Best Dog Liability And Health Insurance In Spain [2022 English Guide

Having pets is a lot of responsibility and you need to make sure you are fully prepared to take care of them. If you wish to move to Spain with your pet, you should know that you will need insurance for them too. There are two kinds of options available for insurance which are liability and health insurance. This guide will explain the differences between the two while also telling you about the best dog insurance providers in Spain.

Quick Comparison Of The Best Dog Insurances In Spain

There are plenty of insurance providers in Spain who will offer good quality protection for your dog at affordable prices. You can either go for more established names in the industry or more recent setups. BBVA and Liberty Seguros are worldwide insurance giants and have been in the industry for more than a hundred years each! Rest assured, you will not have to worry about the trustworthiness of these brands. But that does not mean by any stretch that newer providers are any less reliable. Companies like Petplan and Luko are more recent setups but they offer competitive services at an even lesser cost sometimes.

Dog Liability Insurance In Spain – Everything You Need To Know

Dog liability insurance covers all sorts of damages that your dog might cause to a third party. These can include medical costs, wages lost due to injuries or other reasons and any other ‘suffering’ up to the limits of your insurance coverage.

Who Needs Dog Liability Insurance In Spain?

Generally speaking, liability insurance is not compulsory for most dogs under Spanish law. But this can vary from region to region. Some like Madrid and the Basque Country might require you to get dog insurance regardless of which breed you own.

There is a list of potentially dangerous dogs that has been defined in Spain (perros potencialmente peligrosos). It is mandatory to get third party liability insurance for all of these. Any dog over 20 kilograms in weight is classified as a dangerous dog. These require a minimum of 120,000 euros of third party liability. Some regions within Spain might put even more strict measures in place and require 300,000 euros of third party liability cover. Moreover, you will require a license to own these kinds of dogs. The breeds include Bullmastiff, Doberman, Pit bull terrier and Rottweiler among others.

You are also required to insure dogs whose bites can cause serious injuries to other people. These include all breeds that are robust, muscular, have a big head and broad skull with a deep jaw. In some cases, a veterinarian might also request for a particular dog to be considered potentially dangerous based on their assessment and hence require insurance.

No matter how well behaved and trained your dog might be, accidents can happen. These can even sometimes happen in your absence. For instance, if you leave your dog with someone else and they attack another person or accidentally cause some sort of damage that they could not otherwise control, you will still be held liable for it by virtue of being the owner. For these reasons, it is a smarter idea to get liability insurance so you are covered in such instances and won’t have to pay these expenses out of your pocket.

What Does Dog Liability Insurance Cover In Spain?

Liability insurance typically includes the following features:

• Third party liability if your dog bites someone or causes some other kind of emergency
• Damage to the property (e.g. living space) caused by your dog
• Items broken
• Any other financial losses caused by the actions of your dog
• Legal costs which may be incurred in fighting a claim against you in court
• Legal defense cover which means that the insurer will hire an attorney who will defend you in case you are sued

At an additional cost you can also include other services like:

• Coverage for loss of your pet through theft or if they stray
• Reimbursement if your pet is stolen or lost

What Does Dog Liability Insurance Not Cover In Spain?

• Some companies can refuse to insure dangerous breeds or dogs which are used as guard dogs and for racing
• Damages caused to your own property are not covered since this is a third-party liability cover only
• Routine wear and tear to items you use every day or the area where the dog stays 
• Damage to people attending to the dog’s needs
• Claims which arise as a result of any infraction of the law or other legal provisions
• The payment of any fines or sanctions

Dog Health Insurance In Spain – Everything You Need To Know

Dog insurance is similar to health insurance and is adapted according to your pet’s needs. This will give your dog the necessary protection while also giving them the care they need without adding up extensive and unexpected vet bills. It is not surprising to know that an insurance company reported that 8 out of 10 calls made by pet owners relate to accidents or some sickness. If you do not have insurance, you risk not being able to give them the treatment they might need. 

The treatments for pets, emergency care and last minute surgeries can get pretty expensive at times. With the right plan, the investment will pay off in the long run and you will not have to compromise on the health of your dog just because of the prices of treatments.

What Does Dog Health Insurance Over In Spain?

This will cover all sorts of veterinary assistance as well as the cost of surgeries that your dog might need. These will include the following:

• Consultations and examinations
• 24 hour emergency and appointments with specialists
• Annual vaccines for rabies
• Kennel and cattery fees if you need to spend some time in a hospital after an accident or illness

At an additional cost, you can also have:

• Over-the-phone advice from your veterinary doctor for any of your pet’s problems
• Tailored services such as information on businesses and events catered specifically to dogs
• Coverage for accidental death of your pet
• Coverage for overseas travel
• Insurance for dogs with pre-existing medical conditions (though the premium will be higher for these)

Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Medical Insurance For Your Dog

There are several factors that will come in when you decide on the best medical insurance plan for your dog. The premium offered by companies will also vary due to these factors. The age and breed of your dog will matter. Older dogs will have higher prices. Normally, insurance will cover dogs between the ages of 8 weeks and 10 years. Companies can also sometimes refuse to insure dogs that are used as guard dogs or used in racing.

