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Cat Insurance in Germany
- Pet insurance protects you from the financial consequences of your pet falling ill. It is flexible and can be tailored to cats and dogs, giving you control over your pet’s health.
- For cats, health insurance is the only option available. Unlike dogs, cats do not require separate liability insurance, as any damage they cause to third parties is already covered by private liability insurance.
- There are 2 main types of cat health insurance: a surgery-only plan and comprehensive coverage that also includes other veterinary treatments.
- The cost depends on the chosen plan, deductible, and your cat’s age. Premiums are usually slightly higher for outdoor cats.
- Several insurers offer cat insurance. For expats in Germany, we recommend Feather, Getsafe, and Lassie. These digital insurance providers provide services in both German and English, and Lassie stands out with its fully digital policy. All allow you to manage your insurance quickly and easily online or via smartphone app.
What is Cat Insurance in Germany?
Cat insurance protects you from the financial burden of unexpected veterinary costs. Depending on the plan, it may cover only surgical procedures or extend to comprehensive coverage, including a wide range of non-surgical therapies.
Veterinary Costs – a Key Factor
Veterinarians in Germany bill according to a nationwide fee schedule, known as the Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte (GOT). Prices vary based on the complexity and urgency of treatment. For emergencies at night, on weekends, or on public holidays, up to 4 times the basic fee can be charged, plus a statutory emergency surcharge. VAT must also be considered: 19% applies to treatments and medical supplies, while a reduced rate of 7% applies to food.
At first glance, routine examinations and treatments for cats may appear affordable at the standard rate. In practice, however, invoices often include multiple services, such as diagnostic tests, treatment itself, medication, and consumables. Complex therapies or surgery with follow-up care can quickly reach several thousand euros — a significant financial risk without insurance.
Why is Cat Insurance Recommended?
Given these potential costs, cat health insurance is highly recommended. It ensures that medical decisions are made based on your pet’s needs, not on financial constraints. As an experienced financial journalist specializing in expat topics, I frequently observe how unexpected veterinary expenses can become a significant burden for international families in Germany. Insurance helps mitigate this risk, providing peace of mind.
Enrolling your cat at a young age is particularly advisable. Premiums are lower, and insurers typically offer lifelong coverage once the policy is in place.
Is Cat Insurance Mandatory in Germany?
There is no compulsory health insurance for animals in Germany. So you can decide whether to take out such insurance for your cat.
No mandatory liability insurance for cats
Unlike dogs, pet liability insurance is not compulsory for cats. Your liability insurance will cover any damage your cat causes to third parties.
There is no compulsory health insurance for animals in Germany, so coverage for your cat is entirely voluntary.
Unlike dogs, cats do not require separate pet liability insurance. Any damage your cat causes to third parties — whether to people or property — is generally covered by your private liability insurance.
Even if you only live in Germany for a limited time, you should not do without personal liability insurance. It protects you against personal injury, property damage, and financial loss you may cause others. While minor damages are common, personal injury carries the highest financial risk, as liability in Germany is unlimited. Luckily, good policies are available for less than €5 per month.
In Germany, dog liability insurance is mandatory for certain so-called dangerous breeds and, in some federal states, for all dogs. Dogs are generally not covered by their owners’ private liability insurance. For cats, however, there is no compulsory insurance. Still, it is strongly recommended that cat owners take out both private liability insurance and cat health insurance to protect themselves from the financial consequences of damage caused by their cat and from high veterinary costs.
Cats in personal liability insurance
If you have personal liability insurance, your cat is automatically covered. It makes no difference whether your cat lives indoors or outdoors. Even in extreme cases — for example, if your cat runs onto the street and causes a car accident — the financial consequences are included in your coverage.
Make sure your liability insurance also includes coverage for rented property. In that case, any damage your cat causes to your apartment — for example, by scratching doors or floors — is covered as well.
Types of Cat Insurance
In Germany, there are 2 main types of German cat insurance: pet health insurance and pet liability insurance:
- Pet health insurance covers veterinary expenses for accidents, surgeries, treatments, and preventive care..
- Pet liability insurance protects against damage caused by pets to third parties or their property. For cats, however, there is no separate policy: they are automatically included in their owner’s private liability insurance.
Pet Health Insurance
Pet health insurance covers the costs of veterinary treatment if your pet falls ill or suffers an accident. This insurance is available for both cats and dogs; however, premiums for cats are generally lower than those for dogs. For cat owners, it provides peace of mind that expensive treatments or long-term therapies won’t become a financial burden.
Benefits
Depending on the plan, benefits can include:
- Medically necessary operations
- Non-surgical therapies
- Outpatient and inpatient treatment
- Diagnostic tests and imaging
- Medication and consumables
- Accommodation in a veterinary clinic
Surgery and Comprehensive Pet Health Policies
In Germany, cat owners have the option to choose between surgery-only policies and comprehensive pet health insurance.
