Nationwide pet insurance class action overview:
- Who: Plaintiffs Don Silberman, Karen Silberman and Netti Sternklar filed a class action lawsuit against Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Nationwide Veterinary Pet Insurance Company and National Casualty Company.
- Why: The plaintiffs allege Nationwide canceled pet insurance policies for older pets despite promising consumers that it would never drop pets from coverage due to age.
- Where: The Nationwide pet insurance class action lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts federal court.
Nationwide is facing a new class action lawsuit from pet owners who allege the insurance company falsely promised it would never drop pets from coverage due to age, only to cancel policies when their pets needed coverage the most.
Plaintiffs Don Silberman, Karen Silberman and Netti Sternklar filed the class action complaint against Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Nationwide Veterinary Pet Insurance Company and National Casualty Company on June 4 in Massachusetts federal court, alleging violations of state consumer protection laws, negligent misrepresentation and fraud.
The trio claim in the Nationwide class action lawsuit that the company promised consumers its pet insurance policies would never be canceled due to a pet’s age but then canceled coverage for older pets when they needed it most.
The plaintiffs allege Nationwide lured consumers into purchasing its “Whole Pet” insurance policies with the false promise that the policies would never be canceled due to a pet’s age.
“Then, when their senior pets needed veterinary care, Nationwide decided it would no longer offer Whole Pet, thus cancelling coverage for thousands of consumers,” the Nationwide lawsuit says.
Lawsuit: Nationwide pet insurance left pet owners with no options
The plaintiffs allege that Nationwide’s decision to cancel the policies left pet owners with no options, as other pet insurance companies would not cover pre-existing conditions or certain pets due to age. As a result, many pet owners were forced to pay for expensive veterinary care out of pocket, the plaintiffs claim.
The plaintiffs claim they paid Nationwide premiums for years, only to have their policies canceled when their pets needed coverage the most.
The plaintiffs are looking to represent anyone who had their Whole Pet Plan canceled by Nationwide within the applicable statute of limitations.
They are suing for violations of state consumer protection laws, negligent misrepresentation and fraud and seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.
In 2024, Nationwide Vision and SightCare agreed to a $3.45 million class action settlement to resolve claims that a 2021 data breach compromised the sensitive data of patients and employees.
What do you think of the allegations made in this Nationwide class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Paula S. Bliss and Kelly Guagenty of Justice Law Collaborative LLC.
The Nationwide pet insurance class action lawsuit is Silberman, et al. v. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, et al., Case No. 1:25-cv-11619, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
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12 thoughts onNationwide customers sue over cancelled pet insurance despite ‘lifetime coverage’ promises
I’ve been a loyal Nationwide pet insurance customer for years and was told my plan was grandfathered in — that I could keep my existing coverage for my dog, Maggie, as long as I continued to pay my premiums on time. I specifically chose the plan because it covered wellness and routine care, which was incredibly important to me.
Now, after all these years, I received a letter stating that Maggie’s plan — which is no longer offered to new customers — will be terminated as of December 1, 2025 and replaced with a new plan that doesn’t cover wellness at all. She’s 10 years old now, and changing her plan at this stage feels unfair and misleading, especially after being assured that her coverage wouldn’t change.
I’ve always kept my account current and followed all requirements. Nationwide’s decision goes directly against what I was promised when I signed up and again when they told me I was grandfathered in.
I’m very upset and frustrated that a company I trusted would break their word and take away the coverage that helped me care for my senior dog. I’m sharing this in support of the class action — pet owners deserve honesty and consistency, especially when our pets rely on us for everything
Nationwide did the same to me – I paid super high premiums for 10 years and now when my dog will need it, they won’t cover the whole pet. Completely unethically. They don’t care about our pet at all.