Furry Friends More companies are offering health insurance for pets.

As veterinary treatment becomes more sophisticated, the cost ofmedical care for pets is rising. Many people are purchasing petinsurance, and a growing number of companies are including it intheir voluntary insurance offerings to employees.

Pet insurance covers the cost of animal care in much the sameway that a major medical policy covers people's health-carecosts. Bill Gorman, group sales manager for Veterinary PetInsurance Co. in Brea, California, says VPI's basic policyhas a $50 deductible, then pays 90 percent up to a specificschedule.

Gorman says an increasing number of pet owners are looking totheir employers to provide this as a benefit available with a groupdiscount, even though they pay the entire cost themselves. "Inthe surveys we've done, pet insurance was the third mostrequested product by employees," Gorman says.