As a dog mum (or dad), you know better than anyone: vet bills following an accident or illness are very (not to say "too") expensive. That's why it's worth taking the time to insure your dog to keep costs down.
At Lovys, we process your reimbursement claims within 72 hours.
Enjoy insurance that is:
It's hard to estimate the price of dog insurance. Why? Because it depends on lots of factors: the animal's age, its health, whether it's tattooed for identification… as well as the plan and options you choose.
That said, to give you a price range, expect to pay between roughly €10 and €25* a month to insure a young dog in France. At Lovys, for example, our dog insurance starts from €12.50/month depending on the plan you choose. And the good news is that you can customise your policy: choose your reimbursement level freely, from 50% to 100%, as well as your annual limit, from €1,000 to €2,500.
Nothing could be simpler! Just answer a few questions so we can get to know your pooch. And since we know your time is precious (just like your furry sweetheart), it'll only take a few minutes! You'll receive your insurance certificate straight away, and your little one can finally live their best life.
So which insurance should you choose for your pooch?
Hmm, that's hard to answer off the cuff. As with prices, what makes a "good" dog health insurance policy depends on your animal's unique profile and the cover and options you're looking for…
There's no secret to making the best choice: use a free online comparison site! That way you can find the offer that best suits your needs and offers the best value for money.
Dog insurance or dog "mutuelle"? They both have the same goal: protecting your furball. The only difference lies in the type of organisation: an insurance company is a profit-making business, whereas a mutuelle (mutual insurer) is not-for-profit.
Training your puppy is an essential step in its development. It is closely linked to how your faithful companion will behave as an adult. Just because some dogs are harder to train doesn't mean you should resort to violence. Quite the opposite: kindness should be the foundation for your pet's development.
Being firm will help reduce aggression in some animals and keep them in line when needed. Conversely, good socialisation will help some dogs overcome their fears. Good training is the key to your dog behaving well throughout its life. Once the puppy has been weaned from its mother, it's up to the owner to take on the weighty task of taking over.
Here's our experts' advice on training your dog:
As with humans, the signs of ageing in dogs show up both physically and in behaviour. They vary depending on the dog's breed and also its size. Large dogs, for instance, generally live shorter lives than small ones. Whatever its age, it will be up to you to support your pet as it ages by giving it the right care. It is the owner's responsibility to spot the physical or behavioural signs of hereditary or other diseases that could put their pet at risk.
Your pet's health will become more fragile and trips to the vet more frequent. To cope with sometimes high vet fees, we recommend that you take out insurance for your dog from a young age.
Don't wait until your pet is older to give it the care it needs. Owning a dog requires constant attention.
To help your faithful companion live as long as possible, it's important to provide the daily care suited to its age, breed and health. There are a number of things, covered below, that you should check every day to make sure your dog is in good health. We'll also look at the other regular care it needs:
Our canine friends can suffer from different forms and types of illness. These can become complicated and lead to your dog's death if not treated in time. When adopting a new four-legged companion into your home, you should first find out about dog illnesses. These may relate to its breed, environment or lifestyle. The best way to protect against many illnesses is still vaccinating your pet.
The reimbursement of these vet fees can be covered by the prevention allowance of a dog health insurance policy.
Over the course of your dog's life, you'll regularly need to go to the vet for various reasons. Visits will be very frequent when it's a young puppy and a little less so in adulthood. The main reasons that take you to a clinic can vary widely. You may go for preventive care, routine consultations or surgery.
Prevention is always better than cure. To avoid any risk of viruses or parasite infestations, you'll need to vaccinate and worm your dog. You may also want to limit your dog's breeding through surgical procedures such as castration or spaying.
If in doubt, it's best to ask a professional for advice. That way, you won't miss a symptom that could lead to something more serious. As a rule, consultations take place in the event of illness, an accident or for follow-up treatment. As fees aren't capped, it's worth checking prices beforehand.
The vet will also be there to carry out surgical procedures when needed. They can also perform certain preventive procedures, such as limiting your pet's breeding. There are different types of surgery for which the clinic will take care of your pet from A to Z.
Even though female dogs don't go through the menopause, it's recommended to breed them between the ages of 2 and 7. That's when they're in their best physical shape, and the same goes for males. The trickiest parts are managing heat cycles and choosing the right male.
Once the mating stage is over, you'll need to examine your bitch carefully and look for signs that she's pregnant. Then watch for the signs that she's about to give birth. Given the risks that come with pregnancy, we recommend taking out dog health insurance beforehand. Afterwards, health insurance for your puppies will also be needed.
