Home, car, life or he alth insurance are usually contracted by many people, since some are mandatory, while others are considered highly recommended. What fewer people know is that there is also insurance for dogs and that for some dogs they are mandatory. Next, in this article on our site, we explain which dogs need compulsory insurance and what are the consequences of not having it.
Is dog insurance mandatory?
Although having insurance for dogs is recommended and can be very useful on numerous occasions, the truth is that, in general, since there are differences according to the different autonomous communities,it is not mandatory to hire it for all dogs In any case, you should inform yourself as soon as you adopt in case the possession of your dog, according to the current legislation in your place of residence, does require that you take out insurance for dogs.
If you find yourself in this situation, we advise you to go to Terránea, where you can compare between the different insurance companies to find the insurance that best suits your needs and those of your dog. In addition, you have the advice of experts in contracting these insurances for all types of dogs, regardless of whether they are of breed or crossbreeds. We are talking about civil liability insurance, which is the one that covers damages to third parties and is the one that can be required. There are other insurances, such as he alth, whose coverage is limited to certain veterinary expenses of the animal itself and which is always optional.
Finally, before launching the contract, it is advisable to check, first of all, what home insurance we have, because if we have the so-called multi-risk insurance for the home our dog may be included in it, since what is included is a civil liability considered "family". Of course, it is important to highlight that this type of insurance usually covers damages that do not require compulsory insurance, as in the case of potentially dangerous dogs (PPP) that we will see below. In this way, if you wonder if home insurance covers your dog's bite, you should check the conditions of the insurance you have contracted to find out, since not all offer the same coverage or cover the so-called PPP.
Which dogs need compulsory insurance?
In the first place, until now, dogs considered potentially dangerous were those that, without exception,must have taken out civil liability insurance on a mandatory basis and with coverage of no less than 120,000 euros, although it was recommended to choose a higher amount, just in case, since it did not increase by excess the price to be paid for the insurance each year. In any case, and according to the autonomous communities, there are variations in this minimum amount, so it is always advisable to consult the current legislation in our territory. Going back to the so-called potentially dangerous dogs, contracting civil liability insurance was considered one of the essential requirements to be able to get possession of a copy of any of these breeds and their crosses, which were, according to the law of potentially dangerous animals of the year 1999, the following:
- Akita Inu.
- Tosa inu.
- Rottweiler.
- Staffordshire bull terrier.
- American staffordshire terrier.
- Argentine Dogo.
- Brazilian row.
- Pit bull terrier.
Furthermore, dogs with certain characteristics, such as a weight greater than 20 kg, a robust body, a strong character, a powerful bite or a history of aggression towards other dogs or people, could also be considered potentially dangerous. For this reason, in some autonomous legislation other well-known breeds such as these were listed as dangerous:
- Boxer.
- Presa canario.
- Doberman.
- Bullmastiff.
- Dogue de Bordeaux.
- Tibet Mastiff.
- Neapolitan mastiff.
- Presa mallorquín.
And it should still be added that in some autonomous communities, such as Madrid or Euskadi, all dogs, regardless of their breed or dangerousness, had to have civil liability insurance.
But the recent approval of the preliminary bill on animal welfare from the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda is going to introduce important changes for the pets, such as eliminate the classification of potentially dangerous dogs or PPP. No breed will be considered potentially dangerous anymore, but each dog will have to undergo socialization tests to determine if it is considered dangerous or not. In addition, all owners of dogs, regardless of the result of this assessment, will have to have civil liability insurance This is the insurance that covers damages that dogs may cause to third parties.
As we can see, with these developments, the insurance that will be mandatory for dogs under the new law will be civil liability. All these new measures are expected to be specified throughout the year 2022.
What if my dog doesn't have insurance?
First of all, if our dog does not have insurance and causes any damage to third parties, it will be us, as its owners, who we have to defray the expenses arising from his action, regardless of the amount and even if the dog has caused the incident because, for example, we have been accidentally escaped. When we talk about damage to third parties, we are not only referring to our dog biting another or someone, but also to destroying property or objects, whether public or private. Obviously, a dog that does not have insurance and causes some damage is going to be a problem for its caregiver and can even end up in litigation if the parties do not agree. For this reason, it is advisable to take out insurance to live with more peace of mind, the same as if we decide on he alth insurance that bears unforeseen veterinary expenses, which can become significant and unbalance any budget.
But, on the other hand, if where you live it is considered mandatory that you take out civil liability insurance for your dog, its lack is going to translate into more problems, since it would be abreach of current legislation In other words, if your dog does not have insurance that has been designated as mandatory, you expose yourself to a fine that can reach up to 15,000 euros.
