Rep. Michael Schlossberg, D-Allentown, is pictured speaking during a House debate.

There isn’t quite a wave of pet insurance legislation in state legislatures throughout the country, but it’s becoming a steady drip.

Pennsylvania is the latest state to ponder such legislation after state Rep. Michael H. Schlossberg, D-Allentown, formally introduced House Bill 660. It has been sent to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

“We love our pets. For many of us, they are our chosen family and deserve to be protected from accidents as well as unforeseen medical expenses,” Schlossberg wrote in his co-sponsorship memorandum. “Many pet parents purchase pet insurance to ensure they have the financial support to address an emergent medical situation should one unfortunately arise. Pet insurance has boomed over the last several years to become a multi-billion-dollar industry that covers nearly four million pets across the United States. Despite this boom, there are no Pennsylvania laws specifically addressing pet insurance contracts. Thus, pet families are sometimes left holding the bag for expensive veterinarian bills because of unknown waiting periods or coverage exclusions buried within their insurance policies. Other consumers feel left in the dark as to why they pay higher premiums year after year.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the New York state Legislature, while other states with pet insurance bills signed into law include Maine, California, Washington and Mississippi. Pet insurance laws in Maine, Mississippi and Washington follow a model pet insurance law adopted in August 2022 by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. That model requires insurers make clear disclosures about exclusions; restricts and prohibits waiting periods for certain conditions or circumstances; makes a distinction between wellness plans and insurance; and specifies training for people that want to sell pet insurance.

The Associated Press reported in 2023 that the pet insurance industry had annual premiums of about $2.8 billion in 2021, an increase of more than 30% from 2020, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. About 4 million pets are insured in the U.S. According to the 2023-24 American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, 86.9 million, or 66% of, households in the U.S. reported owning a pet, and will spend an estimated $143.6 billion on vet care and products (pet food, treats, supplies, live animals, OTC medicine, vet care, product sales, and other services) in 2023, up from $136.8 billion in actual costs in 2022.

Mississippi Sen. Walt Michel, a Republican, said during legislative deliberation on the Mississippi bill that pet insurance policies mostly cover ailments such as broken bones and cancer. Injuries that are expensive to treat, such as a torn ACL in dogs, might have a one-year waiting period under most policies. The Mississippi bill does not apply to life insurance for pets.

“Pet insurance provides valuable coverage, but consumers deserve to know what is in their pet insurance policy and pets deserve the care they need, no matter the cost,” Schlossberg wrote. “That’s why I will be introducing legislation to provide crucial oversight of pet insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania. This legislation will create a comprehensive legal framework for the sale, solicitation, and negotiation of pet insurance policies within our state, leaving no space for hidden fees or confusion of coverage.”