In the future, being bitten by your neighbour's dog may not be so bad - so long as the animal is insured.
A British insurance company will soon offer coverage that will pay out up to Dh1m. The announcement that the company is considering cashing in on the UAE residents' attraction to exotic pets - by extending its coverage beyond cats and dogs to include snakes, horses and possibly even camels - means that even a kick on the shins by a great mare may have its benefits.
The "Superior Cover" that is being offered by Royal and Sun Alliance promises thirdparty liability insurance cover of up to Dh1m for a pet's action that kills or injures somebody or causes damage to another person's property.
The company's current "Standard Cover" pet insurance, which costs a premium of Dh899 per year, provides third party liability but is limited to half a million dirham.
In most countries, owners are responsible for their pets, and if an attack is unprovoked and the victim was not a trespasser, the owner would be liable to pay any fees issued - including possible court fees.
But in the UAE, Royal and Sun Alliance is offering an insurance package that will cover a range of fees.
"It covers veterinary charges and third party coverage for damages up to Dh1m," said Malavika Ujjwal, an official of Royal and Sun Alliance.
A study conducted by a private consultant for the British insurance company said there are 120,000 cats and dogs in the UAE, which were not covered by insurance.
"[The Superior Cover] is quite popular with pet owners because the premium for dogs is Dh1,199 per year.
"For Standard Coverage the rate is Dh899 per year. For cats the premium is a bit less. Ours is the first such scheme in the region," she added.
"Many pet owners have claimed health cover for pets. There was a rare case of a dog undergoing brain scanning to diagnose for epilepsy and mental illness. The scanning costs only Dh5,000," she added. Dogs and cats have to be a minimum of eight weeks old and not older than 12 to be covered by the scheme.
"With more pet owners moving to Dubai, we expect more demand for pet insurance," she added.
And the Royal and Sun Alliance website confirms the company's plans to look at expanding its coverage.
"Currently, our pet insurance covers dogs and cats only.
"However, in the future, we may look at offering cover for animals such as horses, rabbits, snakes, birds, camels etc," the website said.
Pet insurance covers the cost of treatment, X-rays, surgery, nursing and medications, as well as veterinary fees due to illness.
It does not, however, cover flea treatment, neutering and vaccinations, behavioural problems, pregnancy, special diet food supplements and dental treatment unless these result from an accidental external injury.
Before subscribing to pet insurance, animals have to be vaccinated against a wide range of diseases.
By VM Sathish
© Emirates Today 2007
