The 5 best dog liability insurances in comparison

Dog liability is mandatory in some states. That also for important reason. It is probably the most important insurance for your dog. After 37 hours of research and a close look at 7 insurances, we can show you our recommendations and tips with a clear conscience. So be curious!

Dog liability insurance
Table of Contents

Why do I need dog liability?

As a dog owner, you are liable for all damage caused by your dog - and it is not always the dog owner's fault (fault-based liability).

The mere fact that you keep a dog establishes liability for you as the dog's owner (strict liability).

This is regulated by law in the BGB (§ 833 "Liability of the animal owner"). Therefore, the dog liability insurance is the most important insurance for you and your dog.

What exactly is insured?

Dog liability insurance

Dog liability insurance generally covers costs incurred by your dog. This refers to the damage to third parties. 

It is also usually the case that insurance does not cover costs. This refers to costs associated with you or others living in the household. 

Each insurance company has its individual packages and offers. But we can say that a dog liability insurance should cover the following points:

1. foreign protection

A reputable provider will not only provide risk coverage at home, but also abroad. That's why it's important that you keep an eye on this in particular. 

In the following cases you should be especially attentive to the foreign protection:

  • You are more often on vacation and your dog accompanies you
  • You are often traveling abroad on business and your dog accompanies you

2. property damage

A good dog liability insurance should cover property damage to third parties. Here, the coverage amount should be at least 7 million euros. 

In the event of an emergency, the costs can skyrocket. Insurance companies will only pay for property damage to third parties. Examples are:

  • The parquet of the close friend
  • The car from the boss
  • The bicycle of a road user 

3. personal injury

A good insurance company will also cover personal injury with dog liability insurance. Here you distinguish between direct and indirect damage. 

Both types of damage are covered under a dog liability insurance policy. A direct damage arises, for example, when your dog bites a third person. 

The reason for the bite is not relevant here. In the event of an accident caused by your dog, a indirect damage arise.

4. attitude of other people

Some insurance companies do not cover the costs in the case of keeping other people. This involves costs incurred during this period due to a claim. 

Usually it is advantageous for you if this is included in the insurance. For this reason, always pay attention to this point. 

Thus, there is no risk when it comes to your friend taking your dog for a walk around the house because you are running late. 

How much does liability for dogs cost?

The cost of such insurance is not uniform. First of all, the cost depends on the provider. Here there are the favorable and the less favorable providers. 

Besides this factor, other factors also play an important role. Depending on the factor and the supplier, therefore, enormous price fluctuations can occur. 

Factors affecting the annual or monthly price of insurance may include the following:

  • desired services
  • Amount of the desired coverage
  • respective breed of the dog
  • Deductible
  • Age of the dog

Dog Liability Insurance: Sensible, or not?

In some states of the Federal Republic of Germany, dog liability insurance is mandatory. 

These states require you to have dog liability insurance. These states are as follows:

  • Berlin
  • Hamburg
  • Lower Saxony
  • Saxony-Anhalt
  • Schleswig-Holstein
  • Thuringia

If you do not live in one of these states, we still advise you to have liability insurance.

In fact, it is of great advantage. The insurance covers you and your dog if a risk situation occurs.

Deductible, coverage and minimum term

Dog destroyed

With a deductible, there is the option to pay a portion yourself in the event of a claim. As a rule, the proportions are so small that they are almost unnoticeable. 

A deductible is also advantageous for the insurance companies. That is why the insurance fee is then also lower than for dog liability insurance without a deductible. 

The most common minimum term for dog liability insurance is 12 months. However, there are always insurance companies that offer a term of 3 years. 

Always pay attention to the respective notice period. This is approximately 3 months before the end of the term. If this deadline is not met, you automatically slip into another contract year. 

In the meantime, there are always providers where you can cancel your contract on a daily basis. Haftpflichthelden and Adam Riese are such providers.

Online is fast and easy

Besides the conventional written way many insurance companies offer a Online contract conclusion an. This not only saves you time, but also makes sense for the providers. 

By signing the dog liability insurance contract online, you can benefit from the insurance coverage faster.

Of course, you can also visit an insurance company in person. This way, you not only benefit from personal advice. You also benefit from a faster contract conclusion.

7 Dogs liability in detail

# 1:
Top recommendation: Liability helmets

At the Dog liability insurance from Haftpflichthelden you get a complete premium protection for your dog. It covers not only rental property damage. There is also coverage for funeral expenses, stud damage, dog training schools with this provider.
PERFORMANCE CoNteNt (in euro)
Coverage amount 50 million euros
Deductible 150 Euro SB
Scope Europe-wide unlimited, abroad up to 5 years incl. USA/Canada
Personal injury, property damage, financial loss 50 million euros
Cancellation Daily
Use hero code possible contribution can be reduced to 0 euros Yes
Pet guardian & family everyone who leads the dog is covered 50 million euros
Rental property damage at home/abroad 50 million euros
Leading without leash 50 million euros
Dog sports / dog racing 50 million euros
Assistance & Companion Dog 50 million euros
Bad debt 50 million euros
How to Stop Puppies Yes, until 18 months
Involuntary mating 50 million euros
Therapeutic purposes 50 million euros
Dog vehicles 50 million euros
Dog boarding kennel/school 50 million euros

The special feature of this dog liability insurance is the Premium protection at a low price. 

Bureaucracy is also kept within limits with this provider. You can cancel your contract without having to fill out any documents. 

