Despite households looking to make cuts, pet insurance has remained resilient during the cost-of-living crisis. The perception of good value for money has been a key factor, as veterinary treatment…
UK
Insurance
Pets
simple
UK Pet Insurance Market Report 2025
"Rising veterinary bills have led to growing affordability concerns. Pet cover offers peace of mind, but insurers must adopt smart, flexible pricing to attract price-sensitive customers."
Lewis Cone - Associate Director, Financial Services
UK pet insurance market growth is moderated by rising premiums and veterinary costs, which are creating affordability challenges for pet owners.
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, demand for pet insurance remains strong as many pet owners recognise the importance of protecting their pets from high treatment costs, underscoring the perceived value of insurance.
Insurers are expected to focus on offering more flexible and tailored policies, leveraging technology to refine pricing strategies. Consumer interest in preventative care-linked policies and flexible payment options highlights the need for innovation to stay competitive.
Rising veterinary costs and financial strain are pushing pet owners to prioritise value for money. Consumers are actively seeking low premiums, flexible payment plans, and policies that cater to their pets’ specific needs, with affordability being a key decision factor.
Younger pet owners are showing interest in tech-based solutions, such as pet tech devices, to reduce premiums. Meanwhile, there’s a growing trend of upgrading policies for comprehensive coverage, especially for ageing pets, while others opt for cheaper alternatives or negotiate better deals, reflecting a cautious approach in challenging economic times.
Key Issues Covered in the Report
The impact of the economic climate and regulation on pet insurance
Market size and performance, including a five year market forecast
Market share of the leading pet insurers
Pet insurance ownership and types of cover held
Consumer’s pet insurance plans and intentions in the next year
Pet owner interest in purchasing pet insurance and the features that providers should look to offer
Pet owners’ concern about affording vet bills and the perceived importance attached to pet insurers supporting animal charities
Pet insurance policyholders’ consideration of co-payment policies and interest in using pet tech devices to lower premiums
Report Attributes
Details
Published Date
July 2025
Data Range
2019-2030
Measurement Metrics
Revenue in £
Country Focus
United Kingdom (UK)
Consumer Data
1,207 internet users aged 18+, May 2025
Number of Pages
66
Market Segmentation
Dogs, Cats, Fish, and Other Pets
Leading Companies
Petplan, Animal Friends, Admiral, ManyPets, Direct Line, PDSA, Churchill, MoreTH>N
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunities for the pet insurance market
Introduce loyalty schemes to appeal to uninsured pet owners
Educate younger policyholders on the wider benefits of pet tech devices
Enhance payment flexibility to help pet owners avoid going into debt for vet bills
Market dynamics and outlook
Market size and forecast
Market predictions
Stable growth in pet insurance GWPs expected to 2030
Graph 1: market size and forecast for pet insurance, in gross written premiums, 2019-30
Average premiums rise across all policies in 2024
Graph 2: average pet insurance premium (based on subscribers), by type of pet, 2018-24
Rising veterinary costs underlines the value of pet insurance
Graph 3: CPI annual rate, veterinary and other services for pets, 2016-25
What consumers want and why
Under half of pet owners hold a pet insurance policy
Cost pressures are evident, but upgrading intentions are strong
Graph 4: pet insurance intentions over the next 12 months, 2025
Customer service and low premiums dictate policy choice
Graph 5: motivations behind choice of new pet insurance policy, 2025
Customers see value in pet insurance, mostly claiming for costly treatments
Charitable support and vet treatment affordability are key for pet owners
Graph 6: pet owners attitudes towards pet insurance, 2025
Competitive strategies and launch activities
Service innovation driving insurers’ strategies and planning
MARKET DYNAMICS
Market size and performance
Pet insurance GWPs rise for the fifth consecutive year
Graph 7: value of pet insurance gross written premiums, 2018-24
Rising veterinary treatment costs and sustained remote working have bolstered the market
Market forecast
Stable growth in pet insurance GWPs expected to 2030
Graph 8: market size and forecast for pet insurance, in gross written premiums, 2019-30
Steady growth underpinned by rising vet costs and pet ownership
Market segmentation
Dog owners lead the pack with subscribers surging since 2020
Graph 9: number of pet insurance policy subscribers, by type of pet, 2018-24
Subscription numbers continue to rise
GWPs increase in every pet category
Graph 10: pet insurance gross written premiums, by type of pet, 2018-24
Pricing structures will be key to ongoing GWP growth
Average premiums rise across all segments in 2024
Graph 11: average pet insurance premium (based on subscribers), by type of pet, 2018-24
Some indication that premiums may be on a downward path in 2025
Market share
Petplan is a leading provider choice among pet insurance policyholders
Graph 12: estimated market share of pet insurance, 2025
Brand building and customer service help boost market share
ManyPets announces expansion plans
Macroeconomic and social factors
Dogs are the most commonly owned pet in the UK
