Woman Told that Insurance Company Would “Total Out” Her Injured Dog

Last week a minivan hit a Colorado woman’s dog. The minivan driver’s insurance, Farmers’ Insurance, informed the woman it would pay for one or two trips to the veterinary and would “total out” her dog.

Farmers’ later sent the woman a letter informing her that it would reimburse her for the initial veterinary trip and would consider paying for a follow up visit but would pay nothing beyond that. A Farmers’ spokesperson later stated that the term “totaling out” is only industry jargon that refers to a policy’s property damage provision.

See Insurance Company Says it Will “Total Out” Dog Hit by Minivan, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Aug. 17, 2011.