Nationwide Cancels Pet Insurance Policies, Leaving Owners Worried
HOUSTON – Many pet owners are upset over Nationwide’s recent decision to cancel approximately 100,000 pet insurance policies across the country. The move has sparked worry and frustration among those affected, who are concerned about potential gaps in their pets’ healthcare coverage and the difficulty of finding new insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions.
Kristina Vlantes, a longtime pet owner who runs a Chow rescue, expressed her dismay. “They’re part of my family. I don’t have children; the dogs are part of my family, so I would treat them just like I would have a kid,” she said. Vlantes stated that although her Chows, Bo and Kasey, are currently healthy, her premiums with Nationwide have doubled within the last two years. “In 2022, his policy was $114, and now it’s up to $246,” she explained, noting that this increase occurred despite no pre-existing conditions or medical concerns. She emphasized that she pays these premiums to ensure she can provide necessary lifesaving treatment for her pets if they ever need it. “I’ve seen that in the ER time and time again, where there are people in the ER, where they can’t afford the bill, and so they have to put down the dog,” she added.
Other pet owners have also voiced their concerns. Eric Kappotis received a cancellation letter for Riley, one of his two Doberman Pinschers. Kappotis shared that his premiums had recently jumped to $300 a month. “It quickly went to anger,” he said. “You have a lot of guts to send me a letter in the mail saying, ‘We’re on your side,’ but we’re essentially, for lack of a better word, cutting your legs out from under you.”
Nationwide has stated that the cancellations “are not associated with the pet’s age, breed or prior claims history.” The company attributed the cancellations to “inflation in the cost of veterinary care and other factors.” However, a Facebook group called “Dropped By Nationwide Pet Insurance Whole Wellness” is filled with pet owners reporting cancellations for older pets and those with serious health conditions.
Robin Tobias, an administrator of the Facebook group and a pet owner whose policy was canceled, detailed the extent of the problem. “There are people with senior pets that are undergoing chemotherapy, dogs that have seizures, dogs that have neurological disorders… things that require a lot of medical attention and a lot of medication,” she said. Many affected pet owners are worried about finding coverage for pre-existing conditions, which can be difficult to insure.
Tobias noted the frustration of being “dropped after 8 or 9 years off of a policy that you’ve been paying into just to cover these issues late in life.”
While Nationwide says the cancellations comply with the law and their contracts, some pet owners are considering legal action. When asked for comment regarding these concerns, Nationwide referred back to their original statement, which reads in part: “We certainly empathize with the disappointment many of our pet families feel and will fully stand by the protection for which they have paid through the end of their current term.”
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) confirmed that it regulates pet insurance, stating that pet owners can file a complaint with TDI if they cannot resolve an issue directly with the insurance company. However, TDI indicated that they have not yet received any complaints related to Nationwide’s recent announcement.
