Dog liability insurance in Germany: cost, rules and cover
Dog liability insurance in Germany starts at around 50 euros a year according to the Verbraucherzentrale and pays for damage your dog causes to other people. You need it even where no law requires it: under section 833 of the German Civil Code you are liable for your animal without any fault of your own, and the law sets no upper limit. The same liability applies to horses, although no federal state makes horse cover compulsory.
Key takeaways
- Cost for a dog: from around 50 euros a year (Verbraucherzentrale). Stiftung Warentest found comprehensive policies for small dogs from 36 euros a year.
- Mandatory: no nationwide rule. The GDV names at least six federal states with a general insurance requirement for dogs; elsewhere the rules are narrower.
- Sum insured: at least five million euros per Verbraucherzentrale and GDV. Stiftung Warentest only compared policies from ten million euros upwards.
- Liability: section 833 BGB makes animal keepers liable without fault. The only exemption covers animals kept for a profession or livelihood.
- Horses: not compulsory in any federal state. A good policy costs around 100 euros a year or more according to the Verbraucherzentrale.
Why you are liable without fault
Under section 833 of the German Civil Code you are liable for damage caused by your dog even when you did nothing wrong. Sentence 1 provides that where an animal kills a person, injures their body or health, or damages property, the person who keeps the animal must compensate the injured party for the resulting damage.
What the sentence leaves out matters as much as what it says. It does not mention misconduct by the owner. It is enough that the typical risk posed by an animal has materialised. Whether you held the lead correctly, whether the dog is well trained, or whether you were present at all makes no difference to the claim in principle.
Sentence 2 does allow an exemption, but a narrow one. It applies only to a domestic animal intended to serve the keeper’s profession, trade or livelihood, and only where the keeper also exercised the care required in the circumstances. Working animals such as a herding dog on a farm are the case the provision has in mind. A dog or horse kept for pleasure is not covered by it, so sentence 1 governs.
The statute sets no financial ceiling. In a serious personal injury case, treatment costs, loss of earnings, compensation for pain and suffering and a lifelong annuity can accumulate. That is the exposure the liability policy carries for you, and it also defends unjustified claims at its own expense.
What dog liability insurance costs
Dog liability insurance in Germany costs from around 50 euros a year according to the Verbraucherzentrale, and Stiftung Warentest found good policies for small dogs from 36 euros a year in its comparison of 17 September 2025. Both figures come from organisations that do not sell insurance themselves.
| Animal | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dog, small breed | from 36 euros a year for a low-cost policy with comprehensive protection | Stiftung Warentest, 17.09.2025 |
| Dog, basic protection | under 50 euros a year for policies meeting the basic-protection standard | Stiftung Warentest, 17.09.2025 |
| Dog, entry premium | from around 50 euros a year | Verbraucherzentrale, 2025 |
| Horse | around 100 euros a year or more for a good policy | Verbraucherzentrale, 2025 |
These are entry-level figures rather than averages. The premium you pay depends on the breed, the age of the animal, your postcode, the sum insured and whether you agree an excess. For a listed breed the premium is regularly higher, assuming the insurer takes the dog at all. The Stiftung Warentest comparison of 17 September 2025 covers 157 dog liability policies, which is a useful measure of how wide the spread in this market is.
Where cover is legally required
Germany has no federal dog insurance requirement. The rules sit in the dog laws and dog ordinances of the sixteen federal states, and they differ. The GDV summarises the position by saying that a general insurance requirement for dogs applies in at least six federal states.
Elsewhere the requirement is narrower. The Verbraucherzentrale describes North Rhine-Westphalia as an example where it applies only to dogs classified as dangerous and to dogs from 40 centimetres shoulder height or 20 kilograms in weight.
We deliberately do not publish a table of all sixteen states here. The rules change, they distinguish between a general requirement, a permit condition for dangerous dogs and municipal regulations, and any summary dates faster than the law it describes. The reliable route is the dog law of your own state or a call to the local public order office. For the insurance decision it changes little in any case, because the liability under section 833 BGB applies in every state, including those with no requirement at all.