Cancellation can be made every day. Thus, you are not bound to a period of notice. 

In addition, you will also be reimbursed for the cost of contributions. For a very good value for money, your dog gets a great service. A service with risk coverage in many areas. 

The dog liability insurance is 69 EUR per year. This price even includes the exchange service.

The offer and the simplicity of Haftpflichthelden convinced us all around. We can in good conscience choose this insurance as our top recommendation.

# 2:
Adam Riese dog liability

The insurance company "Adam Riese" offers two models of dog liability insurance. For your dog you can choose between the Tariff XL and the Tariff XXL select 

We have focused on the second tariff XXL. So we decided, because the tariff XXL offers more services. Benefits that are offered for an extra 20 EUR per year.

PERFORMANCE CoNteNt (in euro)
Sum insured Property and
Personal injury
30 million euros
Pension insurance 30 million euros
Deductible 150 € or 500 €
Cancellation period of the tariff
for policyholders
daily
Family members of the
Policyholder
are insured as well
Yes
Default coverage Yes
Minimum amount of damage none
Victim protection in cases of personal injury and property
damage caused by intentional
committed violent acts
up to 500.000 Euro
Legal protection for assertion
of the claim
up to 500.000 Euro
Veterinary Expenses
(default coverage)
up to 3.000 Euro
Stays abroad in Europe
(EU and EFTA member states)
Unlimited duration
Stays abroad in extra-
European countries
Until 5 years
Deposit for foreign
damage worldwide
up to 300.000 Euro
Damage to
rented premises
(damage to rented property)
Yes
Damage to rented
Setup:
(e.g. in hotels, vacation apartments)
Yes
Leading without leash Yes
Visit dog school,
Show demonstrations, tournaments
Yes
Damage to figurants Yes
Participation dog race
and dog sled
Yes
Co-insurance free of charge
From puppies
18 months
Costs for animal boarding
in medical
Emergency/inpatient
Hospital or rehab stay
up to 3.000 Euro
Rescue and recovery costs up to 3.000 Euro
Therapy, assistance,
Rescue and search dogs
(not operational or commercial)
Yes
New value compensation
Until 24 months
From date of purchase
up to 5.000 Euro

For an annual price of 44 EUR your dog gets a great range of features. In addition, the insurance coverage also applies when you walk your dog without a leash. 

Co-insurance of puppies free of charge is also included in this package. The co-insurance goes up to a puppy age of 18 months.

# 3:
Agila dog liability

Agila's dog liability insurance also combines safety with a favorable price. 

Agila offers three different models of dog liability insurance. 

Dog liability protection 24, Dog liability protection and Dog liability protection exclusive. Prices vary between EUR 4.08 and EUR 8.25 per month. 

In our comparison, we have focused on the "Dog liability protection" focused. The model costs 6.50 EUR per month. This has - in our opinion - the best price-performance ratio. 

PERFORMANCE CoNteNt (in euro)
Coverage amount property damage and personal injury 7.5 million euros
Sum insured for pecuniary loss 1 million euro
Coverage amount rental property damage 50.000 €
Foreign protection 12 months
Own damage of the non-commercial keeper also insured Yes
Services for external contraception Yes, as long as there is no commercial third-party contraception involved
Protection for private breeders and private owners of school and encounter dogs Yes

The sum insured for property damage and personal injury is 7.5 million euros. This is rather low compared to the other offers. Generally speaking, however, it is within reason. 

Agila also handles it so that the respective price applies to all dogs. That means regardless of breed or age. That's why we're awarding another big plus in this regard. 

Other alternatives:

VHV dog liability

VHV with the Klassik-Garant tariff is also an option for dog owners. It covers up to 10 million euros in damages and most damages are covered. However, you have to look in detail up to which sum the damage to buildings and facilities is covered.

Uelzener dog liability

Uelzener dog liability is worth considering. The sum insured applies in each case up to 15 million euros. The deductible, however, is somewhat higher than other insurance from the comparison. It is important to note here for stays abroad, which do not go indefinitely. However, at least 12 months outside the USA and Canada.

DEVK dog liability

DEVK also provides very good cover with its wide range of benefits. In addition to the "26 weeks puppy precaution", DEVK convinces - us personally - with further benefits. Benefits that are in good proportion with a low price. But convince yourselves:

DEVK offers dog liability insurance for about 80 euros per year. Since the range of services is not as extensive as that of other providers, we put DEVK in fourth place. 

Allianz dog liability

Last but not least, we have the Allianz dog liability insurance in fifth place. It, too, offers a great range of benefits. 

However, the price-performance ratio is not quite as good as that of the other providers mentioned. 

Generally speaking, however, Allianz's dog liability insurance is also one of the best.

My Conclusion

My personal experience with dog liability insurance has been consistently positive.

With the right provider, I can only benefit from such insurance.

That's why I strongly recommend that you have your dog insured. Even if it is not required by law.

The low monthly or annual contribution pays for itself more than enough.

In the worst case, you lose a few euros per month. But you are very well covered in case of emergency with your dog and can sleep better and have more security.

Thanks to our comparison, you could also get an idea of the different offers.

And you can see for yourself that there is great value for money. The minimum monthly or annual amount is nothing compared to the risk coverage that is available. 

Written by Claudia Weise
Written by Claudia Weise

I'm editor-in-chief at Hundeo and when it comes to dogs, my heart beats faster. My goal is to publish the best dog guides on the web. There is a lot of passion in every article and I welcome any feedback to constantly improve our content.

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