“He’s never done that before!”
Current survey shows loss ratio and average loss costs.
Hanover. It's a cliché, but one that contains a lot of truth: Almost every person who shares their life with a dog will one day find themselves in a situation in which the animal behaves completely differently than usual or expected. Many of these “oops” moments end lightly, but not all of them. “If third parties are injured by a dog, the owner is liable,” explains Susanne Söllner, head of the liability claims department at Agila pet insurance. “And according to the Civil Code, liability is unlimited. That's why everyone who owns a dog should take out dog liability insurance, even if this is not required where they live.”
Not always mandatory, but always useful
Unlike cats, dogs are not included in their owners’ personal liability insurance. That's why there are special liability insurance policies for dog owners. Currently, all dogs in Berlin, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia must be insured without exception. For Bremen, the general insurance requirement comes into force on July 1, 2026.
The costs for dog liability protection usually amount to a few euros per month. Some pet insurers also offer affordable combined tariffs: “If you take out pet health or surgery insurance with Agila, you get dog liability protection for half the price,” says Söllner.
Damage is comparatively rare,
but can be expensive
In 2025, Agila pet insurance recorded around 3,600 liability claims caused by dogs. According to Susanne Söllner, 3 out of 100 insured people were affected. “The insurance company does not pay out in all cases,” explains the expert. Because what many people don't know: Liability insurance is also there to ward off unlawful claims made by third parties. “This so-called passive legal protection ensures that premiums for all those with liability insurance can remain low.”
The average amount of damage settled by Agila was around 900 euros per case in 2025. This seems manageable, but it can become a financial burden for people with less income. “Above all, this amount should not hide the significantly higher risk that actually exists,” warns Susanne Söllner. “In 2011, we had a case in which a four-legged friend who was insured with us caused a cyclist to fall. Unfortunately, he suffered a complicated fracture of the upper arm with permanent damage and was no longer able to practice his profession as a doctor. In total, the claim for damages amounted to around 400,000 euros, which consisted of compensation for pain and suffering, loss of earnings, treatment costs and legal fees. Such extreme cases are rare, but without insurance they can have serious, lifelong consequences for the owner Have holders.”
Short profile
AGILA pet insurance, which is part of the Pinnacle Pet Group, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024. With over 400,000 insurance contracts for dogs and cats, the company is one of the leading specialist insurers for pets in Germany. The offer includes animal health insurance, surgical cost protection and dog owner liability. AGILA currently only insures dogs and cats, regardless of their breed. In the TÜV Nord customer satisfaction analysis, AGILA 2025 once again performed very well. More information about the company at www.agila.de.
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