Updated September 29, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team
ARAG vs HanseMerkur
What sets them apart
| Compare |  ARAG |  HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Premium from | €14.73 | €3.36Lower |
| Insurance types | Home, Health, Dental, Pet, Travel, Gadget | Auto, Dental, Health, Pet, Travel |
| Excess from | €0Lower | €150 |
| Claims channels | Online, PhoneCovers more | Online |
| Cover limit | Unlimited legal expenses sum insured in Europe (Kompakt: EUR 350,000 worldwide) | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Provider type (Insurer), Monthly payments (Yes).
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Key differences
- ARAG scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Founded is lower at HanseMerkur: 1875 vs 1935.
- ARAG is available in 17 more countries.
- Premium from is lower at HanseMerkur: €3.36 vs €14.73.
- Excess from is lower at ARAG: €0 vs €150.
- Insurance types: only ARAG offers Home, Gadget.
- Insurance types: only HanseMerkur offers Auto.
- Claims channels: only ARAG offers Phone.
- Support channels: only ARAG offers Chat.
Our verdict on each
ARAG
ARAG is a German insurer founded in 1935 that writes home, health, dental, pet, travel and gadget cover on a monthly basis. It suits readers who want several household risks placed with the insurer itself, and who can live with a legal expenses limit that is fixed outside Europe.
HanseMerkur
HanseMerkur suits households seeking cover for auto, dental, health, pet and travel under direct insurer management with monthly payments available, while listed premiums sit at €3.36 with excess at €150. Support spans email, help centre and phone and claims run through online for straightforward administration.
Score breakdown
| Area | ARAG | HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1HigherEntry premium of €14.73 sits above the lower-quartile price of €2.92 and the typical price of €8.37. | 9.0Listed premium sits at €3.36 with monthly payments available. |
| Offer | 9.3Higher | 8.8Cover spans auto, dental and health with claims through online. |
| Trust | 9.6 | 9.8HigherDirect placement as insurer with support through email, help centre and phone. |
Choosing between them
Pick ARAG if offer, excess from, and claims channels matter most.
Pick HanseMerkur if premium from matter most.
What each covers
| Insurance types | ARAG | HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | No | Yes |
| Home | Yes | No |
| Health | Yes | Yes |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Pet | Yes | Yes |
| Dental | Yes | Yes |
| Gadget | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | ARAG | HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | 40 of 215 | 2 of 215 |
| Travel insurance | 74 of 291 | 3 of 291 |
| Pet insurance | 34 of 161 | 2 of 161 |
| Business insurance | 35 of 150 | 3 of 150 |
| Dental insurance | 15 of 50 | 1 of 50 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | ARAG | HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly | Monthly |
| Legal entity | ARAG SE | HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit |
| Headquarters | Germany | Germany |
| Founded | 1935 | 1875Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ARAG | HanseMerkur | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium from | €14.73above the median | €3.36below the median | €5.97 |
| Excess from | €0below the median | €150above the median | €70 |
Median across 109 listed insurance providers.
Pros and cons
ARAG
Pros
- Premium starts at €14.73 with an excess of €0, so nothing is deducted from a legal expenses claim before payment.
- ARAG is the insurer itself, insurer, so the contract sits with the company that pays the claim rather than a broker.
- Home, health, dental, pet, travel and gadget cover all sit with the same provider under home, health and dental, so a household need not shop each line separately.
Cons
- The starting premium of €14.73 is above the typical price of €8.37 across the comparison, so cheaper entry points exist.
- Auto and life are missing from home, health and dental, while Good Sam Insurance Agency lists both in auto, home and renters.
- Claims are handled on online and phone, a narrower set of routes than the email, chat and phone offered for general service.
HanseMerkur
Pros
- Operates as insurer, so cover, servicing and claims sit under direct management.
- Lists cover across auto, dental and health, including auto, health, travel, pet and dental in a single portfolio.
- Monthly payments are available, with billing model shown as monthly for budgeting flexibility.
Cons
- Excess sits at €150, which adds upfront cost on eligible claims.
- Claims run through online only, which limits how claims can be started.
- Support runs through email, help centre and phone only, without live chat for urgent queries.
Who each suits
ARAG
Who it suits
- Households wanting home, health, dental, pet, travel and gadget cover written by the insurer itself under home, health and dental.
- Readers who pay monthly, since monthly payments are available and monthly is the only pricing model listed.
- Anyone weighing a claim with no money deducted first, because the excess on the legal expenses policy is €0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Drivers or life savers, since Good Sam Insurance Agency covers auto and life in auto, home and renters while ARAG's home, health and dental does not list them.
- Buyers who need landlord or renters policies, because Hiscox UK sells both under home, renters and landlord and ARAG's list stops at home, health, dental, pet, travel and gadget.
- Readers shopping purely on the lowest entry price, as €14.73 sits above the typical price of €8.37 and Euroasia Insurance quotes from UZS 60,000.
HanseMerkur
Who it suits
- Households seeking several personal lines together, with cover across auto, dental and health.
- Readers who value direct insurer management, as HanseMerkur operates as insurer.
- Budget planners wanting instalments, since monthly payments are available under monthly.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers wanting live chat support may prefer checking andsafe, since HanseMerkur support runs through email, help centre and phone only.
- Readers seeking cover outside auto, dental, health, pet and travel may look at Hiscox, as HanseMerkur lists auto, dental and health.
Current offers
ARAG
Current offer
Discount code
ARAG Recht und Heim package: 20% discount
Legal expenses, home contents and liability insurance bundle; claimed directly on the ARAG German site
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | ARAG | HanseMerkur |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Denmark | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
| Greece | Yes | No |
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| Italy | Yes | No |
8 of 18 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
ARAG
What does ARAG cost to start with?+
The listed entry premium is €14.73, set on monthly terms for the legal expenses policy. That sits above the typical price of €8.37 and above the lower-quartile price of €2.92 across the comparison, so ARAG is priced in the middle of the field rather than at the budget end. The excess on that policy is €0.
Can I pay monthly instead of one annual sum?+
Yes. Monthly payments are available and monthly is the only pricing model listed, so the policy is not sold as a single annual payment. The same pattern runs across the comparison, with 88.9% of the listed brands offering monthly payments. Readers who set money aside each month are paying on the terms most of this market uses.
HanseMerkur
What is the starting premium at HanseMerkur?+
Listed premium for HanseMerkur sits at €3.36. Actual pricing varies by cover type, excess selected, personal details and underwriting terms, so readers should obtain a tailored quote for auto, health, travel, pet or dental cover before comparing.
What excess applies to HanseMerkur cover?+
Excess at HanseMerkur sits at €150. The excess shapes claim costs because policyholders meet that share before insurer payment applies. Readers should check which claims carry excess, whether options differ by product and how excess affects renewal pricing.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
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- Insurance providers with Health
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- HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AT, also regulated by Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Insurance providers with Travel
- Insurance providers available in Canada