Pet owners have been urged to do their research so they know exactly what they are paying for when it comes to insuring their furry companions.

Defaqto, the research and analysis firm, has noted that pet insurance policies are treated differently to personal cover like home and motor insurance.

As a result, pre-existing conditions are often not covered as the policy effectively becomes a new one when it reaches annual renewal.

"While superficially straightforward, choosing the right pet insurance policy for your situation will repay the time taken to research what is on offer in the market," commented Mike Powell, a consultant on general insurance at Defaqto.

Pet insurance is becoming more popular as an increasingly broad and expensive range of treatments become available for pets.

Animals can now have operations for illnesses or diseases that even ten years ago would have resulted in them being put down.

Pet insurance can also cover the cost of finding lost pets and counselling if a pet dies.

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