With the rising cost of healthcare for our animals, we have been looking into pet insurance. A friend advised us to do our homework.
While the first pet insurance policy was written in 1890 in Sweden, followed by Great Britain in 1947, the first pet insurance policy in the U.S. wasn’t sold until 1982 and was issued to television’s Lassie. The total number of pets insured in the U.S. at year-end 2023 was nearly 5.7 million, a 17 percent increase over 2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Unlike human health insurance policies, pet insurance is considered a form of property insurance. Because of this distinction, most pet insurance reimburses you after your pet has received care, and then they reimburse you financially after you submit a claim to the insurance company. While primarily covering dogs, cats and horses, some more exotic species may be covered.
The three major circumstances pet insurance covers are:
Looking at all the options can be daunting at first, as we all want what we hope will be best for our pets. Coverage and what’s not covered, along with pricing, are all things we need to take into consideration.
Comprehensive coverage typically provides for accidents and injuries, including serious or chronic illnesses, hereditary conditions, tests, surgeries, treatments and wellness, such as routine veterinary checkups and vaccinations. Typically, the most expensive but worth considering.
Accident and Illness coverage. This policy usually covers vet bills for accidents and illnesses, including common illnesses, hereditary conditions and serious illness (such as cancer)
Accident or Wellness coverage. The first covers only if your pet is in an accident while the latter will cover your veterinary checkups.
When you purchase a pet insurance policy, you will usually select an annual maximum, a deductible and a reimbursement level. Choose what is right for you.
As we stated at the beginning, please investigate all the details. Make sure to look at several sources as one list might contain the “Best in Washington State” while another “Best in Washington State” could be completely different. We tried to look at the companies and their reviews on all the lists.
How do we know what our rights are under these policies? Fortunately, we live in a state that has one of the best, if not the best, insurance commissions in the country. On January 1, 2024, Senate Bill 5319 went into effect adding protections for pet owners and requires insurers to disclose information about coverage. Some of the protections in the bill are:
Definitions: Insurers must have uniform definitions found in pet insurance policies, chronic condition, hereditary disorders, pre-existing conditions, renewal, veterinarian, veterinary expenses, waiting period and wellness program.
Disclosure: If you are purchasing pet insurance, the insurer is required to let you know if the policy excludes coverage based on pre-existing conditions, hereditary disorders, congenital anomalies or disorders or a chronic condition. If there are any other exclusions, the policy must include specific language to that effect.
Your insurer also must let you know if your policy has any limitations and if your coverage reduces or increases premiums, based on your claim's history, your pet’s age, or a change in your location.
Free look period: You have 15 days to change your mind and get your money back, provided you haven’t filed a claim.
Exclusions: Policies may have exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and the burden to show any condition already existed falls to your insurance company – not the pet owner.
No waiting periods: These aren’t allowed for accident coverage. Policies can impose waiting periods (up to 30 days) for coverage of illnesses or orthopedic conditions, but they can be waived with a medical examination.
Your insurance company cannot require a medical examination for a policy renewal.
Wellness Programs: A wellness program is different than an insurance policy. Your pet’s eligibility for insurance can’t be tied to participation in a wellness program, and insurers can’t market a wellness program as pet insurance or market a wellness program while selling pet insurance.
Licensing: Anyone selling pet insurance must complete the required training and become licensed by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
We hope this information will help you in deciding, if you are thinking about checking into pet insurance.
The best advice we received was to talk with your friends or relatives who may already have or have had pet insurance and find out about their experiences.
Old Dog Haven and co-sponsor Northwest Beerworks will hold their Hops & Hounds fundraiser on Saturday, August 17th, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Northwest Beerworks, 420 Steele St. NE, Olympia 98506. Bring your dogs!
Let’s give a BIG shoutout and Happy 80th Birthday to our friend Smokey Bear who was "born" on August 9, 1944. The character’s name was inspired by “Smokey” Joe Martin, a New York City Fire Department hero.
The living symbol of Smokey was a three-month-old black bear cub who had survived a wildfire in the mountains of New Mexico in 1950. After being nursed back to health, he was flown to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., with the promise that he would be dedicated to a conservation and wildfire prevention program.
There he lived for 26 years, receiving millions of visitors and so much mail addressed to him (over 13,000 letters a week) that the U.S. Postal Service created a zip code specifically for him -- 20252 -- that still exists.
After his passing on November 9, 1976, his remains were sent back to New Mexico and buried at Smokey Bear Historical Park.
His legacy lives on to this day. “Remember, Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires”
Thom Donitz and Trish Lynn are neighbors and close friends who share their love of animals and wildlife. Trish and Thom are residents of Tumwater. Contact them at pets@theJOLTnews.com.
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