Dogs and cats and your insurance
Have you adopted a dog or cat? Is there coverage for them under insurance?
In November of 2016, I decided to adopt a tri-colored white beagle mix. Her name is Sascha. She was a puppy mill dog, and I decided that I would give Sascha a new life with all kinds of fun and adventures. Over the long weekend in May I took Sascha for her first camping trip. I noticed to my surprise how many dog owners there were at the campsite. I would say just about every campsite had a dog! According to the Canadian Animal Health Institute, from 2014 to 2016, cat and dog populations in Canada have risen. Cats continued to outnumber dogs with 8.8 million cats considered household pets in 2016, up from an estimated 7.0 million in 2014. Dog population figures for 2016 also increased to 7.6 million in 2016, up from 6.4 million in 2014. Source: w www.canadianveterinarians.net
Owning a pet comes with many responsibilities, commitment, time and money. But what about insurance for veterinary bills or the loss of your pet? There is insurance out there you can purchase for pet’s medical needs. Property policies such as home insurance, tenants, and condo policies do not cover veterinary bills. You may want to look into your policy to see what coverage there is concerning your pets. For instance, Aviva Insurance under their Family Bundle Endorsement or Special Enhancement Endorsement includes a limit of $5000 for domestic animal coverage. The loss has to be by an insured peril stated on the policy. We’re talking about a loss of the animal itself, not the veterinary bills. And then there’s the question of liability in the event your dog bites another individual. Or if your dog causes property damage. But that is for another blog!
Coverage under car insurance? Say what??
Wawanesa Insurance has a pretty cool endorsement you can add to your automobile policy called PAWS. It protects pet owners of dogs and cats from costly veterinary bills, prescribed medicine and boarding fees in the event of injuries sustained in a car accident. No deductible applies to PAWS. If you have your dog or cat in your vehicle as often as I do and Wawanesa is your car insurance provider, you may want to consider adding this special coverage. For more information on PAWS or if you are wondering if your homeowners, condo or tenants package covers domestic animals, feel free to contact us.