Top pick for perks: Everyday Comprehensive Plus Pet Insurance
Pros
10% off your Woolies shop every single month.
Free access to VetAssist with every policy, valued at $199 per year.
GapOnly cover lets you claim on the spot, as opposed to pay for the full vet bill and wait to be reimbursed.
$30,000 annual limit – one of the largest on the market.
Cons
80% back on vet bills. Coles, Medibank and Knose can cover 90% or 100%.
The discount is no good if you don't shop at Woolies.
No multi-pet discount.
Accidents:
Illnesses:
Routine care: Optional add on
Reimbursement rate: 80% Annual limit: $30,000 Cruciate ligament sub-limit: $5,000 per leg, per policy period
We researched 60+ accident and illness pet insurance policies and selected Everyday because it has one of the most valuable discounts on the the market. It also comes with Vet Assist and GapOnly cover. No other insurer offered all of these features and benefits.
Top pick for features: Medibank Max with Extra Care Pet Insurance
Pros
$30,000 annual limit – one of the highest on the market.
Covers 90% of eligible vet bills. The average is 80%.
GapOnly cover lets you claim on the spot and 24/7 VetChat subscription lets you chat to a vet.
Up to $2,000 towards dental conditions – most insurers don't offer this.
Cons
90% back is higher than average but some can cover 100%.
There's a 10% discount but it's only available to Medibank and ahm health members.
Its other plans are not as comprehensive.
Accidents:
Illnesses:
Routine care: Optional add on
Reimbursement rate: 90% Annual limit: $30,000 Cruciate ligament sub-limit: No
We researched over 60 accident and illness pet insurance policies and selected our Medibank because its top plan has one of the highest annual limits ($30,000) and reimbursement rates (90%) on the market. For example, Everyday also comes with a $30,000 limit. However, it has an 80% reimbursement rate. It also comes with GapOnly cover, VetChat, no sub-limits and covers certain dental conditions such as gingivitis and teeth removal.
We picked Knose pet insurance because it's one of the insurers that doesn't do sub-limits on specific conditions. Some insurers, for example, have sub-limits of around $1,500 on conditions such as cruciate ligament problems or tick paralysis. There are a few other insurers who also don't do sub-limits but we selected Knose because it's also previously been a Finder Award winner and has high limits.
Top pick for no waiting periods: Fetch Pet Insurance
Pros
Waiting periods can be waived if you simply upload a video of your pet that proves they're healthy.
You're covered for up to $30,000 per 12 months.
Can cover up to 100% of vet bills, up to the cover limit.
Cons
Does not cover desexxing your pet.
Does not cover routine care or vaccinations.
Does not cover costs related to breeding, including pregnancy and caesarean surgery.
Accidents:
Illnesses:
Routine care:
Reimbursement rate: 80% or 90% or 100% Annual limit: $30,000 Cruciate ligament sub-limit: $30,000 (No sub-limit applies)
We picked Fetch Pet Insurance because many other insurers include lengthy waiting periods for injury and illness. Fetch Pet Insurance give you the option of waiving these waiting periods as long as you can submit a short video of your pet looking happy and healthy. It's all done through their app to keep it easy.
Keep these 3 tips top of mind and it'll be much easier for you to find a good pet insurance policy:
Don't settle for a low annual limit
Pet insurance policies typically let you claim up to $15,000 a year. This may seem like a lot but surgery can exceed $20,000 in some cases. Always check the annual benefit limit before you buy. Everyday ($30,000), Petsy ($25,000) and RSPCA ($20,000) all offer more than average.
Look for a reimbursement rate of 80% or higher
The reimbursement rate, or benefit percentage, is the amount of the vet bill the pet insurer will cover you for. Most comprehensive pet insurance policies will pay 80% of all eligible vet bills. Some, such as Coles (100%) and Petsy (90%) offer more. A high benefit percentage is best for those who don't want to risk facing big out-of-pocket expenses.
Don't hold off on pet insurance until your pet is older
If they develop any health conditions before you've taken out pet insurance, they will be considered pre-existing conditions by the insurer and you won't usually be covered for any treatment related to that condition. Some insurers won't cover your pet at all once they are 9 or older.
FAQs about finding the best pet insurance
If you want to give your pet the highest protection money can buy, a comprehensive plan will typically cover your pet for:
Accidental injuries. Your insurer will pay a percentage (usually around 80%) of the vet expenses for accidental injuries to your pet. This can include car accidents, snake bites, allergic reactions, insect bites, injuries from falls, bone fractures and ligament and tendon injuries. You'll be able to claim up to a certain amount each year – for example, $15,000.
Illnesses. If your pet suffers a specified illness, your policy will cover up to 80% of the veterinary costs you incur as a result. Pet insurance policies typically cover most treatments related to your pet's illnesses including imaging services and cancer treatments. There's one main exception. If your pet contracts an illness which it could have been vaccinated for or if its illness is related to a pre-existing condition, you typically won't be covered.
Emergency boarding. If you are your pet's sole carer and you're hospitalised for more than 5 consecutive days, a comprehensive policy usually provides cover for the cost of finding emergency boarding for your pet.
Essential euthanasia. Nobody wants to think about this but in cases where euthanasia is deemed to be the most humane option, your pet insurer can cover the costs.
Paralysis tick benefit. If your pet requires treatment for tick paralysis, all policies will cover you. However, be careful, some policies only cover up to $1,200 of the costs. In some cases, the actual treatment can cost more than $2,000.
Routine care. This optional benefit is typically available as an add-on to comprehensive policies. It helps pay for preventative health care procedures, such as vet check-ups, microchipping and vaccinations. However, it typically doesn't cover all of the costs.
The cost of living crisis is pushing the price of everything up but it's still possible to get pet insurance that covers accidents and illnesses for around $30 a month. Budget Direct pet insurance offered the cheapest level of accident and illness cover, according to our 2024 awards research.
Comprehensive pet insurance costs on average around $80 a month. However, costs differ a lot depending on the species, breed and age of your pet. For example, dogs tend to be more expensive than cats. Similarly, popular breeds such as cavoodles, Maltese crosses and Jack Russell terriers are likely to cost you much less to insure than bigger dogs – often around $60 a month.
Most pet insurance policies don't cover pre-existing medical conditions (an ailment that your pet already had before they were insured), so it's a good idea to take out pet insurance before this occurs. You can take out pet insurance as early as 6–8 weeks old. If they develop any illnesses after you've taken out a policy, you'll be covered.
All of the pet insurance policies we've selected cover your cat or dog in Queensland. They cover accidents and illnesses, including snake bites, tick paralysis and heat stroke.
All of the pet insurance policies we've selected cover your dog or cat in Melbourne. They cover accidents and illnesses, including snake bites, tick paralysis and heat stroke.
Yes, desexing is typically included in policies with routine care cover.
Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio
Discover some funds that cover senior pets, what to look for in a policy and how you can help your furry friend feel comfortable in their twilight years.
Receive quotes for policies from Pet Insurance Australia and apply securely online. Choose from 3 levels of cover and pay nothing for the first 2 months.
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