Liability Insurance for Dogs: Which Is Best?

Liability insurance for dogs is insurance that covers financial damages our dog may cause, or any compensation that may be required. In short, it's insurance to cover any problem our dog might cause.

But not every liability insurance policy offers the same conditions or the same cost — it varies a lot depending on the type of dog and the company we get it from. Let's look in detail at everything you need to know about this type of policy.

Which Breeds Need Liability Insurance?

Until not long ago, this type of insurance was only mandatory in Spain for breeds classified as potentially dangerous (PPP), which vary depending on the country you live in, and even the autonomous region.

With the new animal protection law coming into effect, every dog will need to have liability insurance, regardless of breed, size, or age. In other words, whether you have a Pit Bull, a Chihuahua, a Maltese, a German Shepherd, or a mixed-breed dog, you'll need this type of third-party damage insurance — absolutely everyone.

What Does Liability Insurance for Dogs Involve?

This is insurance guaranteeing that third-party damages caused by a dog, or any compensation and even legal defense that may be needed, are covered by insurance. This way, the dog's owner doesn't have to cover these financial costs themselves. It's a way of guaranteeing that if a dog does something, the affected party is always covered.

Am I Required to Take Out Liability Insurance?

If you live in Spain, the answer is yes — with the new animal protection law, every dog will need mandatory liability insurance. It doesn't matter if your dog weighs 1 kilo or is very well-behaved — every dog will need to be insured.

Remember, if you have homeowner's insurance, in many cases these policies can also cover pets. In other words, you might not know it, but your dog may already be insured. It's essential to talk to your homeowner's insurance provider and check their coverage regarding your dog. You'll need to add it using its microchip number, and generally, they only cover one pet per policy.

What Is the Best Liability Insurance for Dogs?

We should make sure to take out the policy with a serious, well-backed company that supports us when needed and doesn't make excuses. A trustworthy company is essential for something as serious as liability insurance.

Some of the most reputable companies in Spain include:

• Mapfre
• Catalana Occidente
• Zurich
• Santa Lucía

That said, once we've reviewed the different companies that, in our opinion, are highly trustworthy, we need to look at what conditions their policies offer and which has the best annual price.

Liability Insurance Coverage

• Financial compensation to third parties for damages the insured dog may have caused.
• Legal defense for the dog's owner in case of an incident where compensation may be claimed against them.
• Phone information service about insurance requirements, specifically for PPP breeds, specific legislation on dog ownership, and specific questions about liability insurance for dogs.

Policy Exclusions

As with any other type of insurance, the dog's owner must read, understand, and sign every policy condition. This is because, in some cases, the policy doesn't apply, such as:

1. Dogs without a microchip
2. Hunting dogs
3. Guard dogs
4. Dogs used for racing or breeding

We stress how important it is to read the conditions, because if, for example (another scenario), you have a potentially dangerous dog and you have it off-leash and without a muzzle, no insurance will obviously cover any damage it may cause.

How Much Does Liability Insurance Cost?

Depending on the company you get it from, the price will vary considerably.

The price will vary depending on whether the dog is potentially dangerous or not, or whether it's young or adult. It'll also vary depending on the coverage amount you want, for example, €125,000 or €200,000 of liability coverage (this is the maximum amount the insurance will cover in case of accident/damage/compensation).

Some example prices are:

• Young Pit Bull: €37.86/year
• Adult Pit Bull: €46.51/year
• Young mixed-breed dog: €28.12/year
• Adult mixed-breed dog: €34.61/year

Prices vary based on the type of dog, age, and so on... you should use the calculator on their website to get your personalized quote. They'll also show you the price for health insurance for your dog, covering vet expenses (highly recommended in our opinion, since with just one visit, the insurance pays for itself).

What Is the Deductible?

Just like with deductibles on car insurance, your liability insurance for dogs has a €200 deductible. This means that, if your dog causes damage to a third party or you're sued for compensation, you'll only pay the €200 deductible, and the insurance will cover the rest. If your dog doesn't cause any damage or harm, you won't pay anything beyond the policy's annual cost.

Opinion on Liability Insurance for Dogs

We're aware some homeowner's insurance policies can also cover our dog, but honestly, given how low the cost of dedicated liability policies is, we feel much more secure taking out insurance specifically for our dog and leaving homeowner's insurance for what it's meant for: the home.

In our opinion, and based on how affordable these policies are, even for dogs classified as dangerous, we strongly recommend taking out specific insurance for our dogs — whatever breed, whatever size. We didn't personally like the company mentioned above due to its conditions, but we encourage you to research all the others on your own and judge for yourself.