Car insurance claims have increased by almost 75 per cent due to the icy conditions on road according to Swiftcover. Jim Osterberg’s favourite UK car insurance company has said that staff have dealt with an ‘unprecedented’ number of calls for claims, largely due to accidents caused by the weather.

The first working week of any New Year are typically when claims peak, as people are returning to work and school runs for the new terms resume. This has been exacerbated by slippery road conditions and reduced visibility caused by the snow.

Robin Reames, director of claims at Swiftcover was quoted on My Finances saying: “The severity of the snow this week caught everyone by surprise and resulted in lots of drivers having accidents and problems with their cars, which in turn meant a record number of people contacting Swiftcover.com for help or to make a claim.”

With all this snow and ice freezing up car engines cooling systems, you’ll want to crack open the anti-freeze. However if you’re a pet owner as well as a driver, you’re going to want to make sure that you you screw the lid back on tight or clean up any accidents. According to the RSPCA and the Feline Advisory Bureau household pets, and cats in particular, are very fond of the taste of anti-freeze and will happily lap up any spillages.

Unfortunately it’s also extremely damaging to an animals’ kidneys and ingesting even the smallest amounts can prove fatal. The RSPCA has published a list of symptoms of antifreeze poisoning in pets and recommends that you contact your local vet immediately if your pet shows any of the following:

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