The study, commissioned by financial experts Forbes Advisor, also found that over half of owners admit they underestimated the cost of having a pet.

And with a record number of us welcoming a new four-legged friend into our homes over the pandemic plenty of new pet owners are facing up to unexpected expenses.

Medical costs are the number one expense, costing an average of £462.80 each year – even more than food, which sets owners back around £340 per annum.

Kevin Pratt, insurance expert at Forbes Advisor recommends owners consider insuring their pets to manage costs, explaining: “One thing any pet owner will tell you is that a trip to the vet - probably inevitable at some point - can be extremely expensive.

"This makes pet insurance such an important purchase. Having cover in place means animal lovers don’t have to worry about paying for the care their pet might need, and they won’t need to raid their savings or even go overdrawn to pay the vet’s bill.”

But pet insurance can vary hugely depending on the breed of dog or cat.

Here are the 10 most expensive breeds of dogs and cats to insure.

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