Cake heist, a garage door near miss and a 72-day survival story: Meet the 2026 Hambone finalists

Voting for Nationwide’s 18th annual Hambone Award—recognizing the year’s most unusual pet insurance claim—is open now through Aug. 14, 2026, at petinsurance.com/hamboneaward. The winner will be announced Aug. 19, 2026. All nine 2026 finalists share one theme: full recoveries after odd accidents and illnesses, ranging from a dog swallowing a garage baseball cover to others eating cake, medications, or even drum skin. Several cases involved Nationwide’s VetHelpline, including treatment guidance for a Labrador paw injury and a cat trapped when a garage door closed. The award traces back to a dog that ate an entire holiday ham while stuck in a refrigerator.