Data report · Updated October 2026
Which insurers cover dogs in India, what do they cost, and how big is the market?
Nine general insurers in India have sold dog insurance, and we read current documents for six of them. Advertised premiums start at Rs 169 a year for basic surgery cover on a young small dog. Market size claims are far apart: one industry estimate puts actual premiums at Rs 40 to 50 crore, while research firms claim USD 331 million to USD 696 million.
Key findings
- Bajaj General, HDFC ERGO, Generali Central, Universal Sompo, Go Digit and New India Assurance all sell dog cover, with Oriental, United India and National also named in press reports.
- Bajaj General advertises dog insurance from Rs 169 a year, for a one-year-old small dog with Rs 10,000 of surgery cover.
- HDFC ERGO's Paws n Claws starts at Rs 200 a year for a small pet under two with Rs 10,000 of surgery cover.
- Bajaj's dog policy started at Rs 315 a year when it launched in August 2020.
- Maximum entry ages range from 5 years at HDFC ERGO to 10 years at Generali Central, and giant breeds face lower limits everywhere.
- Published sums insured run from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh at Universal Sompo and up to Rs 3 lakh at Bajaj General.
- An industry estimate puts the whole sector's portfolio at Rs 40 to 50 crore, roughly 63 to 131 times smaller than research firm claims.
- IMARC values the market at USD 331 million in 2025 and Grand View Research at USD 696 million in 2024.
- Insurers told PTI the most common claims are for accidents, skin diseases, and stomach and kidney illness.
The insurers that sell dog cover
Nine general insurers have sold dog insurance in India. We read current product pages or filings for six of them: Bajaj General, HDFC ERGO, Generali Central, Universal Sompo, Go Digit and New India Assurance. Outlook Money also names United India, National and Oriental among dog insurers.
Most private products cover both dogs and cats. The older public sector policies were built for dogs only, and often for working, show or breeding dogs as much as pets.
Every product sold in India must carry a Unique Identification Number filed with IRDAI. The table lists the numbers printed on the documents we read.
| Insurer | Product | UIN on document | Pets covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaj General Insurance | Pet Insurance (launched 2020 as Pet Dog Insurance) | Not shown on page read | Dogs and cats |
| HDFC ERGO General Insurance | Paws n Claws | IRDAN146RP0001V01202324 | Dogs and cats |
| Generali Central (formerly Future Generali) | Dog Health Cover | IRDAN132RPMS0002V02202122 | Dogs |
| Future Generali (earlier version) | FG Dog Health Cover | IRDAN132RP0002V01202122 (IRDAI file listing) | Dogs |
| Universal Sompo General Insurance | Pet Assure Policy | IRDAN134RP0094V01202324 | Dogs and cats |
| Go Digit General Insurance | Digit Pet Insurance Policy | IRDAN158RP0006V01202223 | Pets |
| New India Assurance | Dog insurance | Not shown in sources read | Dogs |
| United India, National, Oriental | Dog insurance | Not shown in sources read | Dogs |
Check the UIN on any policy you are sold against the insurer's own product list. Product names change after mergers, as Future Generali's did when it became Generali Central.
How much does dog insurance cost in India?
Advertised prices start at about Rs 170 to Rs 200 a year. Bajaj General quotes Rs 169 for a one-year-old small dog with Rs 10,000 of surgery cover. HDFC ERGO quotes Rs 200 for a small pet under two with the same cover.
Those are floor prices for the narrowest plan. Older public sector dog policies charged 3 to 5% of the sum insured, Outlook Money reported. On a Rs 50,000 sum insured, that would be Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 a year.
No insurer publishes a full premium table by breed and age. Quotes need the owner's name, phone number and the dog's details, so we did not collect them. Every insurer says age, size, breed and sum insured raise the price.
Premium drivers are the same across insurers. Bajaj lists age, breed, sum insured, policy term, add-on covers and deductibles. Bajaj also offered a 5% discount for RFID-tagged dogs at its 2020 launch.
Age and size limits
Maximum entry ages run from 5 years at HDFC ERGO to 10 years at Generali Central. Bajaj General and Universal Sompo take new dogs up to 7 years, and New India up to 8 years.
Giant breeds face lower limits. Bajaj and Universal Sompo stop taking giant breeds at 4 years, and Generali Central at 7. Universal Sompo classes a dog over 40 kg as giant, which takes in a Great Dane or Saint Bernard.
Cover also ends earlier for big dogs. Universal Sompo's policy ceases at 120 months for most breeds and 72 months for giants. Insure young if you plan to insure at all.
Insurer product pages and prospectuses read October 2026. New India from Outlook Money. HDFC ERGO states one limit for all pets.
