The presence of a four-legged friend (or with fins and wings) in the home is increasingly frequent and therefore insurance companies are gearing up to offer ad hoc solutions. So much so that insurance policies for pets are increasingly widespread in Italy, both to cover unexpected medical expenses both to protect yourself in the case of compensation claims for any damage caused by animals to third parties (people, things or other animals). This was revealed by the first edition of the survey conducted by Ivass – Institute for Insurance Supervision, which scanned the market to analyze 81 types of policies offered by 32 companies, on the market as of July 31st.
What insurance companies offer
Owning a pet entails responsibilities, civil and criminal, borne by the ownereven if the animal is temporarily entrusted to third parties, in addition to specific legal obligations, such as registration in the canine or feline registry, vaccinations, the application of the microchip, the health card. From the Ivass focus it emerges that in In 58 policies, coverage for pets is combined with other types of risks (56 home and family policies and 2 travel policies) while alone 23 policies are “stand alone”i.e. expressly created to cover pets only. The coverage offered, divided into basic and accessory formulas, generally provides for reimbursement/indemnification of veterinary expenses, reimbursement of expenses deriving from civil liability for any damage caused to third parties by the animal, assistance services, even while traveling (generally these of telephone consultancy services and information for customers traveling with pets), coverage of expenses for legal protection, in relation to disputes involving the insured in the context of private life, for facts related to ownership and custody of the pet.
Reimbursement for hospitalization but not only
In general, coverage for medical expenses provides reimbursement for surgical operations following accidents and illnesseswith hospitalization or in day hospital. Six companies also cover other veterinary expenses not resulting from surgical operations while five companies insure caesarean sections, coverage excluded in all other policies. Furthermore, ten companies also offer coverage for the animal’s funeral expenses following injury or illness to cover the costs incurred for killing and cremation. Five companies also offer coverage in the case of euthanasia following accident or illness. The insurability requirements provided for in the stand-alone pet policies and in 8 home and family policies are particularly detailed and concern the age of the animal, its health conditions, entries in the registry registers, the application of a microchip or tattoo, specific vaccinations. It is permitted to insure multiple pets belonging to the same owner with the same policy, even if they are of different types (dog and cat), as long as they live with him.
The company will take care of compensating the damages
Analysts highlight that the civil guarantee covers damage unintentionally caused to third partiesin the event of death, physical injury to people or animals and damage to property. The guarantee generally also covers third parties who have temporary custody of the animal, provided that the latter do not carry out professional animal care and/or management activities. Two companies also include the pet sitter’s civil liability for damage that the animal may cause to third parties while in his custody. In general, policies with civil liability guarantee do not provide coverage for some breeds considered more aggressive. However, some companies have developed policies that also offer, in different ways, civil liability guarantee for damage caused to third parties for aggressive dogs (“challenging or biting dogs”) and, in the event that registration of the animal in the register of biting dogs is required, also for the attendance of training courses by the owner with the issuing of a license.
Each animal has its own policy
The insurance industry has been able to grasp the requests for protection regarding the approximately 19 million dogs and cats that live in Italian families by offering a wide range of policies. For example, the solution “I trust” proposal from Axa it is also valid when the animal is entrusted to the care of third parties and also reimburses the injuries that dogs and cats may cause to the owner’s children under 14 years of age. Is called “Pet protection” the insurance product offered by Italian Post Office which provides, in the event of surgery due to injury or illness of the dog or cat, the coverage of hospitalization expenses and pre- and post-surgery expenses (30 days before and after the surgery). The policy UnipolSai “C@ne&G@tto“also covers the costs of re-education of the dog if it is registered in the register of dogs at risk for aggression and the application is foreseen”Unibox pets”, satellite geo-localization system for the safety of four-legged friends. With the package “Best friend” Of Europ Assistance compensation is guaranteed for expenses resulting from the discovery of the animal (check-up visit, grooming, possible shelter in the kennel) while the “Gold” and “Premium” formulas also provide a dedicated telephone line for reports of sightings and taxi reimbursement or train to retrieve the animal. The formula “Really friends” Of Royal Mutual it covers up to a maximum of 5 pets with a single policy and guarantees the presence of a pet sitter in the event that the owner of the animal is unable to look after him, for example because he is convalescing following a hospital stay. With the policy of Assur O’Poil No certificate of good health of the animal is required when signing up and the pension costs are covered in case of hospitalization of the owner. With the policy “Dog insurance”, Allianz Direct offers a complete package of insurance guarantees valid even if the animal is entrusted to other people, while in the case of owning a cat the “Family” and “Head of Household” civil liability policy already covers the damage it may cause to others. As part of “Home insurance”, WindTre also includes the package “Puss and Fido” to cover veterinary expenses incurred for the care of the family dog and cat, for hospitalization with and without surgery and for surgery without an overnight stay, as well as 24/7 assistance, thanks to a dedicated operations center. The policy is available for dogs or cats with a microchip aged between 7 weeks and 10 years. By insuring the animal before it turns 10, the policy is renewed without age limits.
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