California Passes Health Insurance Reform for Pets

Published: Thu 03 Jun 2010

Donald Chase

Lawmakers in California are extending their rendition of health care reform to pets.

On Tuesday, a bill in the California State Assembly passed that would force pet insurers to disclose certain information.

The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Dave Jones (Democrat, Sacramento), would require pet insurance companies to explain fully any policy that caps coverage. Pet insurers would also have to explicitly say if they deny medical coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions.

The Assembly passed A.B. 2411 with a 43-16 vote. The bill will now move on to the Senate.

Originally, the bill also included a provision that prohibited pet insurance companies from denying an animal coverage because of a preexisting condition, but that provision was later removed during deliberations.

The bill may be a harbinger of a national trend toward pet health insurance reform, as California is often a forerunner in political matters.