Pet Insurance Background

Pet Insurance Comparison

Unexpected trips to the vet can quickly become costly. Compare expert-rated pet insurance policies to find the perfect paw-tection for your furry friend when they may need it most.

Group Manager, Research & Ratings
Editor-in-Chief
Fact checked

Instantly compare 127+ Canstar expert rated policies based on the inputs below

filter

Sort results Sort By
down-arrow
  • Star Rating - lowest first
  • Star Rating - highest first
  • Illness waiting period - lowest first
  • Illness waiting period - highest first
  • Percentage of vet costs reimbursed - lowest first
  • Percentage of vet costs reimbursed - highest first
  • Annual benefit limit - lowest first
  • Annual benefit limit - highest first
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
21 days Glossary
100% Glossary
$10k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
14 days Glossary
Up to 90% Glossary
$7.5k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
30 days Glossary
90% Glossary
$30k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
21 days Glossary
100% Glossary
$15k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
14 days Glossary
Up to 90% Glossary
$12.5k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
30 days Glossary
80% Glossary
$30k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
14 days Glossary
Up to 90% Glossary
$25k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
30 days Glossary
90% Glossary
$6k Glossary
Policy coverage Glossary
  • icon Tick paralysis
  • icon Car accident
  • icon Poisoning
  • icon Skin conditions

New product

30 days Glossary
Up to 100% Glossary
$30k Glossary

Showing 9 of 92 results

To see more results adjust the filters above

canstar-rating-icon Canstar rating
check Included
cross Not Included
circle Optional
na Not applicable

Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then Annual benefit limit (High-Low) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

What does pet insurance cover?Pet Insurance

There are three main types of pet insurance in Australia: policies that offer cover accidents only, policies that offer cover accidents and illnesses, and comprehensive policies that cover both of these things as well as a range of other treatments. Here’s how they differ, and what each typically covers:

Accident-only pet insurance

This tier of pet insurance offers coverage for accidents and emergencies only. Say for example your pet is injured in a fight at the dog park, or is hit by a car, this kind of insurance may cover some or all of the costs associated with emergency surgery.

Accident and illness pet insurance

In addition to coverage for accidents, this tier of insurance can cover some or all of the treatment costs for illnesses and diseases suffered by your pet. This can mean anything from cancer through to eye and ear conditions and even infectious diseases.

Comprehensive pet insurance

In addition to all the things previously mentioned, comprehensive pet insurance can also cover what’s known as ‘routine care’ procedures, which can include such things as vaccinations, worming treatments, dental care, flea and tick control and even desexing and microchipping.

How much does pet insurance cost?

The cost of pet insurance in Australia is determined by a number of factors, ranging from the level of cover you choose to the type of pet you wish to insure. As a general rule, basic cover for accidents only is the least expensive kind of pet insurance, while comprehensive cover costs the most.

Across both accident and illness cover and comprehensive cover, small dogs tend to be the most expensive to insure- perhaps because of the more complex health needs of some small dogs – with medium and large breeds having roughly equivalent costs.

The age of your pet can also affect the cost of premiums. As your pet gets older, its health needs may change and become more complex, and because of the potential costs associated with this, your insurance provider may charge more in premiums.

Moneysmart advises that it may even be difficult to obtain insurance for some older pets for this reason.

Of course, the cost is also influenced by which provider you choose. It can be worth doing a quick pet insurance comparison to among a number of providers to ensure the policy you choose is offering good value for money.

Does pet insurance have waiting periods?

Much like health insurance for humans, pet insurance will typically come with waiting periods for certain conditions. A waiting period is the gap between when you sign up for an insurance product and when you can make a claim for it.

The RSPCA says that pet insurance typically comes with a 30-day waiting period for illness conditions, and up to a six-month waiting period for ‘cruciate’ conditions, or those associated with the cruciate ligament in the knee.

The RSPCA also says that some providers may be willing to waive certain waiting periods, but this will be at their discretion, and you will need to ask your individual insurance provider if they are willing to do this.

What does pet insurance not cover?

