InsurTech hepster expands portfolio to include dog health insurance

Rostock, March 24th, 2022 - The Rostock-based InsurTech hepster is expanding its pet insurance to include dog health insurance. The new dog protection has four freely selectable tariffs from which pet owners can book the right protection for their four-legged friend individually. In the summer of 2021, hepster entered the animal insurance market with its health and surgical insurance for cats.

Health problems, regardless of dog breed

There are currently more than 34 million animals in German households, including almost 13 million dogs.[1] Although more and more veterinarians in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are recommending health or surgical insurance for pets, only just under 20 per cent of dog owners insure their four-legged friends.[2] However, even young dogs show that many animals, regardless of their breed, have to struggle with health problems. These problems sometimes lead to very expensive surgeries and follow-up treatments.[3]

If your beloved pet falls ill or unexpectedly needs surgery after an accident, pet insurance can help with the associated costs and high vet bills. At the same time, having insurance in place can ensure better treatment for the animal. "Of course, everyone who loves their pet wants to ensure adequate care and health or surgical insurance enables exactly that at a very reasonable price - compared to the actual costs," says Alexander Hornung, insurance expert and CPO of InsurTech hepster. "The costs for unexpected, necessary treatments can add up quickly and also pose a financial risk."

Expansion of the portfolio: New hepster dog health insurance

The new portfolio of hepster pet protection has been growing steadily since summer 2021. For example, hepster offers comprehensive cat health insurance and inexpensive cat surgery insurance, each with flexible tariff and term options. In the fall of last year, the own dog surgery insurance followed.

Now hepster is expanding its portfolio to include dog health insurance, which, like OP protection, also has four tariffs. Alexander Hornung: "We focus on optimal protection for pet owners and their four-legged friends. Therefore, our dog insurance policies can be flexibly adapted to individual needs. In this way, we want to ensure that dog owners can focus fully on their pet's recovery at all times." The dog health insurance from hepster covers, among other things, the costs of treatments, (preliminary) examinations, operations as well as diagnostics and medicines.

Depending on the tariff, dental treatments as well as postoperative and preventive treatments, e.g. B. physiotherapy or homeopathy, included. For a puppy and young dog up to one year old, dog health insurance is available at a low basic rate from EUR 37.67 per month. The new hepster dog health insurance covers dogs of various breeds up to the age of 6 years. The insurance protection also remains in effect beyond the maximum entry age, so that dogs over the age of 10 are also insured through hepster. The advantage: the insurance premium remains stable as the dog gets older. The decisive factor here is the entry age when the insurance is taken out. Anyone who insures their puppy at the age of 12 weeks with hepster health insurance benefits from a constant, calculable and low-cost premium throughout the insurance period.

Easy booking without health check

Like all hepster animal insurance policies, dog health insurance can be taken out without a comprehensive health check. Only a few general health questions clarify the status of any previous illnesses. "Our insurance offers the clear advantage that the dog can be insured without any problems despite an existing previous illness. Only the respective previous illness and associated treatments are excluded from the service," explains Alexander Hornung the scope of services. Excluded are, among other things, diseases known to the dog owner, congenital, genetic or acquired malformations and diseases that resulted in treatment or surgery in the last 6 months before the conclusion of the contract.

The dog health insurance can be booked through hepster's own online shop in both annual and monthly subscriptions. In the future, the new dog protection will also be available via the Check24 comparison portal in addition to all other animal insurance policies from hepster.

[1] https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/181167/umfrage/haustier-anzahl-hunde-im-haushalt/

[2] https://www.vetline.de/mehr-tierschutz-mit-versicherung-empirische-studie-zu-tierkrankenversicherungen-fuer-hund-und-katze

[3] https://www.bundestieraerztekammer.de/presse/2019/08/Tierkrankenversicherung.php