Are we nearly there yet?

With the summer holidays drawing to a end, I’m sure I’m not the only parent to have heard those immortal words when travelling to the coast or any other attraction to keep the family occupied.

dog sitting in car trunk with luggage

But for me, it’s not only the younger members of the family in the car who need reassuring – it’s our pets too!

Anyone who knows me knows I love all kinds of animals, but my dogs are in a class all of their own. They’re precious little furry members of the family – and don’t they know it! So when it comes to holiday travel, how could I even think of leaving them behind?

Travelling with pets though is a complicated business in itself, particularly when – like us – there are three of them to consider!

But did you know, that you could be risking your motor insurance if you don’t secure your pets properly while you’re driving? Research has shown that almost a quarter of drivers let a pet sit unrestrained in their car which could leave them unprotected if they ever needed to make a claim.

The Highway Code says animals need to be “suitably restrained” to ensure they don’t distract you during the journey, and recommends using a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or a dog guard to make sure everyone stays safe.

But it’s not just pet seatbelts you need to worry about – we’ve all seen those dogs with their heads out of the window enjoying the breeze as the world whizzes by, but even that could mean you’re breaking the law. Who knew?

Not only is your dog’s safety at risk, but it’s another reason your insurers could use to refuse a payout if you were involved in an accident.

The small print says that if you don’t keep your pet secure and an animal roaming around your vehicle is believed to have contributed to causing an incident, your insurers may well reject your claim.

So if this happens, you could be made to pay for any damage to your car and to any other cars involved, as well as any medical or other costs that are incurred, which could easily add up to a huge amount.

We’ve been very careful not to put our beautiful four-legged family members – or ourselves – at risk as we’ve travelled around during the holidays, and the steps we’ve taken have really given us peace of mind.

Our efforts have certainly been worthwhile as we’ve created special memories of a wonderful summer – here’s hoping your summer has been just as much fun!

Sally

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