Why Pet Insurance
Pet ownership is on a pup-ward trend, but most pets aren’t protected.
The unexpected costs of pet parenting
Pet Insurance Coverage Gap
66% of Americans are pet owners, yet only 24% have pet insurance.*
Inability to Cover Vet Bills
42% of pet owners say they can’t cover a bill of $1,000 or less without going into debt.**
Difficulty Paying Surprise Vet Bills
63% of pet owners said they would have difficulty paying a surprise vet bill.**
* “Survey: Nearly One-Fourth of U.S. Pet Owners Insure Their Pets.” Nerdwallet, 2024.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/insurance/pet-insurance-survey-data
** “Pet Ownership Statistics 2024.” Forbes Advisor, 2024.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/
At the same time, the cost of veterinary care keeps going up
For pet owners, high inflation and housing costs create an especially precarious situation—one surprise visit to the veterinary hospital can create significant financial hardship for young employees.
23.98%
The overall increase in veterinary prices since 2021
8.81%
Inflation rate in veterinary services in 2023, the highest since Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracking for pet services started in 1997
2000
The last time that veterinary inflation topped 7%
Source: 2024 Nationwide/Material Holdings research study.
It’s why pet insurance is increasingly popular as a voluntary benefit.
Pet owners whose employers offer pet insurance
Pet owners whose employers don’t offer pet insurance
35%
50%
Source: 2024 Nationwide/Material Holdings research study.
Frequently asked questions
Employees may make changes during their policy renewal period by calling 800-540-2016. All changes are subject to underwriting approval.
No. Once enrolled, policies renew automatically each year.
Unfortunately, no. Like most pet insurers, we don’t cover pre-existing conditions on any of our plans.
The renewal period starts 60 days before the current 12-month term expires. The expiration date can be found in the policy packet mailed to employees at each new term.