Show the numbers
| Label | years |
|---|---|
| Generali Central, most breeds | 10 years |
| New India Assurance | 8 years |
| Bajaj General, most breeds | 7 years |
| Universal Sompo, most breeds | 84 months |
| Generali Central, giant breeds | 7 years |
| HDFC ERGO | 5 years |
| Bajaj General, giant breeds | 4 years |
| Universal Sompo, giant breeds | 48 months |
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| Insurer | Minimum entry | Maximum entry | Cover ends | Giant breed limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaj General | 3 months | 7 years | 10 years | Entry to 4 years |
| HDFC ERGO | Not stated | 5 years | Not stated | Not stated |
| Generali Central | 3 months | 10 years | 10 years | Entry and exit at 7 years |
| Universal Sompo | 3 months | 84 months | 120 months | Entry 48 months, ends 72 months |
| New India Assurance | 8 weeks | 8 years | Not stated | Not stated |
What the policies cover
Cover is mainly for surgery and hospital stays after an accident or illness. Bajaj General's base cover is surgery and hospitalisation. Mortality, terminal illness, long-term care, OPD, theft or straying, and third-party liability are optional add-ons.
OPD cover is limited. Bajaj General caps outpatient cover at Rs 30,000. Generali Central caps it at 20% of the surgery and hospitalisation sum insured, up to Rs 10,000.
Digit's prospectus pays surgery at up to 50% of the section sum insured, capped at Rs 50,000 a claim. It pays boarding at 2% of the sum insured, up to Rs 3,000 a day.
| Insurer | Sum insured | Base cover | Notable limits or add-ons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaj General | Rs 10,000 to Rs 3 lakh | Surgery and hospitalisation | OPD up to Rs 30,000; lost pet advertising up to Rs 5,000 |
| HDFC ERGO | Rs 10,000 in starting example | Customisable | Vet tele-consults; up to 5 pets per owner |
| Generali Central | Not stated on page | Surgery and hospitalisation | OPD up to 20% of sum insured, max Rs 10,000 |
| Universal Sompo | Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh | Choice of base covers | OPD 25% of sum insured; cremation Rs 5,000; ambulance Rs 2,000 a trip |
| Go Digit | Not stated | Hospitalisation, surgery | Surgery up to Rs 50,000 a claim; Rs 3,000 a day boarding |
| New India Assurance | Not stated in sources read | Disease and accidental death, per press reports | Premium 3 to 5% of sum insured |
Bajaj General product page; Universal Sompo Pet Assure prospectus; Digit Pet Insurance prospectus (per-claim surgery cap); Bajaj OPD cap.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| Bajaj General, sum insured | Rs 3 lakh |
| Universal Sompo, sum insured | Rs 2 lakh |
| Digit, surgery per claim | Rs 50,000 |
| Bajaj General, OPD cap | Rs 30,000 |
| Generali Central, OPD cap | Rs 10,000 |
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Compare these limits with real bills. Our vet and vaccination costs report lists university hospital rates, such as Rs 1,500 for major surgery at Madras Veterinary College.
What dog insurance leaves out
Pre-existing illness, routine care and breeding are excluded across the policies we read. Generali Central also excludes dental problems, skin treatment, overseas treatment and injuries from racing or commercial guarding.
Waiting periods delay cover for illness. Universal Sompo and Digit use an initial waiting period, 30 days in Digit's death cover. Digit adds a one-year wait for tumours, cataract and hip dysplasia.
Older public sector policies excluded common infections. Outlook Money reported that New India, National and Oriental typically excluded rabies and distemper.
| Rule | Insurer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-existing disease | All read | Excluded, or covered only after a stated waiting period |
| Routine and preventive care | Generali Central | Cosmetic, elective, routine or preventive treatment excluded |
| Dental | Generali Central | Excluded; Digit and Universal Sompo offer it as an add-on |
| Skin treatment | Generali Central | Excluded |
| Breeding and pregnancy | Generali Central, Digit | Excluded unless the add-on is bought |
| Initial waiting period | Digit | 30 days for death from illness |
| Specific waiting period | Digit | 1 year for tumours, cataract and hip dysplasia |
| Disease before or within 15 days of start | New India | Excluded, per Outlook Money |
| Rabies and distemper | New India, National, Oriental | Typically excluded, per Outlook Money |
Skin disease is one of the most common claim types, insurers told PTI, so a skin exclusion matters. Breeds prone to skin and joint trouble, such as the German Shepherd and English Bulldog, need a careful read of the wording.
A small market, with estimates far apart
An August 2026 market report put the whole Indian pet insurance portfolio at about Rs 40 to 50 crore, roughly USD 5 million at Rs 85 to the dollar.
Research firms publish far larger figures. IMARC values the market at USD 331.1 million in 2025, and Grand View Research at USD 695.8 million in 2024. Those are 63 to 131 times the portfolio estimate.
The gap probably comes from definitions and modelling, since neither firm publishes premium data from insurers. IRDAI does not report pet insurance separately in its public statistics. Treat the large figures as projections of potential, not premiums paid.
Grand View Research Horizon (2024); IMARC Group (2025, 2026, 2034 forecast); portfolio estimate reported by Whalesbook (Aug 2026), converted by dogeats.in at Rs 85 a dollar.