How much cover to choose
The Verbraucherzentrale and the GDV both recommend a sum insured of at least five million euros for dogs and horses. The Verbraucherzentrale states that figure directly for both animals, and the GDV recommends a flat five million euros for horse liability cover.
Stiftung Warentest goes further and only admitted policies covering at least ten million euros to its September 2025 comparison. The reasoning holds up: a road accident caused by a loose dog can produce claims for pain and suffering well beyond the value of any property damage.
In practice, treat five million euros as the floor and check what ten million costs. The difference is usually small, because claims of that magnitude are rare. If you need to bring the premium down, the excess is the better place to do it.
Listed breeds and large dogs
Not every breed is insured on the same terms. Stiftung Warentest separates policies where all dogs are insurable without conditions or surcharges from those where restrictions apply, meaning not every breed, surcharges, or a decision taken case by case. The claim that every breed is straightforward to insure therefore does not survive scrutiny.
If your dog is classified as dangerous in your state, or sits well above the North Rhine-Westphalian threshold of 40 centimetres and 20 kilograms, approach the search differently from an owner of a small family dog. Filter for insurers that accept these animals and obtain written confirmation of acceptance before you cancel or switch. A verbal assurance during a sales call is not the same thing.
Horse liability: compulsory nowhere, still hard to skip
Horse liability insurance is not compulsory in any German federal state, and the Verbraucherzentrale and the GDV both confirm that position. The Verbraucherzentrale states that the cover is not binding in any federal state, and the GDV puts it the same way, noting that it is not a compulsory insurance anywhere in Germany. The legal position is therefore clearer here than it is for dogs.
The liability risk is unaffected by that. Section 833 BGB covers horses exactly as it covers dogs, and a horse that breaks loose onto a road can cause damage no private estate would absorb. Livery yards commonly require proof of cover in the stabling contract, and competitions expect it. The Verbraucherzentrale puts a good horse liability policy at around 100 euros a year or more.
Cats, rabbits and other small pets
Most pets need no policy of their own. The Verbraucherzentrale places tame domestic animals and small pets under personal liability insurance, listing cats, rabbits, hamsters, birds and even bees. Cover normally extends to both the keeper and whoever is minding the animal, so a friend looking after your cat while you travel is included.
Dogs and horses are excluded from that arrangement. Anyone who keeps both therefore needs two contracts: a personal liability policy for themselves and the small pets, plus pet liability cover for the dog or horse. The scope of the small-pet inclusion still varies by tariff, so check your conditions.
What to check in the policy
The Verbraucherzentrale advises checking precisely what is insured before you sign, because scope, price and exclusions vary between insurers. Six points are worth reading in the policy conditions:
Damage to rented property
Scratched flooring or damaged doors in a rented flat. The Verbraucherzentrale lists this explicitly as a criterion for dog liability cover.
Cover despite breach of keeper obligations
If the dog was off the lead against local rules, some policy wordings reduce the payout. Policies meeting the Stiftung Warentest basic-protection standard still pay according to its comparison.
Sum insured
Verbraucherzentrale and GDV both name five million euros as the minimum. Stiftung Warentest only compared policies covering at least ten million euros.
Cover abroad
Travel with a dog or horse is usually included but often limited in time. Check the duration before planning a longer stay.
Puppies
Some tariffs include puppies up to a certain age at no extra cost, others do not. That detail sits in the policy conditions.
Listed and large breeds
Acceptance, surcharge or refusal vary widely. Get written confirmation that your dog is accepted before cancelling an existing policy.
Compare offers
Because breed, age and location move the premium so much, a realistic price only comes from a quote for your own animal. Alongside the premium, look at the sum insured, at damage to rented property and at whether your dog is accepted without a surcharge. The comparison below is in German, which is worth knowing before you start.
AdvertisingThis comparison calculator is provided by our partner. If a contract is concluded through it, we receive a commission.
