InsurTech Magazine November 2022 | Page 14

TIMELINE

The History of Pet Insurance

PET INSURANCE PROTECTS OWNERS AGAINST THE COST OF MEDICAL BILLS AND UNEXPECTED EXPENSES , BUT IT HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST 130 YEARS . IN FACT , IT WASN ’ T INTENDED TO COVER OUR DOMESTIC COMPANIONS AT ALL …

1890

FARM ANIMAL INSURANCE
The first policy covering animals was offered in Sweden , which can legitimately lay claim to inventing pet insurance . It was created by Claes Virgin for the insurance company Länsförsäkrings Alliance and was more akin to farm insurance , covering working animals such as horses and livestock .

1924

THE FIRST PET POLICY
Dogs are often described as man ’ s best friend , so it ’ s understandable that our canine companions were the only domestic pet covered by early policies . The first pet insurance policy for a dog was launched in Sweden in the 1920s , and pet insurance soon spread across the Nordic nation .
14 November 2022