Those of us who are fortunate enough to share our life with a dog also have at our disposal two types of insurance for dogs, compulsory liability insurance for PPPs (potentially dangerous dogs) and veterinary assistance insurance, known as health insurance for dogs.
But despite having both options in a large number of insurance companies, the truth is that neither is really worth it. However, when we have a dog classified as dangerous, we will have no choice but to hire it.
From Dogsis we are going to explain which are the best companies to insure our dog and what we should look for so that they do not sell us cat for hare. You will be surprised to know how little coverage they really have.
Liability insurance for dogs
This type of dog insurance is created so that if our dog causes damage to third parties, it covers all derived cats. As an example, if our dog bites a person, the insurance would cover that person’s medical care and compensation.
Some of these insurances also cover legal aid, in case the person who has been attacked files a complaint against us. However, most of these insurances have a trap, known as a franchise.
Liability dog insurance is specially formulated for people who want to have a potentially dangerous dog, to obtain the PPP license It is necessary to have compulsory liability insurance.
The usual thing is to request a compulsory civil liability insurance that covers a minimum of € 120,000, however some autonomous communities require that the minimum amount be even higher.
In any case, only insurance without excess will be used. Franchises are not accepted for obtaining a dangerous dog license.
The liability liability trap
Having a liability insurance does not indicate that we can do what we want with our dog. These insurances will not take charge of anything if our dog has attacked someone because we have not respected the laws.
If we have a PPP for example a American Standford and it does not have a muzzle, it is loose or it does not have a microchip, the insurance will not be responsible for any damage caused by it, much less compensation.
Even if the dog has escaped and we have not reported it immediately as required by the PPP dog law, or if we have not given any of the required vaccinations, the insurance will not take over.
Insurance companies will search every last loophole to avoid paying, so make sure you have everything in order and always follow their guidelines. Read every last paragraph of the contract, especially the fine print, because that’s where the pitfalls are hidden.
If you are going to take out civil liability insurance, take advice and contract it with a reputable company that does not give you a thousand excuses when you have to face up. Forget about companies that have come out of nowhere and those that have been running for less than ten years.
Dog health insurance
It sounds idyllic to think that our dog will always be covered with free veterinary assistance if he gets sick or has an accident, as for example happens to us with social security.
However, it is simply that, a mirage that some insurance companies will put before your eyes to try to attract new clients that you will not really cover in the greatest number of visits to the vet.
Dog health insurance will only be valid when your dog never gets sick or represents a real expense for the company, otherwise it will either not cover you or they will not renew the policy at the end of the contracted period.
Do not think for a moment about all-risk insurance for your dog, because it simply does not exist, the best insurance for dogs (we insist, the best) does not cover even a third of the common health problems that dogs usually have .
The Dog Health Insurance Trap
We must pay close attention to the conditions offered by the insurance company before taking out insurance for our beloved puppy. The cheapest offers only cover the free consultation, without covering expenses, medications, intervention, vaccines, etc….
The most expensive and highest quality insurances do not cover most of the problems that our dog may have. As an example, they do not cover any congenital (hereditary) problem / disease such as a elbow or hip dysplasia.
They do not cover such common problems in dogs as hernias or the costs of childbirth. They do not cover vaccines or anything similar, they just make us see that in the event of an accident they will cover veterinary cats and medications, but… up to a certain limit.
Curiously if our dog has an accident with a car (the most common), it is the car insurance that will hold all cats responsible for the collision. However, if our dog was loose, neither the car insurance nor ours will want to take over, since they are supposed to be on a leash in legal terms.
Another curiosity is that they offer the amount of the dog if it dies, when more than eighty percent of the dogs are adopted. What are they supposed to pay for? well that. Because they do not have the limitations, they cover medication expenses in case of such-and-such but … up to a maximum of x money.
Honestly, he thinks highly of taking out dog health insurance. The cheap ones are practically useless and the expensive ones hardly cover anything. Don’t waste your money on something that may not cover you.