I often take my dog for rides in the car. Would my car insurance cover medical treatment for my dog if he were injured in a car accident?

It depends on the type of car insurance you purchased. Some insurers, including Progressive and Arbella Mutual Insurance (a regional insurer in Quincy, Mass.), now offer medical coverage for dogs and cats involved in car accidents.

Chubb recently added up to $2,000 to its car insurance policies for domestic animals killed or injured in car accidents. Currently, Chubb is offering pet auto insurance in a limited number of states--including Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey and Texas--but plans to eventually offer it nationwide.

[Let Insure.com help you find affordable car insurance now.]

Besides considering insurance options, pay attention to safety when traveling with pets. An unrestrained animal passenger can be a dangerous driving distraction. A recent survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and Kurgo, a pet-travel product maker, found that 83 percent of drivers agreed it can be dangerous to drive with an unrestrained pet, but only 16 percent said they used pet restraints.

Survey respondents admitted a variety of dangerous habits, including petting their dog while driving, taking a hand off the steering wheel to prevent a dog from climbing into the front seat, holding dogs while driving and taking photos of their pets while driving.

Safety experts recommend using a proper pet restraint system to buckle up your dog. Otherwise, an animal can be launched through the windshield at a sudden stop. A pet restraint system, available at pet supply stores, typically connects to the safety belt in a rear seat. Although generally you're not required by law to buckle up your pets, a police officer could write you a ticket if distraction causes you to make a driving mistake--or even worse, causes an accident.

For more, see Is your dog a backseat driver?