When you get a dog, it's very important to keep an eye on everything it does. Its behaviour will tell you how well it's adapting to its new environment. Keep this habit up every day, as its behaviour will help you tell whether it's ill or has parasites. This is especially true if you regularly go on holiday with your pet. That way, you can decide whether to treat it yourself or take it to the vet if needed.
Under French regulations, so-called "dangerous" dogs are classified into two categories: category 1, which covers attack dogs, and category 2, which covers guard and defence dogs.
Here are the breeds concerned:
Hardy and resilient, the Fawn Brittany Basset is generally in robust health: the breed has no predisposition to any hereditary disease and copes well with the cold. Intense heat, on the other hand, can weaken it! So it's always a good idea to take out health insurance for your dog to ease any vet bills.
Although generally robust, the German Shepherd is nonetheless exposed to many diseases, such as canine parvovirus, hip or elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism and von Willebrand disease. So you need to worm your German Shepherd and vaccinate it regularly. Expect to spend between €1,400 and €1,500 a year on its upkeep, which is why it's worth taking out dog insurance to cover a good share of its vet fees.
Despite their robust health, Belgian Shepherds are prone to various diseases such as epilepsy, hyperthyroidism and hip dysplasia. Expect annual upkeep costs of €1,350 for this dog breed. To keep care costs down, you're better off with good pet insurance!
Also known as the Kangal Shepherd, the Anatolian Shepherd belongs to the family of giant dogs: thanks to its robust build, it rarely falls ill. That said, the Turkish dog isn't spared the risk of hip dysplasia, which is common in this breed. Expect between €1,000 and €1,400 in annual upkeep for this giant: taking out health insurance can help you face future vet bills with peace of mind!
Originally from Georgia, the Caucasian Shepherd is prone to heart problems because of its very large size. Nor is it immune to common canine diseases, including harvest mites. Good health insurance will save you a lot of hassle: this massive dog costs around €2,000 a year to keep, a good share of which goes on vet fees.
Particularly sturdy, this dog breed isn't prone to any specific diseases. Because of its large size, however, the Polish Tatra Sheepdog is at risk of hip dysplasia. Its large floppy ears also make it prone to recurring ear infections. Finally, this breed easily puts on weight, so it's a good idea to take out good dog insurance, with the "therapeutic diet" option, to limit the risk of obesity and reduce your vet fees.
Sturdy by nature, this cold-resistant breed rarely falls ill. That said, the Bouvier des Flandres is predisposed to lumbosacral abnormalities, heart stenosis… All in all, expect an average of €600 a year in upkeep, which is why health insurance will be needed to cover your dog's vet care!
Rather delicate, the Pug can suffer from breathing problems and eye conditions, not to mention common canine diseases. It also needs monitoring when giving birth, as complications are common in this breed. With annual upkeep costs of around €900, its vaccinations and worming must be complete and up to date. To reduce your vet bills, consider taking out good health insurance for it!
Originally from Israel, the Canaan Dog is a powerful animal in robust health! This breed has no specific predispositions, apart from hip dysplasia. Even so, budget €480 a year for upkeep, covering puppy vaccinations, worming treatment, tick removal… So we can't recommend highly enough taking out health insurance to cover the necessary vet costs and any accidents.
This big lion-like teddy bear has an iron constitution and rarely suffers from hereditary diseases. However, the Chow Chow can face health problems linked to its large size and thick coat, including hip dysplasia and harvest mites. The annual upkeep cost of this pooch from China? Around €1,400. Insurance comes in handy to cover your vet fees.
Robust by nature, the English Cocker Spaniel is nevertheless prone to three serious diseases: progressive retinal atrophy, familial nephropathy and hip dysplasia. So don't neglect vaccination and worming! You also need to clean its long ears regularly, as parasites love them. Expect around €1,000 a year in upkeep; dog health insurance can help keep your costs down.
Cruella de Vil's favourite dog breed enjoys robust health. Even so, the Dalmatian isn't immune to conditions such as deafness, megaoesophagus, kidney disease or urinary stones. On average, you should budget €1,450 a year for its upkeep!
Stocky and massive in appearance, the Dogue de Bordeaux is nevertheless predisposed to many conditions: bone and joint problems, brachycephalic syndrome, cancer, skin problems, dystocia, heart disease, eye disorders, heat intolerance, excess weight… This explains its minimum annual upkeep budget of €1,850. To reduce your vet costs, taking out insurance for your pooch is highly recommended.
