Dogs & cats · As of September 2026

Pet insurance in Switzerland: dogs and cats, properly covered

Without pet health insurance, you pay your vet bills yourself; damage your pet causes to others is covered by private liability insurance. Here you can see what your canton requires for dogs, what the providers pay and what to watch out for when you move to Switzerland with a pet.

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At a glance

10 days: That is how long you have after import to get your dog registered in AMICUS (BLV).
CHF 1–3 million: Minimum dog liability cover where the canton sets one: Zurich CHF 1 million, Bern and Basel-Landschaft CHF 3 million.
30 days: Waiting period for illness at most providers. The sooner you sign up, the sooner you are covered.

Dog check

Dog check: what applies in your canton?

Choose your canton and your pet: you see the liability duty, minimum cover, breed rules and registration, taken from the cantonal laws and the federal authorities.

Your canton

Your pet

Where you live

Zurich · Dog

Compulsory Dog liability
Compulsory, with a sum insured of at least CHF 1 million.
Ban Breeds
Dogs on breed type list II are banned, such as the American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull and American Bully. Since 1 January 2025 the ban also covers Rottweilers and crosses with more than 10% Rottweiler. You cannot move to the canton with such a dog.
Good to know Registration, tax, courses
- Register your dog with the municipality within 10 days.
- Practical training within 12 months, also for dogs moving into the canton. First-time dog owners also attend a theory course within 2 months.
- Dog levy of CHF 70 to 200 a year, depending on the municipality.

Source: Zurich Veterinary Office, dog-keeping brochure (11/2025)

Check Private liability
Private liability insurance usually covers damage caused by your dog. Check the sum insured, the excess and whether people who look after your dog are covered too.
Household and liability guide →
Compulsory Chip and AMICUS
Every dog needs a microchip and an entry in the AMICUS database. After import: see a vet within 10 days, who registers the dog.
Voluntary Vet bills
Liability insurance only pays for damage to others. Treatment of your own dog is covered only by pet health insurance, and some providers only accept young dogs (Mobiliar: until they turn 4).
Compare providers →

Not sure your policy covers all this? Nicole Bohne checks your liability and pet insurance with you, free by video, in English, German or French.

Book a time with Nicole

Sources: cantonal dog laws (see table), BLV, BAZG, ch.ch, mostly in German or French. As of September 2026, without guarantee. The law and your policy terms apply.

Pet health insurance

Pet health insurance: accident, illness, surgery

Health insurance for a dog or cat is voluntary. It is worth it above all if an unexpected vet bill would break your budget. The products differ a lot.

Accident

Accident only

Treatment after an accident. Accident-only cover: Epona option A, Animalia Compact and the accident add-on from Zurich to its household insurance. You then pay for illness yourself.

Illness

Accident and illness

Acute and chronic illness, diagnostics and medication: at Epona from option B, at Animalia from Classic, at wau-miau, Calingo and Mobiliar in every level. Hereditary diseases are often handled separately.

Surgery

Surgery and clinic

wau-miau Basic pays for treatment, medication, diagnostics and operations; clinic stays and emergency surcharges from Clever. Mobiliar covers operations, clinic stays and emergency transport.

Prevention

Vaccination, neutering

Only in higher levels and with small limits: Epona option C up to CHF 300, Animalia Classic CHF 100, wau-miau CHF 300 to 500, Calingo as an add-on CHF 200 a year.

The terms that decide what you get back

Annual deductible (Jahresfranchise): You pay this amount yourself each year before the insurer pays. Epona: CHF 200, 500 or 1,000. Animalia: CHF 300, 500 or 800. wau-miau: dogs CHF 250, 500 or 1,000, cats CHF 150, 300 or 600.
Co-payment (Selbstbehalt): After the deductible, Epona, Animalia and wau-miau refund 90% and you pay 10%. Calingo: 100% or 80%, from age 9 80%. Mobiliar: 80%, with the highest sum also 100%.
Waiting period (Wartefrist): Illness is usually covered only after 30 days, at Epona after 1 month. Accidents: immediately at Animalia and Calingo, after 1 day at Epona, after 10 days at wau-miau.
Maximum entry age: Mobiliar: dogs until they turn 4, cats until they turn 6. wau-miau: younger than 6. Epona: from age 9 only with a health certificate. Animalia and Calingo: no limit.
Pre-existing conditions (Vorerkrankungen): Anything that existed before the policy started is excluded at Epona, Animalia and wau-miau. Calingo offers an add-on up to CHF 1,500 (80% refund, from age 9 60%).
Limit (Limite): A maximum per year (Calingo CHF 3,000 to 12,000, Epona CHF 10,000 to 50,000) or per incident (Mobiliar CHF 2,000 to 5,000). Animalia and wau-miau: no overall cap, with sub-limits.

