Pet health insurance growing as an employee benefit

"At a time when employers are scaling back on costly health benefits, pet insurance is gaining popularity as an employee benefit." (Source: "Veterinary insurance for pets growing," Associated Press, Jan. 17, 2007.) "Veterinary Pet Insurance, the nation's largest pet insurer, saw its corporate accounts balloon from 15 to 1,600 in the past six years. About 15% of Veterinary Pet Insurance's policies, or about 50,000, now come from its corporate accounts." Among those now offering pet health insurance as an option for their employees are Comcast Corp., Home Depot, the Walt Disney Co., and Sprint.