Dog insurance

As Heinz Rühmann said: of course you can live without a dog - it's just not worth it. More than 10 million people in Germany were owners of one or more dogs in 2019, which is 12.7% of all Germans [1].

But a dog does not only bring joy to the owner, there are also costs. In addition to the manageable maintenance costs, unforeseeable events can quickly tear a big hole in the wallet. Your best friend bites into the postman's trouser leg, he injures another dog in play or brings down a cyclist. According to § 833 of the German Civil Code, as a dog owner you are liable with your assets and income for all damages caused by your dog. In this case, dog liability insurance can cover the costs incurred. However, your four-legged friend could also become seriously ill, an operation is necessary, and with several follow-up examinations the bill quickly reaches four figures. Fortunately, you can also insure yourself against this: dog health insurance covers all costs incurred in the best case.

But how useful is dog insurance? Which dog insurance is worthwhile and how can you find the right insurance for you?

Dog liability, dog health, dog surgery insurance, all in basic, premium or comfort quality: the range is large! Do dog insurance policies make sense? This cannot be answered with a blanket yes or no. The only clear answer is yes to the question of the sense of dog liability insurance: for a few euros a month, you are insured against personal injury, property damage and financial loss with high coverage amounts. Whether a dog health insurance, be it OP or full cover, makes sense is something everyone has to decide for themselves. Of course, every insurance company thinks that dog health insurance is absolutely necessary, preferably of premium quality and with all the extras. But at the end of the day, you have to weigh up whether you are willing to pay a high sum for it every month. In fact, in 2017, only 23% of dog owners had dog health insurance for their dog, compared to 72% for dog liability insurance [1].

This guide gives you all the important information about dog insurance so you can decide which one makes sense for you.

The most important insurances for dogs are dog liability and dog health insurance. Similar to humans, dog liability is the most important policy. This is because, according to § 833 of the German Civil Code, the dog owner is liable with his assets and income for all damage caused by his dog, regardless of whether there has been any misconduct on the part of the dog owner or not. Personal injuries in particular can quickly reach horrendous sums due to medical and hospital costs, rehabilitation and claims for compensation for pain and suffering. In some federal states, dog liability is obligatory for all dogs, in others only for dangerous breeds and listed dogs. Only in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is there no compulsory dog liability.

More information on the topic of dog liability insurance: see selection above right.

Dog health insurance offers either OP cover or full cover. The OP insurance covers the costs for necessary surgical procedures under anaesthesia in case of illness or accident. This also includes the initial consultation and diagnostics, the follow-up treatment and the stay in the veterinary clinic, usually limited to 12 to 15 days. It is worth taking a close look at the benefits, as not all operations are always insured. For example, breed-specific diseases or elbow and hip dysplasia are only covered to a limited extent or not at all by many providers. A slimmed-down version of OP insurance is accident insurance, which only covers treatment and surgery costs after an accident. The full insurance includes the benefits of the OP insurance and, depending on the tariff, many more benefits such as outpatient treatment at the vet, diagnostics, permanent medication and vaccinations, preventive check-ups, dental prophylaxis, physiotherapy, homeopathy and acupuncture, hyposensitisation of allergic dogs or laser therapy. The premiums depend on the breed of dog and increase with increasing dog age.

More information on dog health insurance: see selection above right.

Even if the number of insurance companies is limited, it is not always easy to choose the right insurance: each company offers several tariffs and the benefits and premiums vary considerably, especially for dog health insurance. The following applies to all insurances: the better you inform yourself, the easier it will be for you to find the right insurance. Only if you know what is available can you choose the benefits that are important to you and determine coverage amounts, deductibles or benefit limits. In addition to direct enquiries with various insurance companies, the internet offers a lot of up-to-date information. On some websites you have the possibility to compare different dog liability insurances or dog health insurances and thus find the best tariff for you and, if you want, take out a policy directly.

How to find a cheap dog insurance in four steps: see menu on the right!