Southern Cross Pet Insurance reveals top insured breeds of 2023

Southern Cross Pet Insurance reveals top insured breeds of 2023 | Insurance Business New Zealand

Insurance News

Highest veterinary claims also revealed

Insurance News

By
Roxanne Libatique

Southern Cross Pet Insurance has unveiled its yearly insights, showcasing the most popular breeds covered and the major veterinary claims from 2023, illustrating the substantial expenses tied to pet healthcare.

The company’s data showed that Labradors, cavoodles, and golden retrievers are the most frequently insured dogs, likely due to their popularity. Cats such as the domestic short hair, ragdoll, and domestic medium hair also feature prominently in the top 10 insured breeds list.

Domestic short hair cat
Labrador retriever
Cavoodle
Ragdoll cat
Domestic medium hair cat
Golden retriever
Miniature schnauzer
Labrador cross
Labradoodle
Border collie

Anthony McPhail, chief executive of Southern Cross Pet Insurance, highlighted the significant growth in policies for some breeds over the last year, with a 20% increase in domestic short-haired cats, 26% in ragdolls, and 19% in cavoodles.

“As treasured family members and constant companions, these beloved animals bring immeasurable happiness to households nationwide. So, it makes sense that New Zealanders would be eager to have one of them join their family,” he said.

Gaps in public health system for pets in New Zealand

McPhail pointed out the absence of a free public health system for pets in New Zealand, contrasting sharply with human healthcare provisions. This gap underlines the value of pet insurance as it assists pet owners in managing both routine and unexpected veterinary costs effectively.

“Unlike healthcare options available to humans, there is no free public health system or ACC for pets. Whether an animal is having a routine treatment, is ill or being cared for after an accident, the reality is many pet parents are surprised by the costs of veterinary treatment,” he said.

Most expensive pet insurance claims in New Zealand in 2023

In the year 2023, Southern Cross Pet Insurance reported claims payouts totalling $29.95 million, with several claims surpassing the $10,000 mark. Among the highest were:

Pug with a traumatic injury: $14,119
Border collie with a traumatic injury: $13,149
Labradoodle diagnosed with cancer (haemangiosarcoma): $12,652
Ragdoll cat with a traumatic injury: $12,023
English springer spaniel with a fracture: $11,444
Golden retriever that ingested a foreign body: $11,091
German shepherd with a tumour: $10,733
Leonberger with kidney stones: $10,202
Dalmatian with a urinary bladder disorder: $10,192

“It’s clear that when it comes to protecting the pet life, people need to think about how they would pay for potentially high treatment costs. Pet insurance is an excellent way to get peace of mind and provides invaluable protection against these unexpected expenses,” McPhail said.