Despite its name, Australian Seniors Insurance Agency is not exclusively for seniors. Its pet cover products are backed by The Hollard Insurance Company teamed with The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, and you can choose from 3 levels of cover for your dog or cat.
Review by our insurance and innovations editor Gary Ross Hunter
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The entry-level offering provides your pet with basic care when they are sick or injured. With this type of cover, you are insured for up to 60% of your veterinary bills for treatment of injuries such as fractured bones, snakebite toxicity and some illnesses. Your pet is also covered for vet expenses incurred overseas (excluding countries from which animals must be quarantined after return), as well as emergency boarding if you are hospitalised and can't fulfil your responsibilities as sole carer of your pet.
The next level up is Essential Accident & Illness Cover, which entitles you to as much as $12,000 per year at 75% of your veterinary expenses. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, as well as a range of specified ailments, but like Basic Accident & Illness Cover, you are insured for overseas travel and essential euthanasia.
As the name suggests, this level of cover offers the greatest benefits. Like the Essential option, you're entitled to a maximum of $12,000, but you get back 80% of any applicable veterinary treatment costs. Top Accident & Illness Cover also includes the option of a routine care benefit, but this is at a lower limit than some other insurers offer, so it's worth doing your maths carefully to make sure it's the right choice for you.
To help give you an idea about costs for Australian Seniors pet insurance, we gathered annual quotes for a few of Australia's favourite dog breeds. Just remember, prices are going to change based on things like you're own dogs breed, age and your address, so it's always worth comparing policies and getting a few quotes.
| Dog breed | 1 year old | 5 year old |
|---|---|---|
| Maltese Cross | $1,161.19 | $1,629.82 |
| Cavoodle | $1,161.19 | $1,629.82 |
| Labrador | $1,470.94 | $2,070.29 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | $1,257.03 | $1,766.07 |
| Border Collie | $1,257.03 | $1,766.07 |
Prices will differ based on a few criteria, including:
The following won't be covered by your policy:
You can either submit a claim online or send a paper claim form by mail, but in both cases, your claim must be received within 90 days of the treatment date, or you may be charged a late fee.
If you wish to claim online, you need to sign up to the online service, and if it is your first claim, you must supply your pet's full veterinary history, as well as the adoption paperwork if it joined your family as an adult. You then need to upload a copy of the consultation notes from your trip to the vet and the itemised invoice for any costs incurred.
For paper claims, you need to print and fill out a claim form, and ask your vet to complete the relevant section. The form needs to be signed by both your vet and yourself, and you need to include all the original receipts, itemised invoices and consultation notes when you mail the form.
Australian Seniors policies offer several distinct advantages, the first one being that no excess is charged at any level of cover. The cost of your vet visiting your four-legged friend at home is also eligible for reimbursement, although certain sub-limits apply.
While some companies charge extra if you choose to pay your premiums monthly or fortnightly, this is not the case with Australian Seniors. The total amount you have to pay is the same whether it's in one lump sum or divided into instalments. To protect you against potential interruptions in cover, your policy is renewed automatically, although you will be notified when this is due to take place.
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