Should we be insured when we have a pet?

Verified 06 February 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

If you have a categorized dog, you must obligatory have a liability insurance which covers you financially for any damage your dog may cause to third parties.

If you have a other pet, you are not required to have liability insurance. But you are financially liable for damages possibly caused by your pet to a third party.

Here are the rules to know:

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1st or 2nd category dog

If you are considering having a dog of 1st or 2nd category, you must compulsory insurance guaranteeing your civil liability for any damage your dog may cause to third parties.

Your family members are considered third parties.

If you have taken out insurance multi-risk housing or a contract of motor insurance, civil liability guarantee is included in your home or auto insurance policy.

If you are not insured by a home or car policy, you can take out specific insurance, called civil liability privacy.

If you do not have insurance, you will be fined €450.

Other pet

You are not obliged to take out specific insurance to cover the financial consequences of damage that your pet may cause to third parties.

But you are responsible for material and bodily damage that it may cause to a third party. This means that your pet is under your care and supervision or that it has escaped or lost its way.

In practice, your insurance multi-risk housing or your car insurance includes a civil liability guarantee which covers the damage that may be caused by your pet.

If you do not have liability insurance, you must compensate yourself for damage and damage done by your pet.