Pet insurance for older dogs and cats

Pets are a beloved part of the family, and as your dog or cat gets older and perhaps a little slower, it’s important to know that their health needs will be taken care of so they might live on comfortably and happily to a ripe old age. Pet insurance may help.

As cats and dogs get older, they can have various problems, and some of these can be expensive. So, if you don’t have it already, you may be contemplating pet insurance.

In this article, we consider how much pet insurance costs for older dogs and cats, and what types of insurance are available.

What types of pet insurance are available for older pets?

Generally speaking, there are three types of pet insurance available in Australia – accident-only insurance, accident and illness insurance and comprehensive insurance. The first covers you for the cost of treatment if your pet is injured in an accident, while the second covers for accidents, as well as treatment for some diseases and hereditary conditions. The third and final type of pet insurance – comprehensive – covers for all of the above, as well as routine care procedures, worming and vaccinations, for example.

It is worth keeping in mind that if you have an older pet, some insurance providers may only offer cover for accidents. Likewise, pet insurance providers generally do not cover for pre-existing conditions. So, for example, if your dog has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia early in life, it may not be possible to have treatments for this condition covered by insurance. It is important to check the  Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for a pet insurance policy carefully to find out what is covered.

How much does it cost to insure older dogs?

When it comes to insuring a dog, both age and size are factors that are taken into consideration by pet insurance providers. Canstar research has found that, in general terms, it is more expensive to insure a smaller breed of dog than a larger one, which may be attributable to the different and sometimes more complex health needs of smaller dog breeds.

It is also worth keeping in mind that some pet insurance providers may not be willing to accept applications for pets beyond a certain age. For this reason, Canstar considers pets aged between 6–7 years as the maximum age range in this article. We have found insuring pets within this older range can be relatively more expensive.

When comparing products that were rated in our 2021 Pet Insurance Star Ratings, the following average prices were found for small, medium and large-sized dogs:

Pet insurance premiums for small dogs

To insure a small dog aged between 6–7 years, the average annual cost you might expect to pay is $1,949. The average price of insuring small dogs across various age groups is as follows:

• younger than 1 year: $1,079
• 2–3 years: $1,289
• 4–5 years: $1,615
• 6–7 years: $1,949

Pet insurance premiums for medium dogs

To insure a medium-sized dog aged between 6–7 years, the average annual cost you might expect to pay is $1,807. The average price of insuring medium-sized dogs across various age groups is as follows:

• younger than 1 year: $1,036
• 2–3 years: $1,206
• 4–5 years: $1,465
• 6–7 years: $1,807

Pet insurance premiums for large dogs

To insure a large dog aged between 6–7 years, the average annual cost you might expect to pay is $1,814. The average price of insuring large dogs across various age groups is as follows:

• younger than 1 year: $1,053
• 2–3 years: $1,209
• 4–5 years: $1,455
• 6–7 years: $1,814

How much does it cost to insure older cats?

Canstar research found that, unlike with dogs, there is no distinct price difference between insuring small and large cats. When comparing products that were rated in out 2021 Pet Insurance Star Ratings, it was found that, to insure a cat aged between 6–7 years, the average annual cost you might expect to pay is $879. As was the case with dogs, we found that insuring cats at an older age tends to be more expensive.

The average price of insuring cats across various age groups is as follows:

• younger than 1 year: $621
• 2–3 years: $663
• 4–5 years: $756
• 6–7 years: $879

Source: www.canstar.com.au. All figures are current as of 5/11/2021. Data is based on products rated in Canstar’s 2021 Pet Insurance Star Ratings (July 2021). Premiums are quoted for based on a range of locations, breeds and excesses.

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How do you compare pet insurance?

If you are in the market for pet insurance, you can start by looking at Canstar’s 2021 Pet Insurance Star Ratings, which recognise the pet insurance providers who offer Australians value for money in their coverage, and also those with the most satisfied customers. You can also compare pet insurance with Canstar, and search the various policies on our database based on the kind of pet you have and your particular coverage needs.

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