Can You Be Compensated For The Loss OfYour Pet? (NAPSA)—Americans love their pets, so pet owners are natu- rally concerned about what would as they have with the human members of their family. In most states, however, the law does not happen if an animal companion permit recovery of damages for emotional loss, even if the pet is lost by the negligence of another. cases, when animals have been Animal owners who are concerned about potential coverage “Animals are talk to their insurance agent or broker to find out whether coverage for their animals might be addedto thepolicy. Gy were injured or killed—especially whenthat loss is caused by someone else’s negligence. In many injured, their owners are dismayed to discover that they have no insurance covering that loss. | ri) \G, SOCIETY INSURING YOUR SUCCESS usually viewed by the law asa form of personal property, like your car or a table lamp,” says George M. Wallace, CPCU, J.D., an attorney with the Pasadena, Calif., firm of should review their policies and Attorney Wallace, who specializes in representing veterinarians as defendants in liability cases, says that the limitation on damages stems from the long-established status of animals as a form of property. “Courts in a small minority of Wallace & Schwartz and a member of the CPCU Society. “But unlike a car or lamp, most insurance pollicies do not extend coveragefor loss or damageto an animal.” While some automobile insurers are beginning to include coverage for animals injured when traveling in their owner’s car, most homeowner’s insurance policies specifically exclude animals, Hawaii, Idaho, possibly Vermont and to some extent Alaska—recognize expansive measures of damages for negligent loss of animals, but the majority rule is clearly to the contrary. Typically, the only recoverable damages are for the cost of treatment of an injured animal or the animal’s covered property. Animal owners who are concerned about potential coverage should review their pollicies and talk to their insurance agent or broker to find out whether coverage for their animals might be added to the policy by an appropriate endorsement. For many people, the emotional bond with an animal is as strong He adds that even when pets are insured on the owner’s own policy, the emotional component of losing a pet will not likely be covered. You can learn more about property and casualty insurance availability by contacting a CPCU Society agent or by visiting www.cpcu society.org and accessing the Agent & Broker Locator. birds and fish from their lists of states—among them are Florida, market value, whicheveris less.”
