Compare Pet Insurance in Germany

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20 live offers compared from 16 providers, from €8 /month. Updated daily.

What is Pet Insurance in Germany?

Pet insurance (Tierkrankenversicherung) covers veterinary costs for dogs and cats that owners would otherwise pay out of pocket. Germany's statutory health system (GKV) does not cover animals, so any vet bill, from a routine consultation to major surgery, is the owner's responsibility unless insured. Cover comes in two main forms: surgery-only cover (OP-Versicherung), which pays for operations and related costs, and full-health cover (Vollschutz or Krankenvollversicherung), which also includes consultations, medication and treatments.

Vet fees in Germany follow an official schedule, the Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte (GOT), and insurers typically reimburse up to a defined multiple of that schedule.

How the German market works

The market includes large general insurers such as Allianz, AXA, Gothaer, Barmenia, HUK-COBURG and CosmosDirekt, alongside pet specialists such as Agria Tierversicherung and retail-linked offerings like Fressnapf Versicherung. Policies are underwritten with age and breed as key factors, so premiums for older animals and certain breeds are higher, and some insurers cap the entry age for new policies.

Most policies apply a waiting period (Wartezeit) before cover begins, commonly around 30 days for illness and sometimes longer for specific conditions, with accidents often covered sooner. Pre-existing conditions are generally excluded.

Benefits

Protection against large vet bills — A single operation can run into thousands of euros, which surgery cover is designed to absorb.

Choice of cover level — OP-Versicherung keeps premiums low for catastrophic risk, while Vollschutz covers everyday treatment too.

Reimbursement up to the GOT schedule — Good policies pay a higher multiple of the official fee scale, reducing the shortfall you cover yourself.

Predictable budgeting — A fixed monthly premium replaces unpredictable one-off costs.

Freedom to treat — Cover makes it easier to approve recommended surgery or care without financial hesitation.

How to choose

Decide first between surgery-only and full-health cover based on your budget and how much routine care you expect. Then compare the annual benefit limit, the multiple of the GOT schedule the insurer reimburses, and any deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) or co-payment. Check the waiting periods, entry-age limits, and how the premium rises as the animal ages.

Read the exclusions carefully, particularly for pre-existing and hereditary conditions and specific breeds. Confirm whether the policy pays for aftercare, medication and diagnostics, and whether you can use any vet or must follow a network.

Leading providers in Germany

Agria Tierversicherung — A pet-insurance specialist with a long track record. Fressnapf Versicherung — Cover distributed through the pet-retail brand. Allianz, AXA, Gothaer and Barmenia — Large general insurers offering pet products with varying cover tiers. HUK-COBURG and CosmosDirekt — Well-known direct and mutual insurers offering competitively priced policies. Cover levels, GOT multiples and age limits differ between them, so terms matter as much as the brand.

What it costs

Monthly premiums commonly range from around 8 to 22 euros for entry to mid-level cover, though full-health policies for older dogs or higher-risk breeds can cost considerably more. Surgery-only cover sits at the lower end, while comprehensive Vollschutz costs more because it covers everyday treatment. Premiums rise with the animal's age, and a deductible or a lower GOT reimbursement multiple can reduce the monthly price at the cost of a larger share of each bill.

Protections and regulation

Insurers are supervised by BaFin. Policies are governed by German insurance contract law, which sets out disclosure duties, cancellation rights and how waiting periods and exclusions must be applied. Reimbursement is benchmarked against the official GOT fee schedule, giving a transparent basis for what a treatment should cost. Because cover depends on the animal's health at sign-up, honest disclosure of pre-existing conditions is essential, and insurers may decline or exclude those conditions.

Common questions

Does statutory health insurance cover pets? No, the GKV covers only people, so pet cover is entirely separate and private.

What is the difference between OP and Vollschutz? OP-Versicherung covers surgery only; Vollschutz also covers consultations, medication and routine treatment.

What is a Wartezeit? A waiting period after sign-up before cover applies, often around 30 days, sometimes waived for accidents.

Are older pets insurable? Often yes, but premiums are higher and some insurers set an entry-age limit.

Pet Insurance in Germany — FAQ