Show the numbers
| Label | USD million |
|---|---|
| Grand View Research, 2024 | USD 695.8 mn |
| IMARC, 2026 | USD 384.6 mn |
| IMARC, 2025 | USD 331.1 mn |
| Industry portfolio estimate, 2026 | Rs 40 to 50 crore |
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| Source | Year | Value | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry estimate, reported by Whalesbook | 2026 | Rs 40 to 50 crore portfolio | Not stated |
| IMARC Group | 2025 | USD 331.1 million | USD 993.4 million by 2034, 12.6% a year |
| Grand View Research | 2024 | USD 695.8 million | USD 3,447.6 million by 2033, 19.4% a year |
For scale, Bajaj General alone wrote Rs 5,789 crore of general insurance premium in Q1 FY2027, the same report said. Pet cover is a rounding error in that business.
Is pet insurance worth it in India?
It depends on what you fear. A cheap surgery-only plan is a hedge against an accident, not a way to pay routine bills. Vaccines, deworming and sterilisation are excluded as routine care, and those are most of a young dog's costs.
A larger plan makes more sense for an expensive young breed with known surgical risks. Buy before any condition appears, because pre-existing illness is excluded.
With an estimated 2.6 crore to 3.7 crore pet dogs in India and a portfolio of Rs 40 to 50 crore, very few dogs are insured. Our pet ownership and pet food report explains the dog population estimates.
- Check the maximum entry age before your dog passes it
- Read the exclusions for skin, dental and hereditary conditions
- Ask whether claims are cashless or reimbursed
- Compare the sum insured with a real surgery bill in your city
- Note the waiting periods for illness and specific conditions
Our cost of owning a dog by size report helps you weigh a premium against the yearly running cost.
Frequently asked questions
Which companies offer pet insurance in India?
Bajaj General, HDFC ERGO, Generali Central, Universal Sompo, Go Digit and New India Assurance all sell dog cover. Outlook Money also names United India, National and Oriental.
How much is dog insurance per year in India?
Advertised prices start at Rs 169 a year at Bajaj General and Rs 200 at HDFC ERGO, both for a young small dog with Rs 10,000 of surgery cover. Bigger covers, older dogs and larger breeds cost more.
Can I insure my 8-year-old dog?
Few insurers will take a new dog that old. Generali Central accepts most breeds up to 10 years and New India up to 8. Bajaj General and Universal Sompo stop at 7, and HDFC ERGO at 5.
Does pet insurance cover vaccination in India?
Generally no. Routine and preventive care such as vaccines and sterilisation is excluded in the policies we read. Some plans pay a small wellness or health check-up benefit after claim-free years.
Does dog insurance cover skin problems?
Not always. Generali Central's Dog Health Cover excludes skin-related treatment. Insurers told PTI that skin diseases are among the most common claims, so check the wording.
How big is the pet insurance market in India?
Estimates disagree. An August 2026 industry estimate put the sector's portfolio at Rs 40 to 50 crore. IMARC claims USD 331.1 million for 2025 and Grand View Research USD 695.8 million for 2024.
Are giant breeds harder to insure?
Yes. Bajaj General and Universal Sompo take giant breeds only up to 4 years old, and Universal Sompo ends their cover at 6. Generali Central's giant breed limit is 7 years.
What is the waiting period for pet insurance?
Most policies have an initial waiting period for illness, such as 30 days for death from illness at Digit. Digit also applies one year for tumours, cataract and hip dysplasia. Bajaj covered accident treatment with no waiting period at launch, Outlook Money reported.
Methodology and limitations
We read the product pages of Bajaj General and HDFC ERGO, the Universal Sompo and Go Digit prospectuses, and Generali Central's Dog Health Cover page in October 2026. UINs are copied from those documents. The older FG Dog Health Cover UIN is taken from the name of its policy wording file on the IRDAI website, which did not load for us.
New India Assurance, United India, National and Oriental details come from Outlook Money, as we could not reach current documents. Premium examples are the insurers' own advertised starting prices. We did not request personalised quotes, which need personal details.
Market figures are reported as published. The dollar conversion of the Rs 40 to 50 crore estimate uses Rs 85 to the dollar, an assumption for comparison only.
Sources
- Universal Sompo, Pet Assure Policy prospectus (UIN IRDAN134RP0094V01202324), Sum insured, age limits, breed classes, covers, waiting periods
- Go Digit, Pet Insurance Policy prospectus (UIN IRDAN158RP0006V01202223), Claim caps, waiting periods, exclusions
- Bajaj General Insurance, pet insurance page, Rs 169 starting premium, sum insured range, age limits, OPD cap
- Also consulted: HDFC ERGO, Paws n Claws page, Generali Central, Dog Health Cover page, Outlook Money, The News Minute (August 2020), Business Standard, PTI (May 2024), Whalesbook (August 2026), IMARC Group, India Pet Insurance Market, Grand View Research, Horizon outlook, IRDAI document listing for FG Dog Health Cover policy wording (file did not load), dogeats.in vet and vaccination cost data, October 2026.
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