Barkibu offers pet health insurance designed for your animals. They provide simple, comprehensive coverage for dogs and cats, ensuring fast and straightforward reimbursements when you need them most, all managed through their easy-to-use app. With a high Trustpilot rating, they cover up to 80% of vet expenses with an annual limit of €3,000.
Barkibu: Pet Health Insurance Designed for Your Animals
Barkibu offers simple, comprehensive health insurance for both dogs and cats, ensuring fast and straightforward coverage when you need it most. Should an unexpected issue arise, we'll reimburse up to 80% of your vet expenses, with an annual limit of €3,000.
It's no coincidence that over 45,000 pets are already protected with Barkibu: we're actually the highest-rated pet health insurance on Trustpilot!
Thanks to our easy-to-use app, all you have to do is pay your vet bill, then simply send us the invoice through the app. We'll quickly check if the care is covered by your plan, and you'll be reimbursed in no time.
At Barkibu, we go the extra mile to make sure our clients feel well-supported. We offer attentive customer service, flexible management, and most importantly, speedy reimbursements to ease the burden on pet owners without making them wait.
Pros
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Zero Deductible Claims: Enjoy full reimbursement on eligible expenses without any out-of-pocket excess.
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Lifetime Coverage Guaranteed: Once enrolled, your pet remains covered for their entire life, regardless of age.
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Convenient Telemedicine Access: Benefit from the practicality of remote veterinary consultations.
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Dedicated Prevention Budget: Includes an annual allowance that helps cover routine preventive care, like vaccinations.
Cons
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Initial Waiting Periods: Be aware of a 5-day wait for accident claims and a 28-day wait for illness claims before coverage begins.
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Age Restrictions for Enrollment: Only pets between 2 months and 11 years old are eligible for new subscriptions.
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Capped Preventive Care: Reimbursement for preventive treatments like vaccines is limited to the annual prevention budget, not full coverage.
There's a 5-day waiting period for accidents and 28 days for illnesses from your policy's start date. No reimbursements are issued during these initial periods.
We cover dogs and cats between 2 months and 11 years old. For coverage, your pet must also be microchipped and have up-to-date vaccinations.
No, Barkibu has no excess on reimbursements. This means you won't have a minimum amount to pay before we cover your vet bills. We'll reimburse 100% of eligible costs, up to your plan's coverage rate (up to 80%).
Yes, absolutely! Once your pet is insured with us, they'll remain covered for life. We won't exclude them based on age. Just remember that at the time of subscription, your dog or cat needs to be over two months old and under eleven years old.
Pet insurance for the Digitally-savvy!
Barkibu presents a refreshing, digitally-savvy approach to pet insurance in France, perfectly suited for modern pet parents. They champion simplicity, offering fast and straightforward coverage that aims to ease the financial burden when our furry friends face unexpected health issues. It's reassuring to know they boast high ratings on Trustpilot, suggesting many pets (over 45,000!) and their humans are already feeling the love.
One of Barkibu's biggest appeals is how easy they make managing your pet's health. Their intuitive app is a game-changer for submitting invoices and getting speedy reimbursements, often within 24-48 hours. Plus, their innovative direct payment card can truly take the sting out of vet visits by letting you pay with Barkibu funds upfront, which is a real comfort in stressful times. The added benefit of lifetime coverage once your pet is enrolled and convenient telemedicine access means you always have support. They also include a dedicated prevention budget to help with routine care like vaccinations, showing they care about proactive wellness.
However, Barkibu's predominantly digital-first approach might not resonate with everyone, especially if you prefer a more traditional, in-person customer service experience. While they proudly state no fixed deductible, it's crucial to remember that a 20% variable copay generally applies to vet bills, meaning you'll still cover a portion of the cost. New pets must also fit within specific age restrictions for enrollment (2 months to 11 years), and standard waiting periodsapply before coverage kicks in (5 days for accidents, 28 for illnesses).
Ultimately, Barkibu is a modern, tech-forward option that genuinely aims to make pet health insurance more accessible and less stressful, particularly for those who appreciate digital convenience and rapid support.
Barkibu Plans in France
Plan
Reimbursement Rate
Annual Coverage Limit
Monthly Price (est.)
Best For
Illness Only
80%
€1,000–€2,000
From ~€8–€12
Low-risk pets or indoor cats
Full Care
80% or 100%
Up to €3,000
From ~€14–€32
Owners who want full medical protection
+ Wellness
80% or 100%
+ €250–€400/year in extras
+ €8–€12 (on top)
Routine care (vaccines, checkups, etc.)
🔹 Illness-Only Plan
Reimburses 80% of vet bills related to illness only
Annual limit of €1,000 to €2,000 depending on breed and age
Does not cover accidents or wellness
Simple and affordable option if you want to protect against medical conditions, infections, and internal issues
Fast digital reimbursement through the app
💡 Tip: Great for cats or calm indoor dogs with low accident risk.
🔹 Full Care Plan
Covers both accidents and illnesses
Choice between 80% or 100% reimbursement
Annual limit up to €3,000, depending on pet profile and options
Includes surgeries, imaging, hospitalization, medications, diagnostics
Comes with 24/7 vet chat and fast claim processing
💡 Tip: Most flexible plan; ideal for active dogs, curious cats, or owners who want wide protection.
