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Fall 2025

The art of selecting an award-winning claim

Behind the scenes with our claims team at the Hambone Awards®.
Picture of By Nationwide
By Nationwide

Our pet insurance claims team processes millions of submissions every year to deliver reimbursement to members for their eligible veterinary expenses. Some of those claims are unique and unexpected enough to warrant extra attention. The most noteworthy of these standout pet stories are chosen for our annual Hambone Award®  campaign.

We took a moment to talk with one of our claims team champions, Kelly A., who nominated this year’s Hambone Award winner: a Malinois named Ziya who tussled with an angry bull. Here’s what she had to say about the experience.

Meet Kelly

Kelly joined Nationwide’s claims team almost five years ago after working as a certified veterinary technician (like Kelly, many of our Nationwide associates come from a veterinary background!). She’s also a pet parent to an Australian cattle dog named Mille, and a domestic shorthair cat named Daisy.

Working in claims at Nationwide was a natural fit for Kelly, but the transition out of a clinical setting did require some adjustment. “I think my favorite part of working in claims, and it's going to sound cheesy, is honestly just helping the pets,” she says. “Making that hop from working in a veterinary hospital to working at home—where I don't see pets every day—was tough at first, but I’m happy knowing that I'm helping the owner financially, which is helping the pet.”

Kelly sees more than a hundred claims per day on average. “Sometimes it's just routine, you know, vaccines, whatever. But then you get some crazy claims.”

A bull of a claim

On what seemed like an average day, Kelly came across one particular claim that caught her eye. Or, you could say, it was a bullseye.

“It was heart-stopping, one of those situations that you just don't see too often here in claims,” Kelly says. “It was completely unique, unexpected, but it was also a reminder of how quickly things can go sideways with pets.”

A nomination was submitted to the Hambone Awards based on the spare details on the claim. However, the details surrounding the claim weren’t revealed to Kelly until the full campaign was launched.

“When I found out Ziya was nominated, I was able to read the full story and hear the owner's perspective,” Kelly says. “I was hooked, to be honest. It had suspense, drama, but a very brave pet at the center of all of it. I was rooting for Ziya the whole the whole time.”

She adds, “I love reading all the stories every year. It just proves the loyalty that our pets have for us, and how brilliant they are. You know, some dogs—like my dog—would see a bull and be like, ‘Uhm no.’ But Ziya didn't even hesitate, and I just that blows me away. Personally, I feel like that’s why he won.”

What makes a pet insurance claim stand out? 

Kelly has a keen eye for spotting the most unique pet insurance claims that Nationwide receives. In addition to Ziya, Kelly also spotlighted Giles, whose saga of getting smooshed in a sofa clinched him the Hambone Award in 2023. But what makes a claim stand out?

First impressions make a big difference, Kelly reports. “The first thing we as analysts look at is the claim form,” she says. “It's all about the ‘Wait, what? Like, what did I just read?’”

Kelly continues, “With Ziya, it said, ‘bull attack.’ I'd never ever heard of a bull-on-dog attack. So, I was drawn in right away. For Giles, I think they literally put on their claim form ‘hit by couch.’”

“A winning story usually involves an unexpected twist, something that just makes me pause, and maybe double check that I read it right,” she adds. “But beyond the strangeness, what really matters is how we supported the member and how the pet pulled through. It's a mix of chaos, compassion leading to that happy ending.”

Crafting an award-winning claim submission 

If you have an interesting story behind your pet’s claim, Kelly has some recommendations. “Give us as much detail as you can,” Kelly says.

It also helps to fill out the claim form completely so Kelly and the claims team get the full picture. This is helpful for getting your claim reimbursed efficiently, too. “There are little boxes that say ‘Wellness’ or ‘Illness.’ If it's both, like your dog has an ear infection and they're also getting vaccines, check both those boxes. Sometimes, you can get more reimbursement from it," Kelly explains.

She continues, “We often receive forms where only the ‘Wellness’ box is checked, even when the pet was seen for other issues. Incomplete forms, particularly those left mostly blank when the visit wasn’t just for wellness, can lead to confusion. When the claim form is filled out completely, it not only helps us process the claim more accurately, but it also allows us to do so faster and more efficiently.”

On an aside, Kelly adds: “Also, please send an itemized invoice. That's a huge one with us. If we don't have an invoice then with the specific details, then it takes longer to get money back to the member.”

Member care that truly cares 

Kelly and the claims team work hard to make sure Nationwide members get reimbursed in a timely manner. It’s hard work, but a passion for pets is behind everything—making the effort well worth it.

“As a claims analyst doing this for almost five years now, we don't just process claims,” Kelly says. “Most of us are previous veterinary technicians. We continue to help people and their furry family members. It's just reassuring for us knowing that we can bring some ease to the members and to their pets. And to me, that's a big deal. I'm proud to be a part of that.”

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Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
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