Worked examples from the wau-miau AVB

Treatment for an illness

Treatment costs	CHF 1,000
Annual deductible	– CHF 500
Insurer pays 90% of the rest	CHF 450

Neutering (prevention)

Treatment costs	CHF 800
Prevention limit	CHF 300
Annual deductible	CHF 500
Insurer pays	CHF 0

The deductible is higher than the prevention limit, so the insurer pays nothing. Source: wau-miau AVB 06/2026 (in German).

Quick check

Which pet insurance suits your animal?

Which fits best?

Our recommendation

Accident and illness, sign up early

While every provider still accepts your pet

When your pet is young, you have the widest choice: Mobiliar only accepts dogs until they turn 4, wau-miau only animals under 6. Decide on purpose whether the premium may rise with age (Animalia, wau-miau, Epona) or should stay the same (Calingo, Mobiliar).

Talk it through with Nicole → Read why

Our recommendation

A provider with no maximum age

Look at Animalia or Calingo

Animalia and Calingo (also as an Allianz and SWICA product) have no upper age limit. Epona asks for a health certificate from age 9. Pre-existing conditions usually stay excluded.

Talk it through with Nicole → Read why

Our recommendation

Include hereditary and breed-related diseases explicitly

Read the small print first

wau-miau covers them only in Optima and Exclusive, up to CHF 5,000 a year, Animalia only in Comfort. Epona excludes typical problems of extreme-type breeds such as brachycephalic syndrome in all options, Mobiliar excludes hereditary diseases altogether.

Talk it through with Nicole → Read why

Our recommendation

An add-on for pre-existing conditions

Only at Calingo and its partners

Epona, Animalia and wau-miau exclude pre-existing conditions. Calingo offers an add-on: up to CHF 1,500, 80% refund, from age 9 60%. Anything first diagnosed in the 3 months before the start stays excluded.

Talk it through with Nicole → Read why

Our recommendation

Accident-only cover

Protects against accident costs, not illness

Epona option A and Animalia Compact cover accidents only, and Zurich offers an accident add-on to its household insurance. You then pay for illness and hereditary diseases yourself.

Talk it through with Nicole → Read why

Providers

Providers compared: cover, deductible, age limits

The main pet insurers in Switzerland, with the figures from their own terms. We show premiums only where the provider publishes them together with the conditions. As of September 2026.

Provider	Products and cover	Refund and deductible	Limit	Entry age and premium with age	Published premium
EponaA Vaudoise Group brand	Option A (accident), B (accident and illness incl. hereditary and congenital conditions, alternative medicine), C (B plus prevention)	90%; annual deductible CHF 200, 500 or 1,000	A: CHF 10,000, B: CHF 25,000, C: CHF 50,000 a year	Entry3 months to 9 years; from age 9 a health certificate is needed, and the application can be declined or limited to option A (additional conditions 2026)PremiumBy age band and region of residence	Not published (premium calculator only)
AnimaliaVaudoise Allgemeine	Compact (accident), Classic (accident and illness, CHF 100 for prevention), Comfort (Classic plus hereditary diseases and congenital conditions)	90%; annual deductible CHF 300, 500 or 800	No cap on the sum insured	EntryFrom 3 months, no upper age limit, no health checkPremiumRises with age bands (in the year the animal turns 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13)	Not published on animalia.ch
wau-miauAn ERV brand, underwritten by Helvetia	Basic, Clever, Optima, Exclusive (health and accident insurance); hereditary and breed-related diseases only in Optima and Exclusive, up to CHF 5,000	90%; annual deductible for dogs CHF 250, 500 or 1,000, for cats CHF 150, 300 or 600	Unlimited unless stated otherwise (sub-limits per benefit)	EntryOlder than 3 months and younger than 6 years (AVB 06/2026)PremiumRises on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th birthday	Tariff sheet 06.26: dog Basic CHF 84.60 a year (category I, 3 months to 2 years, deductible CHF 1,000), with a CHF 250 deductible: CHF 344.40. Cat Basic CHF 68.40 a year (3 months to 2 years, deductible CHF 600).
CalingoUnderwritten by Allianz Suisse; also sold as Allianz pet insurance, through SWICA and Qualipet	Minima, Standard, Premium (at Allianz: Grundschutz, Standard, Rundumschutz); add-on for pre-existing conditions	100% or 80%, from age 9 80%; annual deductible CHF 0 to 2,000	CHF 3,000, 6,000 or 12,000 a year	EntryFrom 8 weeks, no upper age limitPremiumStays the same, does not rise automatically with age	Examples on pet.calingo.ch, deductible CHF 300: Labrador, 2 years, CHF 36.40 / 54.70 / 62.05 a month; Bengal cat, 2 years, CHF 22.70 / 35.05 / 38.90 a month
MobiliarPet insurance as part of household insurance	Accident and illness incl. operations, medication, clinic stays and emergency transport; excludes hereditary diseases and dental treatment	80% (with CHF 5,000 also 100%); deductible CHF 200 or 500 per animal	CHF 2,000, 3,000 or 5,000 per incident	EntryDogs until they turn 4, cats until they turn 6; after that insured for lifePremiumDoes not rise with age	Not published
ZurichAdd-on to household insurance	Accident only: treatment costs after an accident. We found no illness cover.	–	–	–	Not published

