Sainsbury's Pet Insurance is one of the UK's major pet insurance providers. Sainsbury is a subsidiary of a large supermarket group that branched out into financial services including insurance.  Sainsbury was awarded 'Best Online Pet Insurance Provider 2006'.

Sainsbury is primarily internet-based, and if you order your pet insurance online you receive a 10% discount on your premiums. There is also a recommend-a-friend feature that allows you to refer a friend who will receive a £10 voucher.

Sainsburys Pet Insurance covers a range of claim costs, including vet fees of up to £6,500 for accidents and sickness, coverage which lasts until the policy renewal date. They also cover costs related to recovering lost or stolen pets.

Sainsbury's customer service has a fantastic reputation, and claims are normally processed without hassle. Sainsbury does have higher premiums than most other UK-based pet insurers, but you get that back in service and breadth of coverage.

There are widespread complaints abot Sainsburys Pet Insurance, however. These are almost all related to the sharply increasing premiums. In 2008 many customers reported huge increases in premiums, sometimes more than doubling, without making any signficant claims against their policies. Sainsbury's claims that this is unavoidable and a result of increasing veteranary and medical fees, but customers are far from convinced.

Sainsburys Pet Insurance offers comprehensive insurance plans with broad coverage and hassle-free claims. But be aware that your premiums may be in danger of sharp increases. If your budget is tight, you may want to look into other insurers.

Read some specific consumer reports here.

What has angered customers even more is that Sainsbury sends out a renewal notice with your new premium indicated, giving you 10 days from the date of mailing to cancel your policy. But if you include the mailing time these renewal notices often arrive without sufficent time to shop around for new insurance, so customers get stuck paying their newly increased premiums. This is a big disappointment to customers who have become accustomed to Sainsbury's normally great customer service.