How do I recognize good pet insurance?

If you want to insure your dog, cat, horse or small animal against illness or accidents, you are on the safe side with animal insurance. But the offer is large – and confusing. We’ll give you tips on how to find the right pet insurance for you.

As is so often the case, the devil is in the details. Because there are various points that you should definitely pay attention to when taking out animal insurance.

On the one hand, the amount of your insurance premium depends on various factors – including the age of your pet, weight, size or type of housing.

The older the animal, the more expensive the insurance usually becomes. In addition, many providers only insure healthy animals or up to a certain age – it is therefore worthwhile to insure a pet as young as possible.

How expensive is animal insurance?

The costs and the risks covered can vary enormously depending on the provider. For full insurance, dog owners pay between around 120 and almost 1,300 euros a year, for cats it is between 160 and 560 euros a year. On the other hand, it looks cheaper with surgery cost insurance: It costs from 110 euros per year for dogs and 70 euros for cats.

However, it would be a fallacy to just go by the price of an insurance: The receipt comes quickly if you want to have a veterinarian bill reimbursed and are rejected because the respective treatment is not covered. Or if you have to pay a large part of the costs yourself despite being insured.

Finding Right Pet Insurance: These Questions Will Help

Therefore, there are a few sticking points that you should pay attention to when purchasing a pet insurance:

• How much is the annual fee?
• What is the maximum limit for reimbursements per year? Do they also apply to preventive measures such as vaccinations or wormers?
• How high is the deductible – i.e. what percentage of the treatment costs do I have to pay myself?
• Which GOT fee rate does the insurer pay (one to three times)?
• When does the right to insurance benefits begin after the conclusion of the contract?
• Does the insurance cover also apply abroad?
• Does the operating theater insurance cover expenses for diagnostics and aftercare in addition to the surgical procedure?
• Up to what age can I take out insurance for my pet?
• How long is the notice period?

Most providers have a deductible of around 20 percent. Conversely, this means that the insurance usually covers around 80 percent of the costs. However, this only applies to medically necessary treatments – costs for castration or sterilization, for example, are often not covered.

In addition, many insurers only pay a maximum of twice the fee rate, while veterinarians charge three times the rate for some services. In that case, the pet owner has to pay the difference or a surcharge.

Make your pet insurance choices wisely

Precisely because the insurance benefits and conditions differ greatly in detail, you should not make a hasty decision to take out animal insurance. Take your time and clarify these basic questions:

• Which risk should be insured?
• How much money can I spend on it?
• Which providers for such animal insurance are there?
• Where is the price-performance ratio right?

In case of doubt, the Consumer advice center Help your state with orientation. Also the Stiftung Warentest has already dealt with the topic. There you will find 18 insurance products from five different providers in the Test.

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