Two groups stand behind several brands: Epona and Animalia belong to Vaudoise; Calingo is underwritten by Allianz Suisse and is also sold as Allianz pet insurance, through SWICA and through Qualipet. The list is not exhaustive. The premium depends on species, breed, age, where you live, the cover and the deductible.

Sources (in German): Epona additional conditions 2026 · Animalia dogs · Animalia AVB · wau-miau AVB 06/2026 · wau-miau tariff sheet dogs · wau-miau tariff sheet cats · Calingo product information · pet.calingo.ch · Allianz pet insurance · Mobiliar pet insurance · Mobiliar guide · Zurich household insurance

Which policy suits your pet?Nicole Bohne compares cover, age limits and exclusions of the providers with you and checks your private liability at the same time. Free by video, in English, German or French.

Dog liability

Dog liability: what the cantons require

Damage your dog causes to others is covered by private liability insurance. In most cantons it is compulsory for dog owners, sometimes with a minimum sum.

How you are covered

As the keeper, you are liable for damage caused by your dog unless you prove that you took the necessary care (Art. 56 of the Swiss Code of Obligations).
Private liability insurance is generally voluntary. Damage caused by pets is usually included, for example a dog bite (ch.ch, in German).
Zurich requires cover of at least CHF 1 million, Bern and Basel-Landschaft at least CHF 3 million.
At AXA, for example, pet owner liability is part of the basic cover; damage caused by the animal to a rented flat is an add-on.

Typical gaps

Repeated scratch marks on doors or floors: regular damage does not count as a sudden event.
Anyone who regularly looks after your dog counts legally as a keeper and is liable themselves.
Commercial use and hunting need a separate policy.
The excess is usually CHF 200 to 500.

Source: Mobiliar guide, AXA (in German)

Dog liability and breed rules by canton

Canton	Liability for dogs	Minimum cover	Breeds	Source
Zurich	Compulsory	CHF 1 million	Ban: breed type list II and Rottweilers	Zurich Veterinary Office, dog-keeping brochure (11/2025)
Bern	Compulsory	CHF 3 million	No breed list	Canton of Bern, dog law HuG BE (BSG 916.31)
Basel-Stadt	Compulsory	None in the law (CHF 3 million for breeds that need a permit)	Permit: AmStaff, Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Dog law BS (SG 365.100) bs.ch: registering a dog bs.ch: breeds that need a permit
Basel-Landschaft	Compulsory	CHF 3 million per incident	Permit for potentially dangerous dogs	Dog law BL (SGS 342) Ordinance on potentially dangerous dogs (SGS 342.12)
Aargau	Only for listed breeds	CHF 1 million (listed breeds only)	Permit for listed breeds	Dog law AG (SAR 393.400) Dog ordinance AG (SAR 393.411)
Lucerne	No general duty	–	Check with the canton	Canton of Lucerne, SRL 848 SRL 849
St. Gallen	Compulsory	None in the law	Check with the canton	Dog law SG (sGS 456.1)
Geneva	Compulsory	None in the law	Listed breeds banned, exception possible when moving here	LChiens GE (rsGE M 3 45) RChiens GE (rsGE M 3 45.01)
Vaud	Compulsory	None in the law	Permit: Rottweiler, AmStaff, American Pit Bull Terrier	LPolC VD, Art. 15 vd.ch: Police des chiens
Other cantons	Compulsory in most cantons	Check with the canton	Check with the canton	ch.ch