Depending on your level of cover, there are a number of things that may be excluded from your pet insurance. These include:

  • Pre-existing conditions (conditions that your pet has already been treated for or is showing symptoms of)
  • Pregnancy and obstetrics
  • Elective treatments to improve your pet’s quality of life
  • Preventative care such as teeth-cleaning, vaccinations and desexing (procedures of this type can be covered on comprehensive policies under ‘routine care’)
  • Harm that has been caused to your pet deliberately or by negligence
  • Non-emergency at-home vet visits or transportation to the vet
  • Non-emergency boarding

Make sure you review the policy’s product disclosure statement (PDS) and target market determination (TMD) to get a good understanding of what is and isn’t covered and whether the insurance on offer is suitable for your pet and your situation more generally.

Is pet insurance compulsory?

Pet insurance is not compulsory in Australia. It exists to help owners cover the cost of veterinary treatments for their pets, and whether you take it out is entirely up to you.

Pet insurance can help cover the cost of treatment for both illnesses and accidents, so if you feel your pet is at risk (for example, if your breed of animal is known for having health conditions, or even if you live near a busy road) you may find peace of mind in taking it out.

When it comes to paying vet bills, some pet owners choose to forego pet insurance, and instead put the money they would spend on premiums into a savings account, to draw upon if and when their animal needs treatment.

Latest in pet insurance

Recent Award Winners

ellipsis

Pet insurance FAQs

There are three tiers of pet insurance in Australia. The most basic tier covers accidents and emergencies only, the second covers both accidents and illnesses, and the third, most comprehensive tier covers both these things along with routine care procedures such as worming.

How much does pet insurance cost?

The cost of pet insurance varies based on the breed, size and age of your animal. In general terms, you might expect the most basic, accident-only tier of pet insurance to be the least expensive, and compernsive cover to cost the most.

Does pet insurance have waiting periods?

Yes, pet insurance does have waiting periods. In many cases, there is a 30-day waiting period for cover for illnesses, and in the case of ‘cruciate’ conditions – treatments related to the knee ligament – there can be waiting periods of 60 days.

Is pet insurance compulsory?

Pet insurance is not compulsory. You may choose to take it out if you are concerned about the cost of routine and emergency care for your pet, and want the peace of mind of knowing that all or part of your vet bills could be covered.


About our finance experts

Nina Rinella, Editor-in-Chief

As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented journalists committed to helping empower consumers to take greater control of their finances. Previously Nina founded her own agency where she provided content and communications support to clients around Australia for eight years. She also spent four years as the PR Manager for American Express Australia, and has worked at a Brisbane communications agency where she supported dozens of clients, including Sunsuper and Suncorp.

Nina has ghostwritten dozens of opinion pieces for publications including The Australian and has been interviewed on finance topics by the Herald Sun and the Sydney Morning Herald. When she’s not dreaming up ways to put a fresh spin on finance, she’s taking her own advice by trying to pay her house off as quickly as possible and raising two money-savvy kids.

Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series.

You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter, or Canstar on Facebook.

You can also read more about Canstar’s editorial team and our robust fact-checking process.


Josh Sale, Pet Insurance Ratings Manager

Headshot of Josh Sale, CanstarAs Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Pet Insurance Star Ratings. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right product for them.

Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their finances. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.

This content was reviewed by Deputy Editor Sean Callery and Sub-Editor Tom Letts as part of our fact-checking process.

Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more.

The Pet Insurance Star Ratings were awarded in September 2023 and data in the table is current as at that date, updated from time to time to reflect product changes notified to us by product issuers. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Pet Insurance Star Rating Methodology.  The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products. 

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands, but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied. The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. If you decide to apply for an insurance policy, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar.   It’s important you check product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS and TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

If you are seeking to replace an insurance policy, you should consider your personal circumstances, including continuing the existing cover until the replacement policy is issued and cover confirmed. Your current policy may have different features to products currently on the market. Please consider what features are right for you when comparing insurance products and refer to the provider for further details on a policy.

Companies listed in the table, or in ads, may use or be used by another company to arrange, issue, distribute or sell its insurance policies to customers. For more information on the issuer of the policy, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.