Insurance for dogs: which one do you really need?

If you have a dog, there are a few insurances that are really important and can protect you from high costs. Here are the most important ones:

Dog liability insurance (and not only compulsory in some German states, but also in other European countries such as Spain). This insurance covers damage caused by your dog to people, other animals or other people’s property. This is really important because, as the owner, you are liable for all damage – even if your dog accidentally destroys something or injures someone. This is especially true for large or very temperamental dogs.

Health insurance for dogs

This covers veterinary costs in the event of illness, accidents or operations. This really makes sense, because treatments can be expensive (surgery can quickly cost over €1,500). Make sure the reimbursement rates are good and the maximum annual sum is not too low.

The following supplementary insurances can also be useful:

• If full health insurance is too expensive, you can take out surgery-only insurance. This covers the costs of operations including anesthesia, aftercare and medication.
• Legal expenses insurance for dog owners: Helps in the event of disputes involving your dog (e.g. neighbor dispute, biting incident). This can be very useful if someone sues you for damages or compensation for pain and suffering.
• Travel health insurance for dogs (when traveling abroad). This covers veterinary costs abroad. Some policies also cover return transportation or accommodation costs if you fall ill and the dog needs to be looked after.

Conclusion

Dog liability insurance is a must (and not only compulsory in some German states, but also in other European countries such as Spain). Health or surgery insurance can be worthwhile to avoid high veterinary costs.

Depending on your needs, legal protection or travel health insurance for dogs can also be useful.

If you are traveling abroad with your dog, travel health insurance is particularly useful. This is because veterinary costs outside Germany can be very expensive.

Checklist: 5 points for choosing the right health insurance

• Assumption of veterinary costs in the event of illness or accident abroad
• Reimbursement of medication & treatments
• Necessary operations covered
• Return transportation of the dog (if you have to leave early or the dog becomes ill)
• Accommodation costs if you are in hospital yourself and someone has to look after the dog

A contribution from DoggyVibes, Holawuff