Also known as the Ca De Bou, the Majorca Mastiff is fairly sturdy and resilient. However, because it grows quite slowly, its joints need watching, as does its diet to avoid excess weight.
This big furry teddy bear stands out for its toughness. That's right: despite a short life expectancy, the Tibetan Mastiff has an iron constitution! It can, however, suffer from various conditions: osteochondritis dissecans, epilepsy, chronic ear infections, demodicosis, allergies and hereditary polyneuropathy… and even a tendency towards obesity. To face this with peace of mind and soften the blow of your care costs, dog insurance is obviously recommended.
Blessed with robust health, the Brittany Spaniel rarely falls ill. However, its ears are delicate and it can be prone to various diseases: hip dysplasia, medial patellar luxation, cystinuria… Or, more rarely, X-linked muscular dystrophy, cerebellar cortical abiotrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, etc. Expect around €1,000 a year in upkeep: taking out health insurance that covers your costs for illness, vaccination and parasite treatment can therefore be very useful!
Very delicate, this breed is prone to genetic conditions, cardiorespiratory diseases, ear and eye problems… Not to mention common canine diseases. Phew, what a dog's life! To protect this frail pooch, vaccination is recommended from an early age. Worming is also essential to prevent intestinal parasites. So it's best to opt for solid health insurance, including a prevention allowance, for your Japanese Chin.
Expect to spend €1,300 on average a year on the upkeep of this big dog from Germany. Despite fairly robust health, the Eurasier is prone to hip dysplasia because of its large size. This breed is also very fragile during pregnancy: neutering your dog is a good option if you don't plan to breed from it! To minimise all these costs, it's strongly recommended to take out dog insurance.
With its wiry coat and iron constitution, this breed fears neither cold nor bad weather. Nonetheless, the Griffon Korthals is predisposed to hip dysplasia and prostate conditions. Despite a reasonable annual upkeep budget, it's best to take out basic dog insurance to anticipate costs and guard against possible accidents.
An Arctic sled dog, the Alaskan Malamute has almost no hereditary conditions. However, being a Nordic dog, it can't cope with intense heat and can suffer from hip dysplasia. Expect an annual upkeep cost of €1,500 to €1,600 for this breed, so health insurance is welcome to offset its costly vet care!
Prone to eye conditions and dental problems, this dog is fairly delicate and sensitive to dirt. Moreover, even though this breed has no hereditary conditions, the Pekingese isn't spared the risk of parvovirus. To anticipate costs and keep annual upkeep of around €900 in check, it's best to opt for comprehensive dog insurance.
Small but no less robust, the Petit Brabançon very rarely falls ill and has no hereditary diseases. That said, budget €600 to €900 a year for upkeep, including the essential vaccines and worming treatments. Taking out dog health insurance with a prevention allowance can only be a good idea to keep down your vet fees!
Blessed with an iron constitution, the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz hardly ever falls ill. But here's the catch: male puppies are prone to testicular abnormalities at birth, while females are very fragile during pregnancy. Finally, Andalusian dogs are generally prone to common conditions such as Lyme disease. Hence the importance of taking out health insurance for this dog which, all things considered, costs an average of €700 a year to keep!
The Saint Bernard, aka "Beethoven", needs a lot of attention: its diet must be rich so as not to weaken its bones, and its eyes need watching because of the risk of entropion… Not to mention the hearing problems that are fairly common in this breed. Taking out pet insurance is therefore a good idea, especially to reduce the vet fees of this big pooch, which costs between €2,000 and €2,500 a year to keep.
A fox-like ball of fluff, the German Spitz wins people over with its hardiness. Proof: thanks to its origins and its coat, it copes very well with cold and bad weather! Its (very) reasonable upkeep budget ranges from €20 to €40 a month, depending on the dog's size. Watch out, though, for the Pomeranian (Dwarf Spitz), which is predisposed to excess weight, alopecia and tracheal collapse: to deal with these conditions and prevent the worst, dog insurance comes in handy.
Fairly robust by nature, this beauty from the Land of the Rising Sun is nevertheless prone to common diseases such as Lyme disease in dogs. With annual upkeep costs of between €300 and €600, the Japanese Spitz needs its vaccinations and worming treatments kept up to date. So consider taking out dog health insurance with a prevention allowance to cut your vet bills.
