Governor Tate Reeves has signed the animal health coverage bill into law.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves recently signed a pet insurance bill, making the state the second in the country to do so. It will go into effect on July 1.
The purpose of the law is to make it possible for agents to sell the policies to their customers.
Pet insurance agents will be able to sell the policies to customers who want coverage against expenses associated with unexpected injuries and illnesses in their animals. According to a recent WLOX report, the majority of consumers in the state who have purchased coverage for their animals have done so through a third-party agency.
“Sometimes they can even bundle it with home, auto, and other insurance they already have. They come to us, and we may not be aware they have a policy, but we’ll offer treatment recommendations, the client will often accept them,” said Dr. Jennifer Sutton from Gulf Coast Veterinary Emergency Hospital. “After the visit they’ll pay us and then go file the insurance with their company and be reimbursed that way.”
The pet insurance bill also makes sure that consumers will receive more information about policies.
The bill also requires insurers to provide consumers with more information about policies they are considering.
“Before a customer would purchase a policy and they may not realize after a certain age the policy is no longer going to cover treatment or if they have a certain breed like a Rottweiler it may exclude hip dysplasia or heart conditions because it’s known to be popular in those breeds to have those problems,” explained Sutton.
Sutton also stated that the majority of people who have purchased a policy for their cats or dogs are more likely to be willing to accept treatments that come with a high cost, because they have coverage to take off the financial burden.
Expenses associated with many veterinary services are high. While everyone hopes that their dog or cat won’t get sick or hurt, these things happen. With pet insurance, they know that they won’t have to choose between the wellbeing of their animal and their financial wellbeing. Plans can cover a range of procedures, treatments and specialized services that can improve a pet’s quality of life or even save its life. With coverage in place, many animal owners have peace of mind knowing that they can afford that care.
