8% receive pet insurance as an employer-paid employee benefit

Andrew Walker

Fewer than one in 10 (8%) receive pet insurance as an employer-paid and discounted employee benefit, according to research by online legal services organisation Epoq Legal.

Its survey of 1,234 UK employees also revealed that 45% of respondents aged between 18 and 34 years old agree that their employer offers benefits that are relevant to their life stage, compared to 32% of 35- to 54-year-olds and 18% of over 55s.

The research also found:

  • 17% receive health or medical insurance through their employer, 12% have access to employer-paid dental treatment insurance and 13% can utilise critical illness insurance as an employee benefit provided and paid for by their employer.
  • 15% can take up discounted, employer-paid life insurance, compared to 12% who can access income protection.
  • 11% receive car insurance net through their employer, which is discounted and employer-paid. Respondents can also access home insurance (9%), travel insurance (11%) and phone or gadget insurance (11%).
  • 15% are offered legal advice as an employee benefit and 12% have access to legal documents, such as wills, through their employer.

Andrew Walker (pictured), commercial director at Epoq Legal, said: “While medical and life insurance were understandably the most common forms of employer-paid insurance, there may be room to add extra value to the type of employee benefits on offer.

“For example, last year’s Epoq research found that just over two-fifths of respondents (41%) have a will, the majority of whom (45%) are in the 65+ age bracket. Oddly, the ages at which most people are most likely to have a mortgage and dependents represent the age brackets least likely to have a will.

“This suggests there are lots of people of working age that need to create important legal documents like wills, but aren’t doing so, possibly due to lack of advice, awareness or simply a lack of convenient access to the right services. Clearly there’s a need here and if employers were to provide a wills service as a benefit, it stands to reason that more people would more likely choose to make one and so protect their interests and those of their loved ones.”