Sticky inflation could influence policy renewals
Graph 13: CPI inflation rate, 2021-25
Rising veterinary costs underlines the value of pet insurance
Graph 14: CPI annual rate, veterinary and other services for pets, 2016-25
Regulatory and legislative changes
CMA extends deadline for market investigation into veterinary services for household pets
Late amendment to Renters Rights Bill could reduce impact on pet insurance
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Pet insurance ownership
Under half of pet owners hold a pet insurance policy
Graph 15: pet insurance ownership – net, by type of pet, 2025
Rising veterinary costs should convince the uninsured to become policyholders
Highest income households are most likely to own pet insurance
Graph 16: pet insurance – net, by household income, 2025
Level of cover held
Lifetime cover remains most popular cover
Graph 17: types of pet insurance policy cover held, 2025
Insurers need to remain wary of policy changes due to price
Pet insurance plans over the next 12 months
Cost pressures are evident, but upgrading intentions are strong
Graph 18: pet insurance intentions over the next 12 months, 2025
Tailor policy upgrade add-ons to suit younger policyholders’ needs
Graph 19: intentions to upgrade a pet insurance policy in the next 12 months, by age, 2025
Expand product flexibility to ensure ongoing custom
Older customers look to haggle, while others seek cheaper policies
Motivations behind choice of pet insurance
Customer service and low premiums dictate policy choice
Graph 20: motivations behind choice of new pet insurance policy, 2025
Pricing dominates choice, but an effective, efficient service is a key priority
Pre-existing medical condition cover and claim payout evidence are most important to older pet owners
Policyholder attitudes towards pet insurance
Customers see value in pet insurance, mostly claiming for costly treatments
Graph 21: policyholder attitudes towards pet insurance, 2025
Cover predominantly used to help pay for only the most expensive treatments
Graph 22: ‘I would only make a claim on my pet insurance for expensive treatments/procedures’, by household income, 2025
Share positive reviews and improve claims experience to improve older policyholders’ perception of value
Perceived value for money from pet cover is highest among younger policyholders
Educate younger policyholders on the wider benefits of pet tech devices
Promote co-payment policies to young customers and owners of older pets
Graph 23: interest in a co-payment policy, by age, 2025
Pet owner attitudes towards pet insurance
Charitable support and vet treatment affordability are key for pet owners
Graph 24: pet owners attitudes towards pet insurance, 2025
Partner with animal charities to create a community space and show care for animals beyond a product
Expand payment options and flexibility to reduce potential financial harm
Financially stable families with pets are concerned by future vet bills
Improve policy understanding and customisation to ease parental concerns about vet costs
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Competitive strategies and launch activity
Pets at Home plans to disrupt the pet insurance space
Policy Expert partners with GoCardless to simplify payments
Yes Insurance acquires Tractive’s UK-based business
Agria enhances pricing solutions via AI-driven partnership
Animal Friends renews commitment to Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Advertising and marketing activity
Pet insurance advertising spend falls for the first time in four years
Graph 25: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising on pet insurance (incl. livestock) products, 2020/21-2024/25
Insurers continue to invest most in TV advertising
Graph 26: share of total above-the-line, online display and direct mail ad spend on pet insurance (incl. livestock) products, by media type, 2024/25
Petplan leads pet insurance ad spend, but most providers reduced spend
Napo promotes its offering that goes beyond the ‘basics’
ManyPets presents pet insurance as an act of love
APPENDIX
Supplementary data
Total (all pet) policies
Dog and cat policies only
Market forecast data and methodology
Market forecast and prediction intervals
Forecast methodology
Forecast – note on US trade disruption
Report scope and definitions
Market definition
Market definition (cont)
Abbreviations and terms
Consumer research methodology
CHAID analysis – methodology data
CHAID analysis – methodology data table
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 2,195(Excl.Tax)
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook avaliable on our platform
Despite the recent strong growth in standalone policies, most critical illness insurance continues to be sold as a rider benefit to term life insurance. However, cost-of-living pressures, depressed...
Mintel estimates a 3% increase in home insurance GWP to £7.2bn in 2025. Growth in GWP has been driven by inflationary pressures and home renovations and improvements trends...
16% of over-50s who do not have a guaranteed acceptance whole-of-life plan express interest in getting a policy, while an even greater proportion are keen to learn more...
Most UK workers lack any form of income protection. Yet 59% expect to face financial hardship within six months of not working due to an unexpected illness and...
The UK motor insurance market has proven resilient in the face of volatile macroeconomic trends. Average premiums fell between Q1 2024 and Q3 2025, yet the sector still...
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.