Updated September 28, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team
Barmenia vs Principal
Where Barmenia and Principal differ
| Compare |  Barmenia |  Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance types | Auto, Home, Renters, Life, Health, Travel, Pet, Motorcycle, Dental, Critical illness, Income protection, Home emergencyCovers more | Dental, Life, Critical illness, Income protection |
| Cover limit | Unlimited annual maximum benefit (pet surgery cover) | Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year |
| Claims channels | Online claims form, Phone, Email, Customer portal | Dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), Member submits their own claim, Online account or mobile app to view claims |
| Age range | Any age (dog surgery cover) | Member, spouse and dependents to age 26 |
| Premium from | €2.40 | Not confirmed |
| Monthly payments | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Excess from | €250 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Provider type (Insurer).
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Key differences
- Principal scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Founded is lower at Principal: 1879 vs 1904.
- Insurance types: only Barmenia offers Auto, Home, Renters.
- Claims channels: only Barmenia offers Online claims form, Phone, Email.
- Claims channels: only Principal offers Dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), Member submits their own claim, Online account or mobile app to view claims.
Our verdict on each
Barmenia
Barmenia is a direct insurer founded in 1904, and it suits people who want motor, home, health and pet cover held on a single monthly policy rather than split across separate insurers. Claims can start by online claims form, phone and email, and pet surgery cover is open to Any age (dog surgery cover).
Principal
Principal suits anyone whose cover comes through work and who wants dental cover alongside life, critical illness and income protection from the same insurer. It has traded as an insurer since 1879, claims can be filed by the dentist, and dental benefits cap at Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year.
Score breakdown
| Area | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Premium starts at €2.40 against a site median of €8.37, ranking 55 of 252. | Not confirmed |
| Offer | 9.6Higher | 9.1 |
| Trust | 9.7 | 9.7 |
Side by side, item by item
| Insurance types | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Yes | No |
| Home | Yes | No |
| Renters | Yes | No |
| Life | Yes | Yes |
| Health | Yes | No |
| Travel | Yes | No |
| Pet | Yes | No |
| Motorcycle | Yes | No |
| Dental | Yes | Yes |
| Critical illness | Yes | Yes |
| Income protection | Yes | Yes |
| Home emergency | Yes | No |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Barmenia: 1. Additional countries for Principal: 1.
How they place
| Ranking | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Life insurance | 45 of 261 | 37 of 261 |
| Health insurance | 42 of 215 | 37 of 215 |
| Income protection insurance | 12 of 92 | 8 of 92 |
| Critical illness cover | 12 of 65 | 10 of 65 |
| Dental insurance | 16 of 50 | 13 of 50 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Barmenia Versicherungen a. G. | Principal Life Insurance Company |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | 1904 | 1879Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Help centre | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Barmenia | Principal | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium from | €2.40lowest quarter | Not confirmed | €5.97 |
| Excess from | €250highest quarter | Not confirmed | €70 |
Median across 109 listed insurance providers.
Pros and cons
Barmenia
Pros
- A single insurer holds auto, home and renters plus home emergency cover, so several personal lines sit with one provider.
- Monthly payments are available and monthly is the listed payment model, which spreads the cost across the year.
- Claims can be started by online claims form, phone and email, so a customer portal sits alongside phone and email.
Cons
- The pet surgery excess starts at €250, so part of a claim bill still comes out of the household's pocket.
- Gadget, landlord and breakdown cover are not among its insurance types (auto, home and renters), so those risks sit with another provider.
- General queries run on phone, email and help centre, and live chat is not among them.
Principal
Pros
- Cover spans dental, life and critical illness, so dental sits with life, critical illness and income protection under the same carrier.
- Dentists file on the member's behalf as the preferred route, listed in dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), member submits their own claim and online account or mobile app to view claims.
- Support runs on phone, email and help centre, so a phone line and a help centre back the plan.
Cons
- Cover is limited to Member, spouse and dependents to age 26, so it ends when a dependent leaves that band.
- Dental benefits stop at Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year, leaving heavy treatment years to the member's own pocket.
- Support runs on phone, email and help centre only, with no live chat or branch counter listed.
Who each suits
Barmenia
Who it suits
- Households wanting motor, home, health and pet cover arranged by a single direct insurer.
- Owners of older dogs, since Any age (dog surgery cover) applies to the surgery cover.
- People who prefer monthly payments over settling a premium in one go.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers after a narrow line rather than a bundle: Good Sam Insurance Agency lists auto, home and renters and leaves out dental, critical illness and income protection.
- Anyone quoting in a different market: Euroasia Insurance starts at UZS 60,000, priced in another currency from Barmenia's home market of DE.
- Customers wanting a mobile banking account instead of general insurance: bunq quotes €0 for an account, not for auto, home and renters cover.
Principal
Who it suits
- Members on an employer benefits package who want dental cover alongside life, critical illness or income protection.
- Households happy to let the dentist file, the preferred route in dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), member submits their own claim and online account or mobile app to view claims.
- US employees and their families, since the insurer is based in the United States.
Who should look elsewhere
- Linxea, whose list is life, leaves a member who wants dental without a dental line.
- Oney, which lists health, life and gadget and adds gadget cover rather than employer benefits.
- Good Sam Insurance Agency, whose auto, home and renters spread suits someone bundling home, auto and pet cover.
Country by country
| Country | Barmenia | Principal |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Barmenia
How much does cover cost?+
The starting premium is €2.40, which sits below the €8.37 median across the site and places Barmenia at 55 of 252 on that measure. Pet surgery cover also carries an excess starting at €250.
Is there an excess to pay on pet cover?+
On pet surgery cover the excess starts at €250, so at least that much comes off a claim before the balance is paid. Owners with frequent small veterinary bills will feel that contribution more than those making a single large claim.
Principal
What kinds of cover does Principal write?+
Principal's listed lines are dental, life and critical illness. Dental is usually reached through a workplace benefits package, while life, critical illness and income protection sit alongside it under the same carrier. The type list shows quickly whether the whole package comes from the same provider.
How much does the dental plan pay out each year?+
The published dental annual maximum typically sits at Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year, so that cap is the figure to plan around. Budgeting for crowns, bridges or other restorative work means checking your share once the maximum is reached. The figure sits inside a typical range, so plans within the same group can differ.