It’s no secret that most of us love our pets, to the point where they become our companions on the road as well as at home, but what happens if you’re in a car accident and Rover or Boots is in the car with you?
In some cases, your car insurance may cover your pets. Technically, they’re considered property, so if the worst should happen and they’re killed in a car wreck, you can request monetary reparation, but there are also less grim options.
Some insurers – Progressive is one of them – actually have pet coverage built into their auto insurance policies. Progressive’s coverage costs nothing extra, but pays up to $1,000 toward veterinarian bills or as a death benefit. As well, if you have comprehensive coverage through Progessive, pets are covered for injury or death if the insured vehicle is involved in a fire, flood, windstorm, theft, or vandalism.
According to Progressive spokeswoman Miriam Deitcher, “If your dog or cat is in the car, for example, and the car is stolen and the pet is injured – we would pay on that.”
State Farm, on the other hand, covers pets as part of liability coverage. So, if you’re the person at fault in an accident, your car insurance policy will likely cover vet bills for the other driver’s pet.
State Farm’s Holly Anderson elaborates, “If our insured is liable for injuring someone else’s pet in an accident, then our policy would cover the costs.”
All auto insurance varies, however, so if you regularly travel with you animals, check with your insurance carrier to find out whether or not your pets are protected.