Car Insurance Coverage for Pets in Car Accidents

Car Insurance Coverage for Pets in Car Accidents
Pets ride in cars all the time, but what if they're injured
in a car accident? Whose car insurance company pays to
treat their injuries? The answer depends on the cause of
the accident.

Riding in cars can be dangerous for pets (as well as
distracting to the driver), especially because they ride
without the benefit of seat belts. If someone crashes into
you and causes injuries to your pet, you're entitled to
make a "third-party claim" with their car insurance company
for your pet's medical bills. That's because their
liability car insurance policy must put you "back where you
were" before the accident.

If you are at-fault in a car accident in which your pet is
injured, you'll want to check your car insurance policy for
exclusions. Say you crash into another car or a fence:
Collision insurance pays for the repairs to your own
vehicle. But you may have an exclusion on your collision
insurance coverage for damage to personal property that you
are transporting, whether it's your antique vase or your
pet. If your car insurance policy has such exclusions, you
won't have a valid claim. For example, State Farm says that
its policies don't provide coverage for pet injuries. Car
insurance coverage may vary depending on the car insurance
company, so be sure to carefully check your policy.
In this scenario, if you don't carry collision coverage at
all, you must pay for all damage from the accident,
including your car and pet.

Perhaps someone comes to visit you and your dog goes to lie
down under their car. Then, unknowingly, the visitor backs
over your pet. Is the visitor liable for your dog's
injuries? Yes, he is, but not under the bodily injury
section of his car insurance policy. Bodily injury pays out
for injuries sustained by any "one person" in an accident.
Your pet doesn't qualify as a person so he's not covered by
this portion of the car insurance policy policy.

However, for car insurance purposes, your pet qualifies as
your "personal property," and you have the right to be "put
back where you were" before the accident — in this
case, meaning having a healthy dog. You'd have the right to
make a claim on your visitor's car insurance policy for
your dog's medical bills, just as you would have the right
to make a claim if the driver backed over your lawnmower.

The death of a pet

Certainly pets are part of the "family," and the death of a
beloved pet can lead to extreme grief. But your pet's
status as your "personal property" may limit your options
for compensation if someone causes an accident that kills
your pet. State laws do not recognize the loss of personal
property as valid claims for "loss of companionship"
compensation, unlike the loss of a spouse. In the event
your pet is killed in an accident, you can likely make a
claim only for the "market value" of your pet.

Some courts have allowed damages for deceased pets to go
beyond "market value" by applying "pecuniary value" or
"special value," which applies to personal property that
has no ascertainable market value.

Tips for traveling by car with pets

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association

-Cats should be in a cage or in a cat carrier to allow them
to feel secure and prevent them from crawling under your
feet while you are driving.
-A dog that must ride in a truck bed should be in a
protective kennel that is fastened to the truck bed.
-Dogs riding in a car should not ride in the passenger seat
if it is equipped with an airbag, and should not be allowed
to sit on the driver's lap.
-Harnesses, tethers and other accessories to secure pets
during car travel are available at most pet stores.
-Pets should not be allowed to ride with their heads
outside car windows. Particles of dirt or other debris can
enter the eyes, ears and nose, causing injury or infection.

Car insurance coverage for pets has been a long standing
issue between car insurance companies and pet owners. There
are certain scenarios in which car insurance policies do
cover pets, as well as those that do not. It is important
to be safe when traveling with pets in your car, hopefully
you will remember the tips that we provided. Check with
your car insurance company to determine if your pet is
covered by your car insurance policy.

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Amy Danise is an editor for http://www.insure.com . Visit
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