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Most people think that pet insurance is new. However, did you know that it has existed for over 100 years? The very first insurance policy was written in 1890 by Claes Virgin who was the founder of Länsförsäkrings Alliance. At the time, he mainly focused on insuring livestock and horses.

Special Milestones

1890 – The first pet insurance policy was written by Claes Virgin, founder of Länsförsäkrings Alliance. At that time, he focused on horses and livestock.

1924 – The first dog received insurance coverage in Sweden. It was soon followed by a policy written in Britain in 1947.

1982 – The famous TV dog Lassie received the first pet insurance policy in the United States, issued by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI)).

1989 – Pet health insurance was introduced into the Canadian market by Fetch (now Western Financial Insurance), MediPet and Petsure.

2007 – The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) was founded to establish and maintain universal and professional standards for terminology, best practices, quality and ethics in the pet health insurance industry.

Pet Insurance History in America

2018 – The Insured Pet, an online pet insurance review and advisory site is formed.

2017 – 4 Paws Pet Insurance is launched.

2015 – Figo Pet Insurance, a tech based company, issues first policy.

2014 – Nationwide Pet Insurance
Veterinary Pet Insurance is renamed Nationwide Pet Insurance.

2010 – Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance enrolled it’s first pet in February 2010.

2008 – Trupanion
Trupanion insures their first pet in the United States. By this time, they were already well established in Canada.

2006 – Embrace and ASPCA Pet Insurance are formed.
Embrace Pet Insurance sold its first policy on October 10, 2006, to cover co-founder Laura Bennett’s newly adopted cat, Lily.

2006 – Fetch
In 2006, Fetch UK licensed an American company and started offering coverage in the United States.

2005 – Pets Best
he Pets Best brand launched in 2005 as a division of General Fire & Casualty (GF&C) when Founder Jack Stephens insured his Chihuahua, Torrey. In 2006, Pets Best was purchased from GF&C and became a standalone company.

2004 – PetFirst
PetFirst Healthcare launched its US operation and began issuing policies in 2004

1980 – Veterinary Pet Insurance

In 1980, Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) was the first and only company offering pet health insurance in all of North America. VPI is now known as Nationwide Pet Insurance.