Are you planning a holiday with your four-legged partner? You may already be dealing with vaccinations, a chip or transportation, but don’t forget the most important thing – health security. Veterinary care abroad can be very expensive, and an unexpected accident or illness of your dog can easily become costly. Travel insurance for your dog will give you peace of mind that in the event of an accident or illness, the costs will be covered and you can focus on your pet’s health.
Travelling with your dog is becoming increasingly popular, whether it’s a holiday in the mountains, a stay by the sea or a sightseeing trip. Your dog is a member of the family and you want to keep them safe during your trip. But just like humans, dogs can experience health problems, accidents or unexpected complications. In addition, veterinary care abroad tends to be much more expensive than in the Czech Republic, especially in popular tourist destinations.
Imagine, for example, a situation where your dog swallows a foreign object, needs an X-ray or even a surgical procedure. Abroad, the price can go up to several tens of thousands of crowns. Without travel insurance for your dog, all of these costs would go to you. But if you take out insurance for your dog abroad, the insurance company will take over the financial burden.
In addition, dog holiday insurance does not only cover medical expenses, some insurance companies also offer cancellation cover should the dog fall ill before departure or liability insurance for damages caused by the dog. This also protects you from potential legal problems or high compensation costs abroad.
Do you need to take out insurance for your dog but are worried about hidden exclusions and hooks in the contract? Contact our legal team – we’ll help you review your contract and point out the pitfalls.
Travel insurance for a dog works very similarly to travel insurance for a human. It is taken out for the duration of the trip and covers certain risk situations. The basic pillar is the reimbursement of veterinary expenses, i.e. treatment for acute injury, sudden illness, hospitalization or surgery. It also includes assistance services that can advise you on which clinic to contact or how to arrange for your dog to be transported back to the Czech Republic.
Typically dog travel insurance covers:
Extended packages can also include liability insurance – if the dog causes damage to a third party, the insurance company will pay for the damage (for example, chewed equipment in the hotel, biting another dog or possibly injuring a person). Some products also cover dog death or trip cancellation.
On the other hand, holiday dog insurance has exclusions. It doesn’t cover preventive care (vaccinations, deworming, de-worming), cosmetic procedures or treatment for chronic conditions you knew about before the trip. It is therefore a good idea to go through the terms and conditions in detail and make sure you know exactly what you have agreed.
If you’re looking to take out dog insurance abroad, we recommend looking at a few key points:
It is also worth comparing multiple offers and not giving in to the impression that the cheapest option is sufficient. In the case of veterinary care, both the quality and the price can be very different abroad than in the Czech Republic.
Tip: The European Parliament has backed the EU position that all cats and dogs kept within the European Union should be compulsorily chipped and registered.
The price of dog travel insurance depends on several factors: the age of the dog, the length of stay, the destination and the chosen coverage. Generally, short-term dog insurance for a holiday (a weekend stay in Austria or Germany) is in the hundreds of crowns. A longer stay in southern Europe can cost several thousand crowns and insurance for exotic destinations or outside the EU can be considerably more expensive.
Insurance companies often offer discounted packages if you take out travel insurance for yourself and your dog at the same time. We definitely recommend considering excess liability insurance, which usually costs only a few extra tens of crowns but can save you large sums in the event of a claim.
Example: surgery for a broken paw in Italy can cost over 40,000 CZK. If you have taken out dog insurance abroad with a limit of CZK 50,000, you will only pay the deductible and the insurance company will pay the rest. Without insurance, all the costs would fall on you.
Before going to the vet: Get confirmation that your dog is healthy and can handle the journey. Check vaccinations and deworming.
Pet passport and microchip: Most EU countries require a pet passport and microchip identification.
Check destination rules: some countries have specific requirements (such as parasite treatment before entry).
Have the contact number of the insurance company’sassistance service handy so that help is quick if needed.
Transport: If you are travelling by car, don’t forget a seat belt or crate. If you are travelling by plane, check the conditions of transport for animals beforehand to ensure you have the correct crate etc.
Although travel insurance for your dog will not help you avoid health complications, it will give you the reassurance that you will have financial and organisational support in case of problems.
Although dog travel insurance is still a somewhat neglected product, it can save you a lot of worry and financial expense. If you are going on holiday with your dog, it pays not to underestimate the risks and to take out dog insurance abroad early. This will ensure that in the event of an unexpected event, your dog will be in good hands and you won’t have to deal with high costs.
Travel insurance for your dog is still a relatively neglected but very useful product that can save you a lot of trouble and high costs when travelling with your four-legged partner. It mainly covers acute veterinary care, surgeries, hospitalization or transportation of the dog back to the Czech Republic, while extended packages often include additional liability insurance or trip cancellation. When arranging it is important to keep an eye on the amount of the limit of indemnity (at least 30-50 thousand crowns is recommended), territorial validity, 24-hour assistance services, as well as mandatory requirements such as the animal’s passport, rabies vaccination and chip. The price depends on the age of the dog, the length and destination of the trip and the scope of coverage – short-term insurance costs hundreds of crowns, longer stays or trips outside the EU can cost several thousand. Liability insurance costs only a few tens of crowns, but can save tens of thousands in the event of damage.
Yes, most insurance companies allow you to arrange holiday dog insurance conveniently online along with your own insurance.
In addition to insurance, you must have the animal’s passport, proof of rabies vaccination and a working chip. Some countries require additional treatments.
No, it only covers unexpected and acute health complications.
Yes, because it protects against compensation for damage the dog might cause to other people or property.
It depends on the specific insurance company. Most products are limited to Europe, with a special contract required for more distant destinations.
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