Dogs and cats, of course, should be protected with either a seatbelt, a carrier or a barricade to protect them in case of an accident.
Now there is another protection available to our pets. A few insurance companies have started providing pet coverage if your pet is injured or killed in an auto accident.
We've all seen this annoying young lady in ads for auto insurance. The company she represents, Progressive, was the first to offer the free coverage for pets. Farmers, Auto Owners Insurance and AAA also offer the coverage.
There is no additional cost for the coverage, but there are some restrictions that apply.
* The coverage typically covers only dogs and cats.
* There is usually a cap for amount paid on vet bills.
* There is a payment if the pet dies during the collision.
* In some policies coverage depends on who was at fault.
More and more companies are looking at this type of coverage. We need to be informed consumers and call our agents asking if this coverage is available thru our policies. We need to make it known that this is something we want.
Vet bills can be enormous for injuries suffered in an auto accident. This may not pay the entire bill, but it's certainly a relief to have some help with the bills so we can make the best decisions for the animals we love.
Do any of you have experience with this type of insurance? We'd all like to hear how it works. It's about time the business world started realizing that our pets are family members. They deserve consideration, not as property, but as living beings. This is a start.
Happy motoring.
I'm calling my State Farm agent today, and then, emailing a friend who is also an agent, and then... State Farm has a regional claims processing unit right up the road from us...
ReplyDeleteThanks for researching this, Sue!
Our policy is up for renewal this month... calling my agent today to see if its available for us!
ReplyDeleteI love all of your pictures of dogs riding in cars! Because I'm short, I drive with the seat a long way forward. I also drive only big cars. So I trained my mastiffs to sit on the floor behind the driver's seat. From there, they can put their heads on the armrest and see us, and if I have to slam on the brakes, they are snug and secure. Fortunately, since mastiffs are very docile, they're happy to just sit in close proximity to us.
ReplyDeleteSince there's always someone home now, we don't take Thor in the car too often. It never occurred to me that he might be insurable!
I didn't know about this. I'm really paranoid driving with the dogs. Not only could they get hurt, but they also become a projectile that would hit the back of our seat with the force of an elephant. We have dog seat belts, but it's good to know there are other options out there.
ReplyDeleteFound you through the blog hop. Excellent advice here about pet insurance. I had VPI insurance for one of my dogs (a long time ago) and fortunately, I never had to use it. I think it would also be a good idea to set up a flexible spending account where you bank for your pets - put aside a few bucks each week or month (depending on when you get paid) so you have it available for whatever pet insurance doesn't cover.
ReplyDelete