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What types of pet insurance are available for senior pets?
There are three types of pet insurance available in Australia:
- Accident-only insurance: Covers you for the cost of treatment if your pet is injured in an accident.
- Accident and illness insurance: Covers accidents and treatment for some diseases and hereditary conditions.
- Comprehensive insurance: Covers all of the above, as well as routine care procedures (e.g. worming, vaccinations).
If you have a senior pet, some insurance providers may offer coverage for accidents. Likewise, pet insurance providers generally do not cover pre-existing conditions.
Keep in mind that most pets above the age of nine are restricted to accident-only insurance. Typically, other tiers are only accessible if you’ve been maintaining the same level of cover before your pet turns nine.
It is important to carefully review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for a pet insurance policy to find out what is covered.
How much does it cost to insure senior dogs?
When insuring a dog, both age and size are factors that pet insurance providers consider.
Canstar research has found that it is generally more expensive to insure a smaller breed of dog than a larger one, due 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 accept applications for pets beyond a certain age. For this reason, Canstar considers pets aged between 6–7 years as the maximum age range. We have found that insuring pets in this older age range can be relatively more expensive.
When comparing products that were rated in our 2025 Pet Insurance Awards, Canstar research found the following average costs for insuring dogs with accident and illness cover:
Accident and illness pet insurance premiums for small dogs
The average annual cost to insure a small dog aged between 6–7 years is $1,619. The average price of insuring small dogs across various age groups is as follows:
- Younger than 1 year: $894
- 2–3 years: $1,153
- 4–5 years: $1,496
- 6–7 years: $1,890
Accident and illness pet insurance premiums for medium dogs
The average annual cost to insure a medium-sized dog aged between 6–7 years is $1,602. The average price of insuring medium-sized dogs across various age groups is as follows:
- Younger than 1 year: $962
- 2–3 years: $1,198
- 4–5 years: $1,449
- 6–7 years: $1,886
Accident and illness pet insurance premiums for large dogs
The average annual cost to insure a large dog aged between 6–7 years is $1,660. The average price of insuring large dogs across various age groups is as follows:
- Younger than 1 year: $1,015
- 2–3 years: $1,274
- 4–5 years: $1,540
- 6–7 years: $2,017
Source: www.canstar.com.au. Prepared on 17/03/2026. Based on products rated Canstar's 2025 Pet Insurance Star Rating and Awards (July 2025). Quotes obtained for a range of breeds, ages and excesses. Small dog category excludes French Bulldogs.
How much does it cost to insure senior 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 our 2025 Pet Insurance Awards, , the average annual cost to insure a cat aged between 6-7 years is $894. As with dogs, we found that insuring cats at older ages tends to be more expensive.
The average price of insuring cats across various age groups is as follows:
- Younger than 1 year: $630
- 2–3 years: $724
- 4–5 years: $843
- 6–7 years: $1,030
Source: www.canstar.com.au. Prepared on 17/03/2026. Based on products rated Canstar's 2025 Pet Insurance Star Rating and Awards (July 2025). Quotes obtained for a range of breeds, ages and excesses. Small dog category excludes French Bulldogs.