Moreover, you should also check if the company will reimburse you for claims made when you go to any vet or only the vets in their network.

What Is The Best Dog Insurance In Spain?

Numerous companies in Spain offer insurance for your dogs, and you can either opt separately for liability and health insurance or a package that combines the two. You’ll find a few companies below:

Caser Expat Insurance

Caser Insurance group was founded more than 75 years ago and is a well-established name in the industry. It is a part of the Helvetia group which has a 160 year long history in the insurance market and is one of the biggest firms in Europe.

Caser started off in 1942 in Spain with providing insurance to the Spanish Agricultural Association and has since expanded to a variety of products to private individuals and businesses. Since 2003 the group has even moved into other markets closely connected to insurance like hospitals and retirement homes.

The main features of their dog insurance plan include:

• All-in-one plan which includes health assistance, public liability as well as other services
• Health assistance includes vet consultations and check-ups as well as emergency care and consultations with specialists
• Liability cover includes public liability up to 180,350 euros and defense and bonds up to 600 euros
• Other special services can include telephonic assistance, and information on events related to your dog
• There are no exclusions for medical conditions, age or breed of dogs
• Fees can be as low as around 200 euros per year for a dog. If you insure more than one dog, you can also get discounts

Petplan

Petplan was founded in 1976 and is one of the leading companies for pet insurance worldwide. They have a presence in Western Europe, the United States, and also some countries in South America and currently serve more than 1.5 million dog owners worldwide. They work with Telefonica Seguros in Spain for providing their services. Their insurance plans for dogs include the following features:

• You can opt for health and liability insurance separately
• You can visit any vet of your choice and the consultation will be reimbursed
• Their health insurance also includes medication, physiotherapy and any other behavioral disorders for your dog
• They have the highest reimbursement limit of any company in Spain: 2500 euros per year for vet related expenses
• However, they do not cover pre-existing diseases, vaccinations and preventive treatments you may opt for your dog
• Their coverage for reimbursement of advertising expenses in case of loss is also the triple of the average offered in Spain
• You can submit your claims and handle the entire procedure completely online or on phone
• Their rates start at 20 euros per dog per month, and you can get discounts if you insure multiple dogs
• You have the option to use payment services like Paypal, VISA and Amazon, and can even make the payments in installments

BBVA 

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria is a financial services company based out of Spain. It is one of the largest financial institutions globally and was founded more than 150 years ago! It is currently Spain’s second largest bank and has a presence in other regions like North and South America, and places in Europe.

Its plans for dog insurance have the following features:

• A new special feature they have introduced is a tinyFinder Bluetooth device which can help you easily locate your pet
• The health insurance package includes veterinary phone service available round the clock
• Theft and accidental death are covered up to 1000 euros
• Dog kennel expenses if anyone in the family is hospitalized 
• Legal defense is included 
• Third party liability insurance can be bought separately and covers up to 185,000 euros per claim to compensate for any damages your pet causes to a third-party
• There are some requirements you must fulfill before getting health insurance: your dog must be microchipped, up-to-date on vaccinations, and also have no physical injury, disability or have had a surgery in its life
• You can set up the payment in installments if needed

Liberty Seguros

The Liberty Mutual group was established almost 100 years ago and is one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, active throughout five continents. In Spain alone they have 100,000 international clients. The company started operating in Spain in 2001 and operates on a branchless model, dealing with its customers through Service Centers. It is especially active in the areas of home and motor insurance.

The main features of its dog insurance are described below:

• Health insurance covers consultations, tests, surgeries and accidents when needed
• It does not include preventive treatments, vaccinations, sterilization or physiotherapy and behavioral diseases
• Third party liability covers damages up to 300,000 euros for all kinds of physical and material damages
• It also provides cover if your pet goes missing, and provides for their stay in a pet hotel in case you are admitted to a hospital
• There are three kinds of policies, Libertypets Small, Libertypets Medium and Libertypets Large. These vary according to the size of your dog (Small for dogs less than 9 kg, Medium for dogs between 9 and 15 kg, and Large for dogs heavier than 15 kg)
• Insurance covers all regions in Europe

Luko Seguros

The Luko group is a recent startup founded in France in 2016. It was established as an insurance technology company therefore it incorporates the latest digital features in its products. Their most popular and foundational product is the home insurance cover, which also includes services like maintenance and repair, and integrates sustainability into its functions.

The pet insurance policy offers a number of features including:

• Paperless and all-online insurance policy
• Health costs are covered up to 20,000 euros at any veterinarian of your choice
• Necessary surgeries, stay at the hospital, worldwide protection are covered 
• Pets with pre-existing health conditions are also covered under the policy
• They offer unlimited access to FirstVet which is their online partner platform for online consultations 24/7
• For liability cover, there is no limitation on breeds and medical, financial losses as well as damage to property are covered
• You can also add on cover for rented goods, protection against a dog bite and get compensated for the replacement value of new items
• Starting rates for the health policy are as low as 3.99 euros a month, and liability cover for 5.99 euros per month!

Conclusion

The type of insurance cover you choose depends on your needs and those of your dog. However, in some places you will also need to consider the legal requirements. In any case, there are plenty of affordable options in Spain so you should have no worries about your furry friend!