More Americans are traveling with their pets, and not on just any vacation. There is growing interest in travel specifically centered around pets and the travel industry is paying attention.
“Luxury pet travel is one of the top niche travel trends that consumers are spending on. Travel that involves luxury doggie spa treatments, fine dining doggie meal menus, and dog-specific airlines have even launched as well,” said Lauren Gumport, with app-based boutique travel insurance company Faye Travel.
There are now exclusive pet resorts and many hotel chains have expanded pet-friendly services with options like dog-walking and pet-sitting. Most airports now have at least basic pet-friendly amenities like areas for them to relieve themselves.
Trip insurance has been around for decades and can cover unexpected loss or trip interruptions, even though it is important to read the fine print on any trip insurance policy to know what is covered and what is excluded.
Gumport said one of the fastest-growing travel insurance policy add-ons is now pet travel insurance. It can cover costs related to pets, whether they are traveling with the insured traveler or left behind on the trip.
“It can cover up to $2,500 in pet sickness or injury, and it can also cover up to $250 in kennel costs if you arrive home later than expected,” Gumport said.
A pet insurance add-on to a travel insurance policy comes with a minimal cost. The cost for trip insurance in general varies, depending on trip length, destination and state of residence. The cost of adding a pet can depend on anything from the age and health of the pet to even the animal’s breed.
Pet travel insurance will not cover the unthinkable, but what is always a worry for air travelers who travel with their pets: A dog, too big to fly in the cabin, dies in transit. Airlines don’t offer much comfort either.
“Most airlines treat pets as cargo when they are transported in the hull, which means their liability is limited,” Gumport said.
Unless the pet’s death is caused by airline negligence, such as lack of oxygen in cargo bays or unreasonable tarmac delays, compensation by airlines is generally limited to out-of-pocket expenses.
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