Pet Insurance in SPAIN

The pet law in Spain was amended in May 2017. Nowadays, keeping a pet also means more responsibility for its owner from a legal point of view. The law requires that the owner is committed to the health and welfare of the animal, meaning that they must be responsible and have the ability and time to care for the animal and assume the corresponding costs.

Owners must be prepared in case of illness or accident to cover unexpected expenses either using a solid family budget or to have insurance. Additional costs associated with minor accidents or illnesses such as ear infections, allergies, skin infections, urinary tract problems, vomiting, diarrhoea or diabetes are common during a pet’s life. Not to mention serious accidents such as a fall, a broken leg or other unexpected problems.

In general, DECO estimates that the annual cost of a pet in Spain such as a dog or cat can amount to an average of €900/year when you add up vaccines, food, vet, hygiene, grooming and other expenses.

Therefore, even if it is not required by law, a pet insurance for your dog or cat is a very pertinent insurance to protect the health of your pet and save your family budget.

In the case of dogs dangerous breeds, liability insurance is compulsory.

In Spain, there are several insurance policies for pets, some rather basic, others more comprehensive. For example, if you have a Labrador Retriever for just under 9 euros per month, you can be assured that your pet is covered for basic veterinarian expenses and you can also save on various expenses such as grooming, dog food, dog training at various partners and affiliated shops. If you opt for a more comprehensive insurance policy, you will probably have to spend between 150 and 200 euros per year.

Pet insurance is an insurance specifically designed to protect the health of your pet, dog or cat. The insurance covers veterinary costs for the protection, prevention and health of your pet, and you can save on various expenses such as grooming, dog food, dog training or other pet services from various partners and affiliated shops. The pet insurance policy can guarantee the following benefits: Liability, consultations, surgeries and sterilisations, preventive medicine (check-up), vaccinations, online veterinarian, pet assistance, burial and legal protection.

When taking out a pet insurance, bear in mind that there are waiting periods, exclusions and annual reimbursement limits.

A waiting period is the period between the start of the insurance and the effective date of the insurance cover. In the event of an accident, waiting periods do not apply to certain covers such as vet consultations, surgery and funerals.

The applicable waiting periods in pet insurances are generally: 60 days for routine examinations, vaccinations, check-ups and preventive medicine, 90 days for operations and sterilisations and 180 days for funerals.

In general, pet insurance in Spain excludes deformities, anomalies or diseases that occurred before the policy was taken out or at birth. There are a number of predefined illnesses that are not covered even during the term of the policy, e.g. psychiatric illnesses or illnesses that the animal could get as a result of not being vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule. Cosmetic treatments or grooming are also excluded. You should always consult the pre-contractual information document to familiarise yourself with the list of exclusions.

Pet insurance includes a range of benefits to ensure pets have all the services and support they need for the rest of their lives, while saving pet owners money on a variety of products and services.

Here are some of the covers included generally in pet insurance. All coverage is provided either on a reimbursement basis with specific annual limits or through a shared network of veterinarians:

Protection and Veterinary Services

• Consultations
• Examinations and treatments
• Medication
• Surgery and sterilisation
• Offer of preventive medical check-ups, annually or every two years

Services

• Veterinary and medication at home
• Emergency transport
• Organisation of funeral services

Online veterinary

• Access to a telephone line for veterinary assistance.
• Clarification of any doubts, even if they fall outside the scope of veterinary advice.

Discounts on affiliated Centres

• Discounts for clients on wellness and catering services in shops and centres in the partner network.

On average, about one third of pet insurance customers make at least one claim for unexpected veterinary expenses every year. That means that is more likely to use often your pet insurance than on your car insurance.

You should get pet insurance to protect your cat or dog in case of an unexpected accident or illness. No matter how well you take care of your pet, something always happens that can lead to expensive vet bills. Pet insurance is designed to help you pay for such costs, which can be a big help if something unexpected happens. You save money because consultations and veterinary assistance are included in the insurance policy (within certain annual limits) or with a pre-arranged price through a network of affiliated vets.

Not in the product we recommend. But the earlier you insure your pet, the more you can benefit from the insurance cover. You can’t take out pet insurance after a certain age.  The age limit for taking out insurance is usually 8 years and varies depending on the insurer. There are many insurers that offer products with a maximum age for non-cancellation, so you need to be careful to choose the right insurance and avoid any inconveniences in the future.

In Spain, there are several companies that offer pet insurance: Mapfre – Continente, Liberty Pets, Petis – Ocidental Seguros, Nseguros, Ageas 4 Patas, Lusitania Seguros Super Dono, Vitoria Seguros Patas e Companhia, Tranquilidade Pets, All 4 Pets – Animadomus and Fidelidade Pets.

We recommend pet insurance with good value for money, no age limit (i.e. your pet is not forced to drop out of the policy because it is too old), short waiting times, good support in the event of a claim and reimbursement of consultation costs.

Some pet insurances seem to include all cover, but when we analyse in more detail what these include, we find big differences between products , which justifies the differences in price. In the case of funeral provision, for example, not all insurance policies cover the costs of euthanasia prescribed by the vet.

At C1 Broker – your expat insurance broker, we have analysed the various veterinary and liability insurance products for pets and are the ideal partner to advise you. Ask us now for a no-obligation quote.