Pet insurance should be purchased as soon as an animal is bought, according to one cover provider.
Pet owners should not delay in buying pet insurance as various illnesses can develop in cats and dogs when they are still young, according to Sainsbury's Bank.
The company cited research which showed one in eight cats and dogs suffer from a condition when under the age of three. These diseases often recur later in the animal's life and could cause other conditions.
Sainsbury's warned that these illnesses could be deemed as pre-existing medical conditions when pet insurance is purchased. These conditions may not then be covered by the policy.
"Pet owners often buy a puppy or a kitten and assume they will be healthy while they are young, so they don't bother to take out pet insurance immediately," said Joanne Mallon, Sainsbury's Pet Insurance manager.
"However our figures show that many cats and dogs develop conditions early on in life, conditions that will often persist," she added. "Unfortunately, like with private medical care in humans, owners will struggle to get cover for an existing condition, which may mean paying for veterinary treatment and medication for this condition for the rest of the pet's life."
The research showed that dogs are more likely than cats to suffer from disease early in life. Sainsbury's estimated that more than 140,000 young dogs suffer from dermatitis every year.
