Posted February 12th, 2013
According to the 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook there are approximately 70 million pet dogs and 74.1 million pet cats in the U.S. Along with that large numbers of pets in the U.S. attitudes of owners have evolved. Up until a number of years ago, insurance for a family pet would have been unthinkable. Now because of changes in veterinary sciences, many treatments are being offered by your local veterinarian. Your local vet once focused mostly on farm animals and treatment was decided by return on investment rather than any emotional attachment.
Today six out of ten pet owners consider their animals to be members of their family. Treatments that would have only been considered for a human are routinely provided for family pets. Costs for these treatments have risen with the availability of sophisticated diagnostics and screening tools. Many diseases and accidents that would have meant the “end” for a pet are now managed and treated. But along with that care it’s easy to see how the average medical expenditure per household for all pets has risen to $375 per year.
Sustaining that level of care requires a significant investment of money. Ways to manage that expense frequently involves some form of pet insurance. Coverage types and insurance levels can be customized to meet the desires of individual pet owners. Many insurance providers are now not only including liability coverage for the household pet some are including different types of pet accident insurance with their basic policy.
It’s no longer unusual for an auto policy to include a limited amount of coverage for your pet’s treatment in the case of an accident. While not every insurance company offers a pet insurance product or endorsement, if you own a pet, be sure to discuss these needs with your local independent insurance agent.
While accidents involving pet passengers are not extremely common, it is reassuring to know that in the case of an accident, your family pet can be covered.
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