While driving her Honda Civic, Tara Justus often takes her "baby," Layla, along for the ride.
Layla, a 15-month-old chihuahua, usually starts out in the back seat, but sometimes the dog wanders around the interior, a potentially harmful activity were an accident to occur.
"My mom always tells me to keep an eye on her," said Ms. Justus, of Perrysburg.
Until now, if a pet like Layla were hurt in an auto accident, the owners would just have to foot the cost of treatment.
But lately some auto insurers have begun to include coverage for pet injuries or deaths in their vehicle policies at no charge.
Farmers Insurance Group is the latest carrier, offering up to $600 for pet care or death in an accident if the owner of the vehicle has collision and comprehensive insurance.
The coverage applies to customers in Ohio, Michigan, and 15 other states.
"We recognize that pets are extremely important to the overwhelming majority of our customers and we wanted to do something to acknowledge that bond," said Michelle Levy, a Farmers spokesman.
Her company isn't the first to cover pet passengers.
Progressive Group last fall extended auto accident coverage to family dogs and cats if their owners have its vehicle collision insurance.
The coverage provides up to $500 for injury or death and applies to customers in Ohio, Michigan, and 45 other states.
And last week, Erie Insurance began offering customers in Virginia a $500 benefit for treatment of injuries to a policy holder's cat or dog.
If the animal dies, the policy would pay the cost of a replacement animal if the owner wishes.
Bill Mouch, a Progressive Group agent in Maumee, said that although many customers have pets, few ever ask about the new coverage.
Nor has a customer ever filed a pet-coverage claim, he said.
"To be honest, I don't think we've had anybody worry about it one way or another," he said.
"There's a lot of little details that companies offer. I'm sure somebody thought this was a pretty good idea."
It didn't sound bad to Max Devolder, of Perrysburg, who is Ms. Justus' boyfriend. Layla the chihuahua often rides in his Jeep Wrangler but not in a cage or carrier.
"People pay for anything for their pets these days. I could see people wanting this," he said.
Richard Hamilton, who owns a Farmers Insurance agency in Perrysburg, said the new coverage is minimal but does provide some benefit to pet owners.
"People are more considerate of their pets these days," he said. "But nowadays people will spend thousands of dollars for their pet's health, and that's gotten publicity."
If one company tries to gain a competitive edge by offering accident coverage for pets, it's not unusual that others will quickly follow suit, he said.
For now, Farmers Insurance covers any family pet, not just dogs and cats.
"What it means is it is for any fully domesticated animal, and that can be a dog, a cat, a reptile, or a rodent," Ms. Levy said. "If you have a pet ferret, it's covered."
However, coverage does not apply to horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, or other captive fur-bearing animals commonly kept for food or profit.
"It has to be a pet. Your pet cow that you plan to kill and eat does not count," she said.
Contact Jon Chavez at:
jchavez@theblade.com
or 419-724-6128.
First Published August 12, 2008, 9:38 a.m.