As of September 2026. "None in the law" means the cantonal law sets no minimum sum; your policy still needs cover that is enough if something serious happens. Cantons change their dog laws from time to time, and the current text of the law applies. The sources are in German or French.

Pet insured, liability right?

Nicole Bohne (10 years in insurance and pensions) checks your pet insurance and private liability with you and tells you what matters in your canton. Independent and FINMA-registered, 45 minutes by video in English, German or French, free and without obligation.

Pick a time → Household & liability guide

Moving with a pet

Moving to Switzerland with a dog or cat

For dogs and cats from Germany and other EU countries, three conditions apply: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a recognised pet passport. This is how entry works.

Microchip
The chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. A tattoo only counts if it was done before 3 July 2011.
Rabies vaccination
From 12 weeks of age and at least 21 days before entry. Special rules from Swiss customs (BAZG) apply to younger animals.
EU pet passport
Dogs and cats from the EU need a valid pet passport.
Declare in person at customs
At a staffed border crossing during opening hours. QuickZoll and the declaration box are not allowed for animals, also when you move. If you are moving here, you need Form 18.44 for relocation goods (Übersiedlungsgut). More than five pets count as a commercial import.
Within 10 days: AMICUS
Take your dog to a vet within 10 days of import; the vet registers it in the AMICUS database. Also register the dog with your municipality (dog tax).

Coming from outside the EU? The steps on this page cover entry from Germany and other EU countries. For other countries, different rules can apply. Check the requirements for your country with the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) well before your move: BLV: travelling with dogs, cats and ferrets.

Cropped ears or tail. Importing such dogs is banned. If you move here from abroad, you may still bring your cropped dog as relocation goods; clarify this with customs early. The cantonal veterinary office records the legal import in the pet passport and in AMICUS, otherwise the dog cannot travel abroad and come back. Such dogs may not be shown, sold or given away. Naturally short tail: the BLV assesses it at least 3 weeks before entry.

Breed rules in your canton. Zurich and Geneva ban certain breeds; Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Aargau and Vaud require a permit. Zurich also requires dogs moving into the canton to complete practical training within 12 months. See the canton table

Insurance when you move. Calingo requires habitual residence in Switzerland; wau-miau requires residence in Switzerland or Liechtenstein. Ask your current insurer until when your policy applies, and plan for the waiting period of usually 30 days for illness.

Cats. In Switzerland there is no microchip duty for cats; the BLV recommends a chip and registration. For entry, the same three conditions apply as for dogs.

Sources: BLV: travelling with dogs and cats · BAZG: with a dog or cat to Switzerland · BLV: identification and AMICUS · BLV FAQ on cropped dogs · BLV: cats. All except the first are in German.

New in Switzerland: which insurance do you need? → Insurance checklist for new arrivals → Plan your move with a pet with Nicole →

Pitfalls

The most common pet insurance pitfalls

What the terms say, and what comes as a surprise when you claim.

Pre-existing conditions stay out

Epona, Animalia and wau-miau exclude anything that existed before the start; wau-miau also excludes what becomes apparent during the waiting period. Only Calingo offers an add-on, and even there anything first diagnosed in the 3 months before the start stays excluded.

Missing the maximum age

At Mobiliar, dogs can only be newly insured until they turn 4, at wau-miau only animals under 6. If you move to Switzerland with an older dog, you have fewer options.

Hereditary and breed-related diseases

wau-miau covers them only in Optima and Exclusive, up to CHF 5,000 a year, including cruciate ligament rupture, hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation. Animalia only in Comfort. Mobiliar excludes hereditary diseases.

Extreme-type breeds at Epona

In all options, Epona excludes typical problems of extreme-type breeds (Hypertyp-Rassen), such as brachycephalic syndrome, merle syndrome or entropion. This affects pugs and French bulldogs, for example.

