Love pets - protect your health: With Calingo pet insurance

Suddenly ill, injured or operated on - when pets need help, fast and good medical care is crucial.

But anyone who has ever been to the emergency practice with an animal knows that veterinary costs can quickly amount to several hundred or even thousands of francs. Operations, diagnostics and medication often tear a deep hole in the budget.

This is exactly where Calingo's pet insurance comes in: It protects pet owners from high, unexpected expenses - and provides security in emotionally stressful moments.

Why does my dog or cat need insurance?

Costs in veterinary medicine have also tended to rise in recent years due to increased operating costs, advances in veterinary medicine and increasing demand for veterinary services. Pet insurance allows pet owners to make decisions based on medical rather than financial circumstances - even in the event of higher and unexpected costs.

Too expensive, unnecessary, superfluous? Why pet insurance is better than its reputation

In Switzerland, many pet owners don't even know that there is insurance for their pets or have had bad experiences with pet insurance in the past. You don't want dog insurance or cat insurance because you think that

• the premiums are high and many things are not covered in the event of an emergency,
• several animals cost much more,
• young and healthy animals do not incur any veterinary costs anyway.

It's better to set aside a nest egg and hope for the best.

Every pet owner wants a healthy animal, but unfortunately, the course of health cannot be predicted. If a young animal needs an operation due to a serious accident or is facing a protracted illness due to a diagnosis, the necessary veterinary costs far exceed what pet owners could save in the short term.

The most common diseases in dogs in Switzerland and the associated veterinary costs

Dogs most frequently have to be treated for dental diseases, which can quickly cost up to CHF 1,000 or more. A quarter of all dogs develop a tumor at some point and the veterinary costs can run up to CHF 10,000. But parasites, diarrhea, vomiting or allergies are also common in dogs and can cause veterinary costs of up to CHF 800.

The most common diseases in cats in Switzerland and the associated veterinary costs

As with dogs, dental and gum disease is the most common reason why cat owners have to take their cats to the vet. Parasites, urinary tract and respiratory diseases affect around one in five cats, and their treatment can quickly cost CHF 500.

Not only do accidents happen quickly and relatively frequently, they also quickly put a strain on the wallet: depending on the severity and treatment, necessary operations and treatments usually cost between CHF 1,000 and CHF 5,000.
Pet insurance enables pet owners to cope with precisely such high and unpredictable expenses without having to draw on their savings or, even worse, cancel treatment due to the high costs.

Which is the right insurance for my dog or cat?

Choosing the right pet insurance is not easy. The following points should definitely be considered:

• Comprehensive and modular scope of cover: Pet insurance normally covers veterinary costs in the event of illness and accident, medication and hospital stays and covers surgical costs as well as emergency treatment. A good pet insurance policy also offers the option of including preventive treatments (e.g. vaccinations, worming, annual check-ups), complementary medicine (e.g. physiotherapy, acupuncture), behavioral medicine treatments and veterinary costs abroad; with modern pet insurance policies, pet owners have the option of obtaining veterinary advice online at any time.
• Clear conditions and few exclusions: As a pet owner, it's worth reading the conditions and exclusions carefully. Are animals excluded from insurance cover depending on their breed and age? Does the insurance become more expensive as the pet gets older? Are genetic diseases covered? Good pet insurance does not discriminate and offers the right cover for every animal.‍
• Professional customer service: Good pet insurance is also evident in the way it deals with its customers. Any veterinary costs incurred can be easily transferred, reimbursement is made promptly to your own account and pet owners can count on competent assistance and answers in the event of ambiguities or questions. Really good pet insurance also offers the option of canceling the policy on a monthly basis. That is also customer service.‍
• Customer reviews: Most people can rely on the opinions of other pet owners and their experience with pet insurance. Positive customer reviews and vet recommendations indicate good pet insurance. It is also worth asking your own vet about their experience, reading reviews on the internet and talking to friends.‍
• Additional benefits / support for pet health: To ensure that pet owners benefit from the insurance not only in the event of illness or an accident, it is worth taking a closer look at the additional benefits of pet insurance. Good pet insurance also supports pet owners in keeping their pets healthy.

How much does pet insurance cost?

The cost of pet insurance depends on various factors - the following characteristics of your furry friend determine the amount of the insurance premium, among other things:

• Animal species: Dog or cat
• Race
• Gender
• Age of your pet

Depending on the provider, more or fewer factors about your pet can be used to determine the amount of the premium.

But it's not just your pet that influences the amount of the premium - the scope of cover you choose also plays an important role. These decisions are in your own hands:

• Basic insurance: cover for illness and accident
• Additional cover: e.g. pre-existing conditions or worldwide cover
• Amount of the annual deductible
• Cost coverage (80 % or 100 %)

The higher the deductible you choose or the lower the level of cover provided by the insurance company, the lower your monthly premium will be. You can therefore flexibly design your pet insurance to suit your budget - without compromising on the necessary protection.

Conclusion

Insurance protects against unforeseeable risks, and this also applies to pet insurance. We take car insurance for granted. But these are only material assets. Our dogs and cats are more than that, they are part of the family. So they should be all the better protected.

Good pet insurance therefore offers more than just financial support in the event of unexpectedly high veterinary costs. It gives pet owners the security of being able to make medical decisions in an emergency and not those determined by their wallet. It also provides support with routine questions and expenses relating to preventive care and keeping our four-legged friends healthy. So that they stay healthy and happy for as long as possible.

Calingo offers pet insurance that has the following advantages over other pet insurance policies:

• Comprehensive and modular protection: Various cover options and deductible options offer suitable protection for your own pet. Accident, illness, dental treatment, emergency care, behavioral medicine, complementary medicine and preventive treatment are covered.
• No age restriction: Calingo offers customizable protection for every breed and without age restriction.
• Constant premium: The premium does not become more expensive as the age of the insured pet increases.
• Online veterinary consultationFree access to veterinary advice via chat, phone and video call around the clock and without prior appointment.
• Cover for pre-existing conditionsCalingo does not differentiate between hereditary illnesses and newly occurring illnesses and also covers treatment costs for illnesses that existed before the start of the insurance.
• Simple claims service: Veterinary bills can be reported online and are processed by a team of experts.
• Customer service with veterinary experts: Customer service and the processing of submitted veterinary invoices is mainly carried out by veterinary experts, consisting of veterinarians and veterinary practice assistants,
• BenefitsWith Calingo, pet owners and their dogs and cats benefit from exclusive pet-related discounts - worth several hundred francs a year.

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Sources

Animal Hospital University of Zurich: https://www.tierspital.uzh.ch/termin-besuch/preise/

K-Tip: Compare prices of veterinary practices: https://www.ktipp.ch/fileadmin/content/files/zusatz/2024/Tierarztvergleich2025.pdf

Comparis: How much does a dog cost per year in Switzerland: https://www.comparis.ch/tierversicherung/hunde

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