Whether it's purchased individually or acquired through an employer-based plan, pet insurance is still a perk enjoyed by only a tiny fraction of American pet owners.
Out of 174 million cats and dogs in the United States at the end of 2014, only about 1.4 million were covered by an insurance policy, according to a pet insurance trade group. That is nevertheless a significant increase from 2008, when only 680,000 were covered.
About 81 percent pet insurance policyholders are dogs. The majority of the rest are cats, but there is also a small group of people who have purchased plans for other types of pets.
|Steady increase in U.S. pet population
Pet health insurance works pretty similar to human health insurance. The policies are priced based on a number of risk factors, including age and breed. Purebreds are often more expensive to insure because, ironically, they are typically anything but pure when it comes to health.
A report last year on pet insurance attributed its growth partially to increasing prices charged by veterinarians as well as the steady increase in the country's pet population.
On its face, pet insurance may seem to be a product marketed uniquely to the wealthy. But in fact, its greatest appeal may be to middle income people who can't bear the thought of having to put a beloved pet to sleep if they're hit by a huge vet bill they can't pay.
|Most unusual pet insurance claims
A recent press release by Nationwide, which says it has nearly 600,000 insured pets, documented the most unusual (and occasionally comical) insurance claims that it processed for pet owners over the past year, nominating them for its annual “Hambone Award.”
The animal hospital that treated the winner of the award will receive $10,000 that it can use to cover the care of pet owners who can't afford to pay their vet bills.
Among the claims Nationwide nominated for the award:
“Hey human, are you going to finish that?” (Photo: iStock)
|A ruff encounter with Ruffles
A cocker spaniel nearly died after getting her head stuck in a bag of potato chips. She required a plasma transfusion and an overnight stay at the animal hospital. Miraculously, the near-suffocation the dog suffered did not leave her with brain damage.
“I can fly! Wait, no I can't.” (Photo: iStock)
|Paying out the nose
A blue heeler mix shattered his snout after jumping into a cement barrier in a park, separating his nasal cavity from his mouth. The surgery called for veterinarians to reattach his snout with the assistance of a specialist and the entire process took hours, no doubt leaving his owners with a bill worth many thousands.
After six weeks of “grueling recovery,” the playful pooch was back at the park, although hopefully with a heightened sense of the risks of jumping off elevated platforms.
“Can we snuggle on the cushions, not between them?” (Photo: iStock)
|Too cozy for comfort
A Cavalier King Charles spaniel slipped between couch cushions while napping and dislocated his hips trying to get out. The dog required two major operations on both hips. Anything short of surgery would have left him unable to walk again.
“Hey human, that's my chair!” (Photo: iStock)
|Game of chairs
A Sphynx cat in Texas was severely injured when a reclining chair closed on her. The hairless feline had been hiding inside a reclining chair and was nearly crushed when her owner, unaware of her presence, put the chair back into the upright position. It turned out her injuries were not serious, although discovering that required X-rays. She was prescribed antibiotics for her bruises and cuts and made a full recovery.
Related: 12 factors impacting dog bit claims
“I thought this thing was supposed to make it easier to breathe …” (Photo: iStock)
|He did inhale
A giant schnauzer picked up his owner's asthma inhaler and made the near-fatal mistake of biting down on it. He inhaled almost the entire dose of asthma medication that had just been loaded, provoking his heartrate to double. Ultimately, after spending a night at the vet, the dog's condition improved and he was able to return home without undergoing any major interventions.
“Hmm… a quick snack before bed sounds delicious.” (Photo: iStock)
|Terrible taste in jeans
A Great Dane swallowed an entire pair of kid-sized jeans. At first there were no clues besides the sudden disappearance of the pants, but the dog began to vomit uncontrollably later on, prompting his owners to take him to the vet. He received emergency surgery to remove the jeans, which were as good as new after being washed.
“Look at these chompers. Good as new!” (Photo: iStock)
|A sucky injury
A border collie got her mouth caught inside the suction tool of a vacuum cleaner, breaking off teeth and injuring her mouth in the process. The wound required oral surgery, which ain't cheap. Luckily the dog made a full recovery and her owners were sure to take precautions to keep her away from the vacuum in the future.
“Sorry, human. WebMD has no answers to 'How do I dislodge my dog from a tree table?'” (Photo: iStock)
|Stuck between a tree and a neck brace
A Tibetan terrier got her head stuck in an opening of a solid oak coffee table. The dog was contorting its body as it attempted to dislodge her head, to the point that her owner thought she was going to break her neck. The owner delivered the dog, still stuck to the table, to an emergency vet clinic, where the vet administered a sedative that relaxed the dog's body to the point where they were able to squeeze the pooch out of her table.
“Who needs an alarm system when Fido comes to the rescue?” (Photo: iStock)
|A heroic dog
A Jack Russell terrier intervened during a home invasion, in which both he and his owner were stabbed by a burglar. Both underwent surgery and survived serious knife wounds. The dog likely saved the life of his owner by attacking and distracting the intruder.
“Humans, we're starting to feel a little loopy … “ (Photo: iStock)
|Unsafe for all creatures
After a faulty carbon monoxide detector failed during a leak on a cold winter day, a cat and poodle suffered from major carbon monoxide poisoning, along with their owners. While their human owners were attended to by human physicians, the pets were placed in an oxygen chamber at the veterinary hospital. Both pets recovered the next day.
“Help me, hoomans! I iz stuck!” (Photo: iStock)
|A pain in the tail
A cat jumped off his “cat tree” and got his tail caught in the blinds of a window. His owners' frantic attempts to free his tail were successful, but they knew he wasn't right when they finally got him free. His tail was severely wounded, although happily he did not suffer any nerve damage, something they discovered after taking him through extensive examination and X-rays at the vet.
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