Vet visits are expensive. When is health insurance worthwhile for your little darling.
Bello and Mieze are part of the family and should be well looked after when they are sick. “Elaborate treatments and operations can easily cost several thousand euros. There are hardly any upper limits,” says veterinarian Astrid Behr from the Federal Association of Practicing Veterinarians (BPT). In the case of diseases such as cancer, not only the treatment, but also the diagnosis and rehabilitation can be very expensive.
“For fear of the costs, some owners come to the practice much too late,” says the veterinarian. That makes the therapy more expensive. Not to mention that, in the worst case, there is nothing you can do for your beloved four-legged friend.
Animal health insurance companies advertise that they protect against such costs. They either offer pure surgical insurance or full tariffs that also pay for illnesses in your four-legged friend. There are also policies that only cover treatment costs after an accident.
Count on deductible
“Pet owners feel safe in the knowledge that all costs will be covered when they take out insurance,” says Philipp Opfermann from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center in Düsseldorf. This assumption is wrong, because many providers require a deductible.
With a treatment for 4,000 euros and a deductible of 20 percent, you still have to pay 800 euros out of your own pocket, despite insurance. “A fixed deductible, for example 250 euros, is more calculable,” says the insurance expert.
The contracts often do not cover every treatment, for example in the case of hip dysplasia. Not every provider pays for preventive checks, vaccinations and castrations either.
Maximum limits for reimbursement, for example 2500 euros per year, should also be observed. In most cases, the policyholders also have to fulfill so-called obligations in order not to jeopardize the insurance cover – for example, to show certain vaccinations.
The more extensive the benefits and the older the animal, the more expensive the policy usually becomes. All-round protection, in which practically all costs are covered, costs between 50 and 100 euros per month for a dog and 25 euros plus for a cat. Pure surgical insurance is cheaper, but also offers fewer benefits.
Check service catalogue
Whether you want to raise this money month after month or put something aside for yourself in case of illness, everyone has to weigh up individually. Consumer advocates take a critical view of the offers due to the many service restrictions and, if at all, recommend surgical insurance. “Anyone who decides to close should not only check the prices, but above all the performance restrictions,” recommends Opfermann. Online comparison portals, consumer advice centers and Stiftung Warentest help with this.