Does pet health insurance for dogs or cats make sense?
Does pet health insurance for dogs or cats make sense?
Yes, in this day and age it often does. Not because of small bills, but because of large, unexpected costs: surgery, hospitalization, diagnostics, or emergency treatment can quickly become expensive. Good surgical or health insurance can help ensure that medical decisions aren’t dependent on your wallet in an emergency.
Important:
It’s not the cheapest rate that counts, but the benefits. Pay attention to exclusions, waiting periods, deductibles, and coverage abroad.
You can find a matching checklist here:
Checklist: Pet health insurance for dogs/cats
- Principle
- Full insurance or just surgical insurance?
- Do I want to cover major emergency costs or also diagnostics and treatments in everyday life?
- Reimbursement
- Up to which GOT rate (veterinary fee schedule) is reimbursed?
- Is there an annual maximum limit?
- Are diagnostics, medication, hospitalization, and aftercare also covered?
- Deductible
- Fixed amount or percentage?
- Per invoice, per case, or per year?
- Exclusions
- Are pre-existing conditions excluded?
- Are there exclusions for breed-specific diseases?
- Are dental treatments, physiotherapy, or chronic diseases included in the coverage?
- Waiting periods
- How long is the waiting period?
- Does it also apply to accidents or only to diseases?
- Age at enrollment
- Up to what age can the animal be accepted?
- Do premiums or benefits change in old age?
- Cancellation and premium development
- Can the insurer cancel the policy ordinarily?
- How much can premiums increase later on?
- Coverage abroad
- Does the protection apply only while traveling or also during longer stays?
- Europe or worldwide?
- Only emergencies or also regular treatments?
- Limited to German reimbursement rates?
- Practical check
- Is there a free choice of veterinarian?
- How quickly is reimbursement processed?
- Are digital submission and transparent terms available?
- Particularly useful for
- young dogs and cats
- breeds with an increased risk of disease
- owners without high financial reserves
- desire for maximum security in an emergency
- Less useful for
- very good personal reserves
- older animals with many exclusions
- plans with low reimbursement and many limitations