A surgery plan is the more affordable option. It covers all costs directly related to an operation — including diagnostics, medication, hospital stays, and post-operative care, in addition to the surgery itself.
Comprehensive pet health insurance, by contrast, goes beyond surgical cases. It also covers treatment for illnesses that do not require an operation, such as infections, allergies, or chronic conditions. For cat owners, this option provides the broadest protection, ensuring that everyday veterinary visits are included alongside major medical procedures.
If you have more than one cat, it can make sense to insure them under a single policy. Many insurers offer discounts when several pets are covered together. Getsafe makes this process especially convenient: during the digital application, you are asked whether you want to insure multiple pets, and you immediately receive a combined offer and contract for all of them. The onboarding is quick, fully digital, and designed to make the entire process as simple as possible.
Choosing the Right Cat Insurance
When selecting your cat insurance, several key factors should be taken into consideration. These include:
- Cost: Compare monthly premiums and value for money.
- Coverage: Decide whether you need surgery-only coverage or a comprehensive plan.
- Deductible: Choose between policies with or without deductibles, depending on your budget.
- Waiting periods: Typically 1 to 3 months for general coverage, and up to one year or 18 months for certain illnesses. For accidents, there are usually no waiting periods.
- Exclusions: Pre-existing conditions are generally excluded. Policies may also exclude procedures that are not medically necessary, such as neutering done purely to prevent breeding.
Take time to review the terms and conditions carefully, as benefits vary significantly between pet health insurance providers.
As a cat owner, it pays to choose a reputable company with clear contracts, comprehensive coverage, and reliable customer service.
Best Cat Insurance Companies in Germany
Several insurers offer cat health insurance, but not all are equally suitable for expats. Based on experience, the following providers stand out:
- Feather – clear policies in English, fully digital, tailored to expats.
- Getsafe – strong digital management, flexible tariffs, English support.
- Lassie – innovative and app-based, with a focus on digital pet insurance.
These providers offer different plan levels, ranging from surgery-only to comprehensive coverage that includes preventive care, veterinary video consultations, and even worldwide protection. For expats, the availability of English-language support and easy app-based management makes these companies particularly attractive.
Cat owners should always compare different insurance providers to find the best pet insurance for their needs and budget.
How to Get the Best Pet Health Insurance Cost
The main factors influencing the cost of cat insurance are:
- Your cat’s age
- The type of coverage you select
- The chosen deductible
Premiums are usually higher for outdoor cats. Since prices and benefits vary significantly, it is advisable to compare multiple providers before signing a contract.
Please keep in mind: Insuring your cat early not only secures lower premiums but also ensures lifelong coverage without gaps.
As a financial journalist with long-standing experience in expat topics, I know how quickly unexpected veterinary costs can become a real burden for international families in Germany. Cat health insurance is not just about protecting your pet’s well-being — it also gives you financial security and peace of mind. From my perspective, choosing a reputable insurer with clear English-language policies and digital management makes the process much easier for expats.
Conclusion
Cat health insurance is a smart way to protect yourself from high and unexpected veterinary costs while ensuring your cat always receives the best possible care. For owners, it means peace of mind knowing that financial concerns do not limit medical decisions.
The optimal setup is to combine cat health insurance with a private liability policy, giving you comprehensive protection for both veterinary expenses and third-party damages.
As a cat owner in Germany — especially as an expat — you should carefully compare providers, focusing on clear policies, English-language support, and digital management. This way, you can choose the policy that best fits both your cat’s needs and your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ
Yes. Pet health insurance policies generally include free choice of veterinarian. You can also select the clinic where your cat will be treated as an inpatient.
I recommend comprehensive coverage, as it includes both surgical and non-surgical treatments. With tiered coverage and pricing, you can find high-quality policies at affordable rates.
No. When applying for pet insurance, you must provide your cat’s age and whether it is an indoor or outdoor cat. Pre-existing illnesses are excluded, and cats with certain conditions are often not insurable. Insurers clearly define these exclusions in their terms. If you knowingly ignore them when signing a policy, the insurer may cancel the contract and deny benefits.
This depends on the insurer’s conditions. The standard notice period is usually 1 to 3 months, often with termination only possible after the first year. After a premium increase, you generally have a special right of termination, which must be exercised within 30 days.
Pet health insurance is designed as long-term protection, ideally covering your cat throughout its life. Just as in human medicine, diagnostic and treatment options are advancing, and costs are rising. Premium adjustments ensure that the agreed coverage remains reliable. Some insurers link increases to your cat’s age.
Even if premiums rise, switching is not always beneficial. With age, cats become more expensive to insure, and pre-existing conditions may limit your options. Finding new coverage for older cats can be difficult.
Pet health insurers set age limits for new contracts. On average, enrollment is possible until your cat is between 7 and 9 years old. For example, Feather accepts new cats up to 6 years of age, while Getsafe allows enrollment until 8 years. Once insured, however, both providers guarantee lifelong coverage.