Car Insurance - Tips for driving with animals on board

Many of us dog owners grow tired of walking Fido round to the local shops, and if he could talk then he'd probably tell you he feels the same. The best place to let your dog stretch their legs is when going out for a country walk or a day at the beach. This would mean packing them in the family car and driving somewhere different.

Driving with pets in the car whether it's for a trip to the beach or even a mundane trip to the vets it can be a traumatic time for some pets and so you should make sure that they are secured and safe for the journey. You often see in movies and TV shows people driving along with the passenger window open and their dog's head popping out, I know my dog loves it, must like the wind in his hair!

The problem with this is that in the event of an accident then there's a good chance that your pet is likely to get injured, much more likely than yourself due to car seats and seatbelts not being made for dogs and cats. This is also likely to be a key factor with any relation to your car insurance, after all a hyperactive dog leaping around your car is bound to distract you and could mean you end up with liability in the event of a crash.

So how can you make sure that you and your pet travel safely? The good news is that there are many products and solutions to stow your pet in your car safely and securely. It's such a deal breaker for some car owners that some manufacturers are including cages and other options with their cars. Common solutions are the aforementioned cages in the boot mostly found in estate vehicles and minivans for dogs and carry boxes for cats and other smaller animals. These boxes need to be secured too, if the box can fit in the rear foot wells then this is a good place for smaller animals, other wise putting the box on a back seat with the seatbelt around it and trying to wedge it some how between the front seats and the back is a good way to secure carry cases.

There are of course many other inventions that help secure pets during travel such as hammocks and sleeping bag like devices, no matter how weird and wacky these devices are it is still a very serious subject as travelling at 30mph a 60 pound dog can cause an impact of 1,200 pounds. Some car insurance companies offer extended cover for pets, although this is not typically covered as standard, so if you find you travel with your pet a lot, especially on long trips such as going on holidays or for a walk in the country then make sure that your car insurance company know of it, when you are next up for renewal then check with your current provider or check other car insurance quotes to see if they add protection for your pet, in some cases they insure you an extra £500 for pets who travel with you.

So take car eon the road and even though they love sticking their head out the window I'm sure your dog won't mind waiting during the trip, just make sure you let him run around a bit longer when you get to your destination as a reward for his patience!

Andy Adams is an experienced UK based writer working with car insurance