to have extensive treatment over a period of months.

That owner should have looked for the best pet insurance because he would have saved himself that money had he done so. There are lots of pet insurance policies to choose from, although bear in mind that the excess (the initial amount you have to pay on any successful claim) can be as high as £65, which may be a fair trade-off if you find good, cheap pet insurance. Don’t forget also that where you live can have an effect on the cost (city dwellers usually pay more).

Dogs are more expensive to insure than cats and you may pay even more for expensive pedigree dogs, with premiums increasing as the pet gets older. These are all aspects to bear in mind when you are looking for pet health insurance and get your pet insurance quote.