Premiums rise with age

Animalia, wau-miau and Epona set the premium by age. Moving into a higher age band does not give you a right to cancel at Animalia and wau-miau. Calingo and Mobiliar advertise a premium that does not rise with age.

Limit per incident

A high sum sounds good, but it sometimes applies per incident (Mobiliar: CHF 5,000 at most) or is low (Calingo Minima: CHF 3,000 a year). Alternative medicine and prevention have their own limits of CHF 300 to 600.

Prevention vanishes in the deductible

Worked example from the wau-miau AVB: neutering CHF 800, prevention limit CHF 300, deductible CHF 500. Because the deductible is higher than the limit, the insurer pays nothing.

Benefits end with the policy

At Epona and wau-miau, benefits end when the policy ends, including for ongoing cases. So do not switch insurer in the middle of a treatment.

Small print

Unvaccinated animals: infectious diseases excluded (Epona, wau-miau). Accidents while hunting or in competitions excluded (Epona, wau-miau, Allianz). Missed annual check-ups can reduce benefits (Calingo, Allianz). wau-miau and Mobiliar do not pay for behavioural disorders.

Liability is not health insurance. If your dog bites someone, private liability insurance pays. Pet health policies explicitly exclude such damage to others. And if your pet is injured by another animal whose owner is liable, that owner's insurer pays first.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about pet insurance

Is pet insurance compulsory in Switzerland?

Health insurance for a dog or cat is voluntary. For dogs, however, most cantons require liability insurance, for example Zurich with at least CHF 1 million and Bern and Basel-Landschaft with at least CHF 3 million of cover. You usually meet this duty with your private liability insurance, as long as the sum insured is high enough.

Does my private liability insurance cover damage caused by my dog?

Usually yes: damage caused by pets is normally included in private liability insurance, for example if your dog bites someone. Check the sum insured against what your canton requires. Typical gaps are repeated scratch damage, commercial use and hunting. And anyone who regularly looks after your dog counts legally as a keeper themselves.

How much does pet insurance for a dog or cat cost?

It depends on species, breed, age, where you live, the cover and the deductible, and most providers do not publish fixed premiums. Published examples: according to its tariff sheet 06.26, wau-miau Basic costs CHF 84.60 a year for a category I dog (3 months to 2 years) with a CHF 1,000 deductible and CHF 344.40 with a CHF 250 deductible. Calingo shows CHF 36.40 to 62.05 a month for a 2-year-old Labrador with a CHF 300 deductible.

Up to what age can I insure my pet?

This varies a lot by provider. Mobiliar accepts dogs until they turn 4 and cats until they turn 6. wau-miau only insures animals younger than 6. According to its additional conditions 2026, Epona asks for a health certificate from age 9. Animalia and Calingo have no upper age limit.

Are my pet's pre-existing conditions covered?

Usually not. Epona, Animalia and wau-miau exclude illnesses that existed before the policy started. Calingo (also as an Allianz and SWICA product) offers an add-on for pre-existing conditions: up to CHF 1,500, with a one-off deductible of CHF 300 per condition and an 80% refund, from age 9 60%.

What do I need to move to Switzerland with a dog or cat?

From Germany or another EU country: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before entry) and the EU pet passport. Declare the animal in person at a staffed border crossing, not via QuickZoll. Dogs must be registered in AMICUS within 10 days of import. Dogs with cropped ears or tails may only come in as relocation goods. If you come from outside the EU, check the rules for your country with the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV).

Does my pet insurance from abroad still apply after the move?

Ask your current insurer directly; we have not checked foreign policies. Swiss providers require you to live in Switzerland. Plan your Swiss policy so there is no gap: for illness there is usually a waiting period of 30 days.

How long is the waiting period for pet insurance?

For illness usually 30 days (Animalia, Calingo, wau-miau, Mobiliar), at Epona 1 month. Accidents are covered immediately at Animalia and Calingo, after 1 day at Epona and after 10 days at wau-miau. wau-miau covers hereditary and breed-related diseases only after 90 days.

Household and liability insurance guide → Valuables insurance → New in Switzerland → Life insurance →

Free consultation

Dog, cat, liability: sorted properly, once

Nicole Bohne (10 years in insurance and pensions, previously at Basler and Zurich) checks your pet insurance, private liability and your canton's rules with you, also when you move to Switzerland. Independent and FINMA-registered (F01536402), in English, German or French. 45 minutes by video, free and without obligation.