Iams Pet Insurance

Have you heard about Iams pet insurance yet? This well known dog food manufacturer is now promoting health care coverage for dogs and cats.

Even if you don't feed your dog Iams kibble, you've probably heard of the brand. Iams, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, was founded by the Iams family in 1946, but it wasn't until 1982 that their kibble formula and marketing came together to propel the brand to national prominence. The company was subsequently sold to Proctor and Gamble in 1999.

Since then Iams has become a household name, feeding millions of dogs and cats, puppies and kittens its standard formula as well as its Eukanuba premium brand.

Not content with simply manufacturing pet food, the Iams company is now branching out into the pet health care industry by promoting health insurance for pets. To this end Iams has purchased just under a nine percent share of Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI).

VPI was founded over twenty-seven years ago by Dr. Jack Stephens, DVM, and still employs a team of veterinarians working throughout the company to maintain the focus on helping owners provide their pets with the care they need. Stephens' early goal was to make a dent in the number of economic euthanasias. In other words, he wanted to provide an alternative for owners who were unable to handle large veterinary bills and felt euthanasia was the only avenue they had left to ease an ailing pet's suffering.

Today, VPI has grown into the largest pet insurer in the USA, and serves pet owners in Canada as well.

Iams has begun promoting public awareness of pet insurance by including promotional materials in each of its new puppy and kitten kits. The company sees this move as a way to educate the public about how nutrition and healthcare can work hand in hand to give pets a greater chance of living longer, healthier lives.

Every Iams and Eukanuba starter kit will now include a special offer from VPI for two free months of comprehensive coverage that will be paid for by Iams if the owners purchase a full year policy. The policy will cover over $200.00 in routine care services and up to $14,000.00 annually for illnesses, accidents and emergency care.

According to the Iams' website, an average policy is designed to help pay an owner's veterinary expenses for many health care services such as:

• Vaccinations and other designated routine care services
• Medication
• X-rays
• Specified lab fees
• Surgery, including spay/neuter services
• Hospitalization
• Accidents
• Designated illnesses
• Prescription flea control

The price of a policy varies from pet to pet according to factors such as size and age, but the average premium cost is between $20.00 to $30.00 dollars a month. Pet owners can also remain with their current vet, as long as that vet agrees to honor the policy. In fact, VPI will cover specified services for any licensed veterinarian worldwide. This could be especially beneficial for owners who like to travel with their pets.

In the USA, less than one percent of pet owners carried policies on their pets at the beginning of the Iams promotion. A recent review found that the company is indeed beginning to make inroads with the public, and some participating veterinarians have reported as much as a seven percent rise in policies put into action through their clinics.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Iams pet insurance promotion can visit the website directly.

A visit to the VPI website will also provide more info about exactly what a policy covers. You can even get a quote on the price of a policy for your pet, and enroll on line if you choose.

Iams pet insurance may be a decent tool to help owners bridge the gap in healthcare costs for their pets, but it's up to each owner to research the offer and decide if it's the right one for his/her situation.

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