Many people who are pet owners do not realise the benefits of having pet health insurance, seeing it as an unnecessary expense. However, should your pet - whether it be cat, dog or rabbit - fall ill or suffer from an injury, having pet health insurance can mean the difference between life and death for your four legged friend.

Veterinary medicine has come along in leaps in bounds over recent years, which means that should your pet need it, then they will have the very best in treatments and remedies available to them. However, as with all things, these do come at a cost and you could end up paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds to ensure your pet gets the best treatment available.

And that is where pet heath insurance comes in, it will help pay these unexpected costs and gives you the peace of mind that you are doing everything you can to ensure your pet gets better.

The good news is that pet health insurance doesn’t have to be expensive, either - you really can get comprehensive insurance for your four legged friend and without breaking the bank either!

Getting pet health insurance really does makes sense. This is because not only does it protect your pet against unexpected vets bills, but most policies typically offer other benefits too, such as financial help in trying to find your pet if he goes missing or boarding costs should you get rushed into hospital and no one is able to look after your pet.

So, where do you look for pet heath insurance? Because there are many insurers in the marketplace who offer pet insurance, it is best if you shop around so that you can find the best cover and at a price to suit your budget.

Probably the most effective way – as well as quickest and easiest way – to find pet health insurance is to use the internet. There are several comparison websites – ie websites that list most of the providers and allow you to compare the terms and benefits on offer – and these are really useful. You simply key in a few details about you and your pet and then the website will display a choice of policies from different providers.

Once you get these results, make sure you weigh up the individual policies on their own merits as well as on a like for like basis. Never just choose the cheapest premium available unless you are certain that it will give you the level of protection your pet needs.

Finally, if you still think that you don’t need pet health insurance, think again. This is because recent research suggests that annually, you are three times more likely to need to make a claim on your pet insurance than your home insurance.