Veterinary insurance in America: Marketing to a nation of pet parents

1.  “Ah, the little things our pets do.  And somehow we still love them.” 

2.  “Oh, no, he didn’t.  Oh, yes, he did.”

3.  “Toy ingestion  $3,000.”

We can’t get enough of the adorable things our pets do.  But sometimes those cute things can be costly. 

More and more pet owners are turning to pet insurance to help cover the rising costs of pet health care.  Still, pet insurance penetration levels remain low in North America, particularly compared to European countries such as the U.K. and Sweden, where a quarter to a half of pets are covered.

But pet insurance marketers on this side of the ocean are trying hard to change that.

As the marketing messages above suggest, pet insurance providers are playing on pet owners love of their furry family members, the cute things they do and how they should be protected when unexpected things happen.  (See end of post if you want to find out which marketer used which message).

Pet owners are increasingly being bombarded with pet insurance marketing, whether from the new companies that have entered the scene (three in the last two years), the new TV ads that several players have recently launched, or the myriad print  ads, banner ads or social media activity that has kept the industry abuzz.  As one player, Petplan, proclaims on a microsite:  “Now you can afford to protect who you love.”

For a complete lowdown on pet insurance - including trends, in-depth profiles, a proprietary consumer survey, and a look at non-insurance options such as Pet Assure and wellness-only options offered by Banfield - check out our brand new report Pet Insurance in North America, 5^th Edition.

1.  Protect Your Bubble.  2.  VPI Pet Insurance.  3.  Petplan