The survey of 2,000 UK consumers, which was carried out by OnePoll in March 2026, found that 40% of pet owners were very concerned about the rising cost of veterinary treatment and 42% were fairly concerned.
It also found that 43% of pet owners currently do not have pet insurance, a figure which is broadly consistent with findings from a recent peer-reviewed study published in the Veterinary Record, which found that 48.5% of UK pet owners surveyed did not have insurance and that affordability was a major factor affecting uptake.
The research also found that 23% of pet owners have cancelled a pet insurance policy within the last two years.
Among those, 11% said premiums had become too expensive and 7% said the policy no longer offered good value.
Insurance status differed by species, with 33% of dog owners uninsured compared with 44% of cat owners.
The findings also showed that 62% of policyholders said they had never made a claim, while 36% had claimed on their policy, including 22% who had made one claim and 13% who had made multiple claims.
The earlier study in the Veterinary Record also identified a strong link between household income and insurance uptake in the UK, with owners in lower-income households significantly less likely to insure their pets.
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