AKC Pet Insurance Vet Helpline Terms of Use

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED.

These Terms of Use govern the use of the AKC Pet Insurance Vet Helpline. Your use of the AKC Pet Insurance Vet Helpline following any modification constitutes your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use as modified. The last date these Terms of Use were revised is set forth below.

The AKC Pet Insurance Vet Helpline service is provided by VetsDirect Limited ("VetsDirect"). Confirmation of policy enrollment with AKC Pet Insurance ("your insurance company") is required to receive the helpline service. VetsDirect is a third party and your insurance company is not responsible for its services or programs. Offer is subject to change and can be modified or discontinued at any time.

Your insurance company is providing you access to VetsDirect as a service through the telephone or web chat. Your use of the VetsDirect services (the "Services") constitutes your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use, which can be modified at any time without notice.

  1. IF YOUR PET IS EXPERIENCING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU SHOULD SEEK IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY VETERINARY CARE.

  2. The Services are designed to assist you with making non-emergency care decisions regarding your pet. They are not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. VetsDirect does not represent that any health, behavior, wellness suggestions, or recommendations provided will be safe, appropriate, or effective for your pet. Any advice provided by VetsDirect is for your decision support purposes to assist you in making a care decision for your pet only.

  3. VetsDirect staff cannot prescribe or recommend medications, diagnose diseases, provide "second opinions", or provide any other medical advice that necessitates a corresponding physical exam and/or legal veterinary-client-patient relationship. They will be able to field questions surrounding triage of an ill animal to help the pet owner determine if the pet needs immediate veterinary intervention.

  4. You may incur charges if you call from a cell phone; please contact your provider for more details. By supplying your telephone number, you have given consent to contact you at the number you provided (including through auto-dialed, pre-recorded, artificial voice, and/or text messages) so they may assist you with your questions, and you hereby expressly consent to any such calls or texts - even if your phone number is on any corporate, state, or national Do Not Call list or registry - and to have such calls monitored and/or recorded for record-keeping, compliance, security, and quality-assurance purposes.

  5. Your insurance company and VetsDirect are not related entities and are not agents of one another.

Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THE USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NEITHER VETSDIRECT NOR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY MAKE EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, OR ENDORSEMENTS WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE. VETSDIRECT AND YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGMENT, WITH REGARD TO THE SERVICE. VETSDIRECT AND YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED. THE SITE AND THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL VETSDIRECT OR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF (1) THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE OR THE SITE, (2) ANY CLAIM ATTRIBUTABLE TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR OTHER INACCURACIES IN THE SERVICE PROVIDED, OR (3) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THE SITE EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF SUCH DAMAGES. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE OR THE TERMS OF USE, YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USING THE SERVICE. THE LIABILITY OF VETSDIRECT AND YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY IS LIMITED AND WARRANTIES ARE EXCLUDED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. IN ALL EVENTS, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE, IN THE AGGREGATE FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, IS LIMITED TO $100.00.

Limitation of Time to File Claims

ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF USE OR THE WEBSITE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES, OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.

Arbitration

SHOULD A DISPUTE ARISE BETWEEN YOU AND VETSDIRECT OR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY REGARDING USE OF THE SERVICES, CONCERNING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THESE TERMS, THE BREACH OF SAME BY ANY PARTY HERETO, ANY DATA SUBMITTED BY YOU, OR THE SERVICE, YOU AGREE TO SUBMIT THE DISPUTE FOR RESOLUTION BY ARBITRATION BEFORE THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS THEN CURRENT COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROCEDURES FOR CONSUMER RELATED DISPUTES (COLLECTIVELY, "AAA RULES"), AS MODIFIED BY THESE TERMS. SUCH ARBITRATION SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY A SINGLE ARBITRATOR. The arbitrator is bound by these Terms and must issue a written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which an award is based. All issues are for the arbitrator to decide, except those issues relating to the scope and enforceability of the arbitration provisions in this Section, which are for a court to decide. ANY AWARD RENDERED SHALL BE FINAL AND CONCLUSIVE TO THE PARTIES, AND A JUDGMENT THEREON MAY BE ENTERED IN ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. YOU MAY OPT OUT OF THIS ARBITRATION REQUIREMENT BY NOTIFYING YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY IN WRITING AT THE ADDRESS ON YOUR INSURANCE IDENTIFICATION CARD THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER USING THIS SERVICE.

TERMS OF USE REVISION DATE: July 20, 2022