At the April 2010 Canadian Regional Summits for Urban Animal Strategies an exciting new initiative to make pet insurance protection available to the pet families of the 14 million+ dogs and cats in Canada was announced.
Under this new initiative, called HomeSafe™, Western Financial Insurance Company (WFIC) and PetLynx Corporation will develop health insurance benefits for the new on-line HomeSafe™ portal.
How does it work?
HomeSafe™ will provide a range of products and prices from three of the leading pet insurance brands in Canada, all of which are underwritten by WFIC. Pet families may choose the type of medical insurance that best meets their budget and their needs from among these offerings. This coverage will be registered in the pet's record on the HomeSafe™ national system, which is powered by PetLynx. In an emergency situation, pets registered with HomeSafe™ will have the shortest path to medical attention in Canada.
Who will benefit from the HomeSafe™ program?
Everyone! Using the on-line HomeSafe™ portal, pet families will manage their animals' care profiles, breed information, recovery services, pet pictures and licensing information. Pet retailers, breeders, humane societies, municipalities, veterinarians and other service providers will have the ability to ensure that the pets they place or provide services to have medical benefits.
Why is a program like HomeSafe™ needed?
The Urban Animal Surveys, conducted for PetLynx Corporation by Ipsos Reid in 2008 and dmrkynetec in 2009, clearly showed that companion animal health and wellness is a top priority for pet families.
Companion animal industry intelligence tells us that:
- There are higher instances of surrender and euthanasia in communities where health care benefits aren't readily available for companion animals.
- To reduce or eliminate this situation communities and industry need to work together.
What industry sectors can be involved with HomeSafe™?
- Municipalities
- Humane societies
- Veterinarians
- Breeders
- Retailers
- All other service providers.
Why Western Financial and PetLynx?
Because this program delivers a win for communities, pets, people and the companion animal industry in Canada.
"We believe that HomeSafe™ is the most comprehensive approach to improving health and wellness for companion animals in Canada," said Randy Valpy, President and CEO of Western Financial Insurance. "We have already paid out more than $110,000,000 in claims, which means Canadians can trust us. Now with PetLynx and the HomeSafe™ program we will take health and wellness to a new level."
"Health care is one of the highest priorities Canadians have," adds Larry R. Evans, President and CEO of PetLynx Corporation. "Our colleagues across Canada helped us become the largest automated recovery system in just three years. Together with Western Financial Insurance we will deliver a new level of health and wellness for pets and help Canadian communities become the best place for companion animals in the world."
ABOUT WESTERN FINANCIAL INSURANCE
Western Financial Insurance Company (WFIC), formally known as Securican General Insurance Company, is the first and only licensed insurance company in Canada to focus solely on pet health insurance. WFIC has a number of product lines. Its core brand is Petsecure pet health insurance, and they also underwrite PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance, PC Financial® pet insurance, CAA pet insurance and Hbc Pet Insurance.
ABOUT PETLYNX CORPORATION
PetLynx automates the Companion Animal Industry in Canada. Hundreds of times a day, the PetLynx Automated National Recovery System recovers lost pets. PetLynx is the only Internet system in the world that can recover animals using a physical description, with or without any of the common forms of pet identification. It is also the only system that can recover pets not enrolled prior to becoming lost. To date, more than 158,344 pet recoveries have been facilitated through the PetLynx National Recovery System in Canada.
For more information contact:
Mika Sanson ~ Western Financial Insurance Company
204.942.2999 ext 7297
Cindy Kreutzer~ PetLynx Corporation
403.219.1088
Posted by Terri Perrin ~ Online Communications Editor
