Protect your pet with a 20% online discount from Tesco Pet Insurance from 10 January.

Keeping a dog is an expensive business; most of the costs - food, kennels, injections - are entirely predictable, but others, such as unexpected visits to the vet, are not. Almost half of all households in the UK (47 per cent) own a pet, and 5.2 million of them have at least one dog.

According to the Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, the average dog lives for between 13 and 15 years and costs about £1,000 per annum, depending on the size of the dog. That's a sizeable investment in your pampered pooch.

Yet according to Tesco Pet Insurance, only 12% of pet owners take out pet insurance, leaving those that don't facing large bills -- or worse if their best friends fall unwell. "Sadly this is quite common," says Allan Burns, of Tesco Pet Insurance. "More than half of dog owners have taken their dogs to the vet in the last two years - if you are not insured, there's a hefty price to pay."

Tesco Pet Insurance is offering customers who buy online a 20% discount (10% over the phone) to try to encourage more pet owners to cover their loved ones' illnesses a nd injuries. According to research by Mintel, just over one third of pet owners (38%) feel they cannot easily afford all the veterinary costs for their pet(s). Perhaps now they can. Prices start from as little as £7 per month for dogs and £4 for cats.

Tesco offers two levels of insurance:
Standard: covers the cost of treating an injury or illness for up to £2,500 per condition, for up to 12 months from the start of the condition.

Extra: covers the cost of treating an injury or illness for up to £4,000 per condition, with no time limit on claiming this amount (on a live policy).

Notes to Editors:
• Tesco Pet Insurance is the second largest pet insurer in the UK
• Premiums start from a few pounds a month
• Discounts are taken off the risk based premium
• Discounts are for customers in their first year only
• Tesco Pet Insurance is underwritten and provided by UK Insurance Limited.
• Tesco Personal Finance, the financial services arm of the UK's number one supermarket chain, was launched in July 1997 and offers a combination of Internet, supermarket and telephone banking. Tesco Personal Finance now has over 5 million customer accounts and provides a range of low cost, value for money financial services. It is a joint venture between The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and Tesco PLC. Tesco Personal Finance Limited. Registered in Scotland No 173199 Registered Office 24 St Andrew Square Edinburgh.