🔹 Wellness Add-On
Optional extra you can add to Full Care plans
Covers routine and preventive care:
Annual vaccines
Flea/tick and deworming treatments
Dental cleaning
Routine blood tests
General checkups
Adds around €8–€12/month depending on services covered
💡 Tip: One of the few French insurers offering this kind of flexibility — perfect if you prefer everything in one plan.
🧾 Optional Add-ons?
Barkibu is one of the only pet insurers in France offering a fully optional wellness package, which you can add or remove at any time. This is particularly helpful if you want regular treatments reimbursed, such as vaccines or checkups, but don’t want to overpay for them year-round.
Cost of Barkibu in France
Barkibu uses dynamic pricing, meaning your monthly premium depends on:
Pet species and breed
Pet’s age at enrollment
Selected reimbursement level (80% or 100%)
Annual benefit cap (e.g. €1,000 to €3,000)
Optional wellness add-on
Example Quotes
For a 2-year-old Golden Retriever in Marseille:
Illness-only (80%, €1,000 cap): €10.50/month
Full Care (80%, €2,000 cap): €17.30/month
Full Care + Wellness (80%, €2,000 cap + €250 wellness): €24.50/month
Full Care Premium (100%, €3,000 cap): ~€29.90/month
For a 4-year-old European Shorthair cat in Bordeaux:
Illness-only: €8.10/month
Full Care (80%): €13.60/month
Full Care + Wellness: €21.90/month
Full Care (100%): ~€26.00/month
🧠 Note: Barkibu’s pricing increases slightly with age, and some breeds may face breed-specific loading. However, Barkibu remains one of the more price-flexible options for young to middle-aged pets in France.
Who Is Barkibu Best For?
✅ Ideal for:
Pet owners looking for clear, app-based policies with optional wellness coverage
Expats or international users who prefer digital customer service
Dogs and cats under 8 years old in generally good health
Owners who want routine care (vaccines, flea treatments, etc.) included
❌ Not ideal for:
Pets older than 8–10 years (may face enrollment restrictions)
People who prefer to speak with someone by phone (app-first support)
Owners looking for unlimited annual coverage (Barkibu has caps)
3 Things We Also Liked
1. Wellness Coverage is Optional
Unlike most French insurers, Barkibu allows you to customize your policy with an optional wellness add-on. This means you’re not forced to pay for routine care unless you want it covered — a rare and welcome flexibility.
Covered services may include:
Annual check-ups
Core vaccinations
Deworming & parasite treatment
Dental scaling
Behavioral consults
2. Fast, App-Based Reimbursement
Claims are submitted via the Barkibu mobile app in just a few clicks:
Take a photo of your vet invoice
Submit through the app
Reimbursement usually within 3–5 working days directly to your IBAN
You can also use Barkibu’s 24/7 vet chat, even outside of France.
3. International-Friendly and Transparent
Barkibu was founded in Spain but now operates across Europe, and its policies are written in clear, accessible language, ideal for foreigners. The onboarding process is fast and doesn’t require piles of paperwork.
What Expats and Users Are Saying
Positive feedback:
"It’s the only insurer I found in France that covers both illness and wellness under one plan."
"Their vet chat helped me avoid an unnecessary visit, and I got reimbursed in under a week."
"I love that I can adjust my coverage level anytime from the app."
Common complaints:
"No phone support — everything goes through the app or email."
"Their illness-only plan doesn’t cover accidents, so read carefully before picking."
"Premiums rose slightly after my cat turned 6, though still cheaper than my old insurer."
Trustpilot France Rating: 4.5 / 5 Google Play App Rating: 4.7 / 5 Apple App Store Rating: 4.6 / 5
I signed up to Barkibu for the first time this year and just took my dog to the vet this morning for her annual injections. Its the first time i've had to claim back for these procedures with Barkibu so I decided to submit the "factura" on the app while I was still in the vets office in case there was something wrong.
Literally... within minutes... the refund was back in my account.
I am so, so impressed.
Overall, the insurance is good, but as soon as you have an incident, getting a quick resolution is a bit complicated. They don't have a phone number to call, the emails you send seem to be answered by a robot, and it's the same on WhatsApp. Even if you have everything in order, sometimes they have trouble deducting your share of the expenses, even if you have money in your account. And resolving issues is terrible – on top of that, they block your card (Barkibu). Then you spend a long time trying to get that sorted out too. It's much faster when you pay with your own card and submit the documentation for reimbursement of some expenses; they resolve those in a maximum of two days.
01 July 2025
Team behind this review
Louis
Author
Louis has worked in the comparison industry for 5 years in Sweden after founding another company in France. His industry experience, and strong communication skills have been invaluable in building the bridge between our community and our content. Louis is our ideas man and is responsible for sourcing user and specialist opinions.
Elin Viberg
Author
Elin is a passionate dog lover with roots in Sweden and a background in the service industry. With several years of experience working closely with customers, she has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver outstanding service. Elin's love for animals, especially dogs, drives her to constantly seek the best information and products for pet owners. At Comparesies, she contributes her dedication and expertise by ensuring that our content reflects the care and quality our readers expect.
Thibault Helle
Editor
Thibault has an engineering background from both France and Sweden. Comparesies is his second company after successfully founding a tech scaleup. His experience is vast within insurances and customer satisfaction. Thibault is responsible for maintaining the website and sharing his knowledge through page editing.
Mason
Editor
Mason was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to US and then Sweden. Despite looking so youthful, he worked as a senior website manager for 5 years before founding Comparesies. Mason's expertise in insurance is the most valuable asset for our users. Today he is the primary author/editor on Comparesies.
