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US employers take the lead covering pet insurance, should the UK follow?

Dec 4, 2017 | Insurance

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For anybody who has a pet at home, it is a redundant statement to say that your furry friends are family. Sadly for all pet-owners, we don’t have a doggy NHS, and although PDSA will sometimes look after your pet in an emergency situation, pet insurance is a must for the majority of the country.

As with all insurance policies, the idea is that you don’t incur large costs should your pet need to visit the vet, and it leaves you with peace of mind that very important parts of your life are protected. Because of this many are now commending the US, as many firms there are now including pet insurance as part of an employment contract. Should the UK take note?

US workers’ perks

Some companies from over the Atlantic are aware of how important pets are to their respective owners. They are also aware that usual pet insurance over there will cover treatment, but not things like ‘wellness visits’ or vaccines. So although pet-owners may be paying reasonable premiums, costs can soar by as much as thousands of Dollars if their pet requires repeat visits or medication. Therefore, the number of US companies that offer pet insurance as a perk is on the rise, so why aren’t the UK adopting something similar?

The UK holds the same values

Granted, as mentioned before, there is not such thing as a ‘doggy NHS’. There is, however, an NHS for residents of the UK, whereas the US still hasn’t managed to fully adopt a universal healthcare scheme. Where this is leading is that it has been common practice for US corporations to cover things like health/dental insurance for their employees as part of an employment contract.

This is nowhere near as apparent in the UK, so it can be argued that pet insurance wouldn’t really be on the mind of many UK employers. Despite this, many pet-owners will compare quotes online for pet insurance, meaning there is more choice over the level of cover. Therefore, hopefully costs wouldn’t mount in this country the same they would in USA. Because UK employers haven’t thought about providing pet insurance as a perk doesn’t mean that the UK cares less about pets, people just fund pet care slightly differently over here it seems.

Pet insurers raising funds for pet charities

A team of pet insurers completed the 510 mile Extra Mile Challenge last month, and are continuing to raise funds for their chosen four charities – Dogs for Good in Association with Stocklake Park School (MASKS), Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Medical Detection Dogs and Pets as Therapy. Team Agria completed the cycle route over a three-day period, and Agria’s MD, Simon Wheeler, said that, “It has been a challenging, but immensely satisfying, three days of cycling thanks to our tough team members and the incredible boost we all felt from riding in support of such life-changing charities.”

This is a single example to leave you with when thinking about the country’s approach to pet-care. Hopefully UK firms will take a leaf out of the books of the US and one day incorporate things such as pet insurance as a work perk. After all, have a scan online and see how many roles offer an office dog! Seriously, check.

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