My Job: Serving Ireland's increased pet ownership

Fiona Charles heads Agria Ireland, the only specialist pet insurer, aiming to boost awareness and coverage for Irish pets with expert, purpose-driven care.

Fiona Charles, Country Manager of Agria. Picture: Alison Miles / OSM PHOTO

Name: Fiona Charles

Occupation: Country Manager, Agria

Background: Founded in Sweden in 1890, Agria operates in eight countries with more than 1.3 million animals insured across Europe. It is the only specialist pet insurer in Ireland, with a Cork-based team that includes vets and dog behaviourists

Appointed as the country manager with Agria in January, Fiona Charles brings more than 20 years’ experience across financial services, insurance and fintech.

She joins Agria from her most recent role as CEO and director of PremFina Ireland, where she established the business and drove market expansion. She has also held senior positions at Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC and Close Brothers Banking Group, where she was responsible for sales, partnerships, and growth.

Additionally, she has served as president of the Insurance Institute of Cork and sits on the Board of the Insurance Institute of Ireland.

“The opportunity to lead Agria Ireland is incredibly exciting, as it brings together everything I value in a role — leadership, strategy, and a purpose-driven culture focused on animal welfare.”

Her new position feels like a very natural next step, she adds: “Agria offered an opportunity to bring my previous experience into a specialist business with a very clear purpose and a genuinely differentiated offering in the Irish market. Agria’s specialist focus is what really appealed to me. Pets are all we do, and that allows us to build insurance products around the real needs of pet owners rather than treating pet insurance as an add-on product.”

Agria is the only specialist pet insurer in Ireland, with a Cork-based team that includes vets and dog behaviourists. One of the biggest opportunities for Agria in Ireland is building awareness around what specialist pet insurance actually means and why it matters, she explains.

“My previous experience in scaling businesses and building customer trust is very relevant here because Ireland is still a developing market for pet insurance. We want Irish pet owners to understand the value of lifetime cover, specialist expertise and strong customer service. Agria already has a fantastic reputation internationally, and now the focus is on making that expertise more visible and accessible here in Ireland.”

Pet insurance still relatively under-developed in Ireland, particularly when compared with markets like Sweden or the UK.

“In Ireland, pet insurance penetration is estimated at around 12% to 15% overall, however it is significantly lower for cats.”

By comparison, in Sweden around 90% of pets are insured. “More Irish pet owners now see pets as part of the family, and as veterinary care becomes more advanced and more expensive, people are increasingly beginning to recognise the importance of having financial protection in place.”

Fiona agrees that pet ownership has increased in recent years — due in part to the recent pandemic.

“We have certainly seen a lasting increase in pet ownership in recent years with covid definitely contributing to this. There are also other factors, such as humanisation of pets who are now firmly seen as part of a family unit.” The Agria headquarters in Cork is staffed with a local team that understands the opportunities of Ireland’s underinsured market.

“There is a real opportunity to help pet owners better understand the value of specialist lifetime cover. The biggest opportunity for us is education and awareness.”

She adds there is also growing demand for higher quality care and more advanced veterinary treatment, catering to pet owners who increasingly want insurance products that can support pets throughout their lives rather than short-term or restricted cover.

“Dogs remain the dominant pet category in Ireland and are still the biggest focus for the market overall. However, we are seeing growing interest in cats and also in specialist areas such as equine insurance.”

With rising veterinary costs one of the biggest challenges facing pet owners today, Agria have seen average claim amounts rise by around 20% over the last three years, while standard vet consultation fees have increased from roughly €40 to €60.

“Advanced diagnostics, specialist procedures and out-of-hours care have all become significantly more expensive. While the standard of veterinary care available in Ireland is improving all the time, those advances come at a cost. That is why pet insurance is becoming increasingly important for many families and owners. At Agria, we try to reduce our customer’s worry about cost.”

The company allows direct payment to vets so customers don’t pay out-of-pocket. “They submit their claim and we can pay the vet directly.”

Dogs Trust Ireland was chosen as the official charity partner for the Agria Dog Walk 2026, a nationwide initiative designed to bring together dog lovers across the country while raising funds for Dogs Trust.

The event encourages dog owners across Ireland to show their support by simply taking their dog for a walk, and for every dog registered, Agria will donate €5 to Dogs Trust Ireland, helping to fund the charity’s essential work in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs, as well as delivering digital training courses for dogs and aspiring dog professionals alike.

“We’re proud to run the Agria Ireland Dog Walk in aid of Dogs Trust, an organisation that shares our deep commitment to the health, happiness and welfare of dogs across Ireland. As a specialist pet insurer built for a lifetime of care, with over 130 years of expertise, supporting the long-term wellbeing of pets is at the heart of everything we do,” Fiona explained.

“This event is a wonderful opportunity for dog lovers to come together, enjoy the outdoors and make a meaningful difference to the lives of dogs in need. At Agria, we believe every dog deserves a safe, loving home and we’re delighted to play a part in helping Dogs Trust continue their vital work.”

Looking to the future, Fiona sees an ongoing increase in ownership and general interest in pets across Ireland. “I think we’ll continue to see pets treated increasingly as family members, with owners placing greater emphasis on preventative care, nutrition, behavioural support and long-term wellbeing.”