The comparison tool is provided by our partner Tarifcheck and loads external content when opened. It is available in German only.
Advertisement. The comparison is provided by our partner Tarifcheck (partner ID 110646). We receive a commission if a contract is concluded. This does not create any additional cost for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is dog liability insurance mandatory in Germany?
There is no single nationwide rule. Each federal state writes its own dog law, so the answer depends on where you live. The German Insurance Association (GDV) states that a general insurance requirement for dogs applies in at least six federal states. In the remaining states the requirement is narrower and usually targets dogs classified as dangerous. Check the dog law or dog ordinance of your own state, or ask your local public order office, rather than relying on a summary you find online.
What does dog liability insurance cost in Germany?
The Verbraucherzentrale, the German consumer advice organisation, puts the entry point at roughly 50 euros a year. Stiftung Warentest, the German product testing foundation, reached a similar range in its comparison published on 17 September 2025 and noted that low-cost policies with comprehensive protection are available for small dogs from 36 euros a year. Your own premium depends on the breed, the age of the animal, where you live, the sum insured and any excess you agree, so a firm figure only comes from a quote for your dog.
How much cover should I choose?
The Verbraucherzentrale and the GDV both name five million euros as the minimum sum insured for dogs and horses. Stiftung Warentest sets the bar higher and only included policies covering at least ten million euros in its comparison. Moving from five to ten million usually costs very little extra, because claims of that size are rare. If you want to reduce the premium, an excess is the better lever than a lower sum insured.
Why are dog owners liable even without fault?
The rule sits in section 833 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Its first sentence obliges the keeper of an animal to compensate the injured party when the animal kills or injures a person or damages property. The provision does not require any fault on the keeper’s part. The second sentence allows an exemption only for a domestic animal that is intended to serve the keeper’s profession, trade or livelihood, and only if the keeper exercised due care. A dog or horse kept for pleasure does not fall into that category, so the first sentence applies. The law sets no upper limit on the amount.
Are cats and small pets covered by personal liability insurance?
Usually yes. The Verbraucherzentrale assigns tame domestic animals and small pets to personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) and lists cats, rabbits, hamsters, birds and even bees. Both the keeper and the person minding the animal are normally covered. Dogs and horses are excluded from that cover and need a separate policy. The exact scope still varies between tariffs, so it is worth reading your own policy conditions.
Will insurers accept listed and large breeds?
Not all of them, and not always on the same terms. Stiftung Warentest distinguishes in its comparison between policies where every dog is insurable without conditions or surcharges and those where restrictions apply: not every breed, surcharges, or a decision made case by case. A blanket promise that all breeds are covered is therefore not accurate. If your dog is classified as dangerous in your state, or is a large breed, filter for insurers that accept those animals and get the acceptance confirmed in writing before you switch.
Is horse liability insurance required by law?
No. The Verbraucherzentrale states plainly that horse liability insurance is not binding in any federal state, and the GDV confirms that it is not a compulsory insurance anywhere in Germany. It is still requested in practice, for example in livery contracts or for competitions. Economically it is hard to do without, because section 833 BGB applies to horses exactly as it does to dogs. The Verbraucherzentrale puts a good horse liability policy at around 100 euros a year or more.
What should a good dog liability policy include?
The Verbraucherzentrale names damage to rented property and cover that still applies when the owner has breached keeper obligations, for example when the dog was off the lead. Stiftung Warentest likewise notes that policies meeting its basic-protection standard pay out even where the owner broke the rules. Beyond that, check how long cover abroad lasts and whether puppies are included. Scope and exclusions differ between insurers, so the policy conditions are the document that settles it.
Related guides
- Personal liability insurance in GermanyCovers you and your small pets, but excludes dogs and horses.
- Dog health insuranceLiability cover pays for damage to others. Veterinary bills for your own dog need a separate policy.
- Tierhalterhaftpflicht (German version)The same guide in German, with the full wording of the statutory provisions.