Pet insurance in the Netherlands
Bringing your pet to the Netherlands can present some additional challenges, and ensuring their health and well-being is essential. Pet insurance can be a great way to protect yourself from unexpected veterinary costs, which can be high in the Netherlands. Here’s what you need to know about pet insurance as an expat.
We explore in this section
How Pet insurance works in the Netherlands
Pet insurance is designed to help cover the costs of unexpected veterinary treatments for your pet in case of illness, accidents, or injuries. You pay a monthly or annual premium, and when your pet needs care, the insurance covers a portion of the vet bill after you’ve paid an excess (similar to a deductible).
Veterinary care in the Netherlands is generally of high quality, but it can be expensive, especially for emergency procedures or specialist treatments. Without insurance, bills for surgeries, hospitalizations, or long-term treatments can easily reach hundreds or even thousands of euros.
What’s covered by Pet insurance
Most pet insurance plans in the Netherlands offer different levels of coverage. Typically, plans include:
- Basic plans
Cover accidents and emergency treatments. - Comprehensive Plans
Cover accidents, illnesses, and certain types of diagnostics like blood tests or X-rays. - Premium plans
Provide more extensive coverage, such as surgeries, hospital stays, and sometimes even preventive care like vaccinations or dental treatment.
It’s important to consider most policies won’t cover pre-existing conditions of your pet or routine check-ups unless you're on a higher-end plan.
What are the costs of Pet insurance in the Netherlands
The price of pet insurance depends on factors such as:
- Your pet’s age
Older pets generally cost more to insure. - The type of pet
Dogs usually have higher premiums than cats. - The coverage level
Basic plans might cost around €10 per month, whereas comprehensive plans can go up to €50 or more per month.
Below we have listed some great insurers.
Is Pet insurance right for you?
If you are living in the Netherlands, pet insurance can be an excellent way to protect against costly vet bills. If you have a young pet or a breed prone to certain health problems, it’s especially worthwhile. Even if your pet is healthy, insurance can provide peace of mind and financial security in case of unexpected accidents or illnesses.
In conclusion, pet insurance is a useful tool for expats navigating the veterinary care system in the Netherlands. By taking out a plan that suits your needs, you’ll have one less thing to worry about as you and your pet enjoy life in your new home.
Recommended insurers
Univé
Univé is a cooperative insurance company in the Netherlands. Univé presents itself as a nonprofit insurer, to express that making profit is not important and therefore has cheaper products.
Inshared
InShared was founded in 2009 as an online insurer and became one of the most successful insurers in the online market. The go-to market strategy of online differs a lot from the traditional channels, and within this InShared made some clear choices.