Does trip cancellation insurance pay if my dog gets sick?
In short
Trip cancellation insurance (Reiserücktrittsversicherung) only pays if your policy explicitly lists illness, injury or death of your dog or cat as a reason to cancel. Some German policies do, others expressly exclude a sick pet. An annual policy costs from about EUR 32 a year, with pet cover usually more; it then pays the cancellation fees minus any deductible.
Published premiums for trip cancellation insurance in Germany, 2026.
Example
Typical range
Annual cancellation policy, basic tariff without pet cover
from about EUR 32 a year
Annual policy, one person, trip value up to EUR 3,000
about EUR 100 to 140 a year
Annual policy, family, trip value up to EUR 3,000
about EUR 102 to 149 a year
Policy for a single trip
usually 3 to 8 percent of the trip price
Guide values as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariffs.
Whether a dog or cat counts as a cancellation reason is set only in the policy terms.
The extra cost of pet cover and the amounts in the worked example are a guide value from our
quoting practice; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Package holiday for two, EUR 3,000, dog falls ill three days before
Shortly before departure the tour operator charges a large share of the price as a cancellation fee. This is how it works out with and without pet cover.
Cancellation fee shortly before departure, assumed 80 percent
EUR 2,400
Basic policy without pet cover
EUR 0 refunded
Policy with pet cover, 20 percent deductible
EUR 1,920 refunded
With pet cover you pay EUR 480 yourself, without it the full EUR 2,400.
When trip cancellation insurance pays for a sick dog
Trip cancellation insurance only pays for the reasons listed in the policy terms. Illness, accident and death there refer first to people: you and your relatives. Your dog only counts if the policy names the animal separately.
Policies with pet cover word this differently: some list illness, accidental injury and death of a dog or cat, others only an unexpected serious illness. Check exactly which animals are meant; horses or rabbits are often not included.
What happens to the pet
Basic policy
Policy with pet cover
Dog falls seriously ill shortly before departure
usually no
yes, with certificate
Cat is injured in an accident
usually no
yes, if accidents are listed
Dog dies before the trip
usually no
yes, if death is listed
Known condition gets worse
no
only if the policy includes it
Pet sitter cancels, pet healthy
no
no
What is not covered
If only the dog kennel cancels or your neighbour can no longer look after your dog, no trip cancellation policy pays. What is insured is the unexpected event affecting the animal, not the lack of care.
If your dog was already ill when you took out the policy and treatment was foreseeable, the event is no longer unexpected and the insurer will usually decline. Take out cover soon after booking, while your dog is healthy.
What proof the insurer wants
Ask the vet to confirm when the illness was diagnosed, what the dog has and why you cannot leave it alone. In case of death, a certificate stating the death and its cause is enough.
Cancel the trip as soon as it is clear you cannot travel. If you wait and cancellation fees rise, the insurer may only pay the amount that would have applied earlier.
When you do not need pet cover
If you travel with your dog by car to a holiday flat with free cancellation, the risk is small. For short, cheap trips you can also skip pet cover.
It is worth it for expensive trips without your pet, for an older dog or a cat with a medical history, as long as no illness is known when you take out the policy.
Cutting a trip short because your dog falls ill
If your dog falls ill at the kennel while you are already away, this is a trip interruption (Reiseabbruch). Again, only a policy that lists the animal pays, usually the extra cost of returning early.
If your dog travels with you, trip cancellation insurance does not pay vet bills abroad. That is a matter for dog health insurance, which often applies abroad only for a limited time.
Step by step
Search your policy terms for dog, cat or pet.
If the reason is missing, choose a policy with pet cover before your pet gets ill.
If your pet falls ill, ask the vet for a certificate straight away.
Cancel the trip without delay and keep the cancellation invoice.
Submit certificate, booking and invoice to the insurer.
Checklist
Dog or cat named as an insured reason
Illness, accident and death of the pet included
Policy taken out soon after booking
Vet certificate with date and diagnosis
Trip cancelled immediately after diagnosis
Common mistakes
Assuming every policy treats a pet like a family member
Taking out cover only once the dog is already being treated
Waiting to cancel until the situation is clearer
Thinking a cancelled pet sitter is an insured reason
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does trip cancellation insurance pay if my dog gets sick and I cannot travel?
Only if your policy explicitly lists your dog's illness.
Basic policies often leave it out.
Does this also apply to my cat?
Policies with pet cover usually name dogs and cats.
Other animals are only covered if they are explicitly listed.
What if my dog dies before the trip?
A policy that lists the death of the animal pays.
Submit the vet's certificate.
Can I add pet cover later?
Often by switching tariff.
The new cover does not apply to an illness that is already known when you switch.
Will the insurer pay for the kennel if I do not travel?
No.
It refunds the cancellation fees for the trip, not the cost of looking after your pet.
