Anyone hoping to travel overseas with their cat or dog needs to check the small print of their pet insurance policy before leaving the country, one group has stressed.

As many as 24 per cent of policies will not offer any protection for pets to travel abroad, Defaqto figures showed, as cover varies quite considerably between providers.

Mike Powell, Defaqto's insight analyst for general insurance, commented: "Our research suggests that there is significant variation between cat and dog insurance policies in terms of whether and how far they provide cover for a pet's overseas travel."

He indicated that medical fees for animals can be especially high outside the UK, so having insufficient insurance could prove costly if assistance were needed.

If a pet owner is planning on taking their animal overseas, the group recommends checking the finer details of an existing policy or getting in touch with an insurer directly for further guidance.