Whether it’s for an accident, an illness, or something else, veterinary treatment in Switzerland can quickly become expensive. This is where pet insurance steps in to provide cover. This guide looks at the two most common types of pet insurance available in Switzerland - health insurance and liability insurance for pets - to help you decide whether to get one or both to cover your pet and give you peace of mind.
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Since dogs are one of the most popular types of pet in Switzerland, most pet insurance providers will offer dog insurance.
Cat insurance is also relatively easy to come by, with plenty of choice when it comes to finding an insurance company and comparing quotes.
Most pet insurers in Switzerland cover only dogs or cats, but some also provide insurance policies for other types of animals as well. If you are looking to insure a rabbit, guinea pig or other small or exotic animal, you may have to look for a specialist provider.
There are more than 500.000 dogs and 1,4 million cats in Switzerland, but only an estimated 5 to 10 percent of them are insured. Having insurance can protect you from unexpected and high treatment costs. In some cases, it is even legally required.
There are two main kinds of pet insurance available to owners in Switzerland:
Which ones you choose to take out depends on your personal circumstances and finances, as well as on the type of pet you have. In some cases, taking out insurance may be legally required.
Visits to the vet are a practically unavoidable part of owning a pet, whether for check-ups and routine vaccinations, or emergency care after an accident or due to an illness. Pet health insurance is not compulsory in Switzerland, but it will give you peace of mind and potentially save you money in the long run. Vet bills can stack up quite quickly in Switzerland, especially if your pet develops a complicated or chronic condition.
There are two types of pet medical insurance in Switzerland:
Comprehensive pet health insurance usually covers the following areas:
Depending on the insurer and the level of coverage you choose, your pet health insurance might not cover routine pet care, for instance, the cost of:
Generally, pet insurance does not cover expenses if your pet is injured by another person or another animal. In these circumstances, the liability insurance policy of the person responsible pays. Insurers will also not cover illnesses resulting from gross negligence on the part of the pet owner.
On top of this many insurers do not cover costs relating to health conditions that your pet already has before you take out the policy (known as pre-existing conditions). This is why, if you are going to take out pet insurance, it is better to do it sooner rather than later, while your pet is healthy.
Bear in mind that many policies contain a waiting period of up to three months from the date the contract is signed. This typically means you will not be able to claim for any vet fees incurred during this waiting period.
As the name suggests, accident insurance covers the medical costs if your pet has an accident and becomes injured - including things like surgery and aftercare. Accident insurance is a popular type of pet medical insurance in Switzerland because the premiums are typically lower, while still covering some of the most expensive unexpected costs associated with owning an animal.
However, this type of insurance wouldn’t cover you if, for example, your pet developed a chronic disease that required ongoing medication and treatment. This type of medical care can still quickly become quite costly, but would only be covered by a comprehensive insurance plan.
As a pet owner, you are personally liable for any injuries or damages your pet causes to third parties or their property and possessions. This means that you could face high compensation claims if your pet does run into any mishaps.
For example, if your dog caused a car accident, or ran in front of a cyclist and caused them to fall and break their leg, you would be liable for these damages with your own assets. For an uninsured person, an incident like this could work out very costly indeed, or even spell financial ruin.
Pet liability insurance is therefore recommended for horses and dogs - and indeed some cantons legally require you to have liability insurance for your dog.
Some Swiss cantons require dog owners to have liability insurance by law, whereas others require it only for specific “dangerous” dog breeds, and others not at all. Here is a full breakdown of the rules per canton:
| Canton | Dog liability insurance requirements |
|---|---|
| Aargau | Owners of dangerous dog breeds (American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier and American Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier and American Bully, Rottweiler) must have liability insurance with coverage of at least 1 million francs |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 5 million francs |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Basel-Land | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 3 million francs |
| Basel-Stadt | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Bern | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 3 million francs |
| Freiburg | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 1 million francs |
| Geneva | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount. Proof of coverage must be shown to the municipality |
| Glarus | Dog owners must have liability insurance with “sufficient” coverage |
| Graubünden | No general liability insurance requirement, but owners of dangerous dog breeds may be required to take out liability insurance |
| Jura | No liability insurance requirement |
| Lucerne | No general liability insurance requirement, but owners of dangerous dog breeds may be required to take out liability insurance |
| Neuchâtel | No liability insurance requirement |
| Nidwalden | No liability insurance requirement |
| Obwalden | No liability insurance requirement |
| Schaffhausen | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 1 million francs |
| Schwyz | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Solothurn | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount. Proof of coverage must be shown to the municipality |
| St. Gallen | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Ticino | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 3 million francs |
| Thurgau | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 3 million francs |
| Uri | No liability insurance requirement |
| Vaud | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Valais | Dog owners must have liability insurance, but no minimum coverage amount |
| Zug | No liability insurance requirement |
| Zurich | Dog owners must have liability insurance with coverage of 1 million francs |
In some cases, your pet might be covered by your personal liability insurance. You should check with your personal insurance provider. Note also that some cantons require a minimum coverage amount. If you are relying on your personal liability insurance, you should make sure that the coverage is sufficient.
When choosing a liability insurance provider, check whether the policy also applies if someone else is taking care of your dog. You should also make sure they provide coverage outside of Switzerland if you plan to travel with your dog.
Pet liability insurance is not typically required for cats and other kinds of small animals, as your private liability insurance usually covers them, but check with your individual insurance provider for details.
Pet liability insurance covers costs related to the following kinds of damage:
As is the case with private liability insurance, pet liability insurance does not cover personal damage claims. For example, if you or a member of your family is injured by your own pet, the liability insurance will not cover this. This also applies to damage done to your possessions or your apartment. Liability insurance only covers third parties, and members of your household are not considered third parties.
Liability insurance also does not cover damages resulting from gross negligence. For example, if you let an aggressive dog run around freely and an incident occurs, this would be considered gross negligence.
If you wish to take out both types of insurance for your pet, many insurance providers will offer a combined package consisting of both health insurance and liability insurance, under the same policy.
The cost of pet insurance varies significantly, depending on:
As a general rule of thumb, the bigger and older your pet is when you take out insurance, the higher your premium will be. If your dog is above the age of six, you might struggle to get cover.
Basic pet insurance typically covers 60 to 90 percent of the costs for your pet’s treatments, so long as they are deemed medically necessary by a veterinarian. You can opt to have 100 percent of the costs covered with comprehensive insurance, but in most cases you will have a voluntary excess, meaning you have to pay the first portion of the costs before the insurer will step in.
Always check this fine print before signing a policy, as you might find that you end up having to pay a large portion of the cost of examinations and treatments yourself, despite having insurance.