Medibank Pet Insurance

Medibank expressly lists some illnesses and injuries as exclusions that are not covered by its pet insurance. These include pregnancy, elective procedures, pet foods, grooming and pre-existing conditions.

It’s important to read the Product Disclosure Statement to find any exclusions listed in a policy and to also consider what illnesses your pet may need coverage for. For more information about what’s not covered by some pet insurance policies, check out our list of 13 common pet insurance exclusions.

Medibank has a minimum age of eight weeks for all its policies, and an upper age limit of nine years on its Ultimate and Emergency policies – if you insure your pet before then, it can continue to be covered past said point, but the policy needs to be taken out before its ninth birthday. You can find more details about this in the Product Disclosure Statement.

It’s important to check with your chosen provider to see if they have an age limit on their policies – older pets tend to be more expensive to cover as they are much more likely to suffer from illness or injury than younger pets.

Alternatively, you can look for a policy that offers lifetime renewal, which means your provider won’t cancel your policy due to an ageing pet, as long as you continue to meet your requirements as a customer.

Medicare does not require you to submit vet records when you apply for pet insurance, but you will be required to provide a ‘full veterinary history of illnesses and injury’ for your pet when making a claim.

Yes, Medibank lets you visit any vet who is licensed to practice in Australia.

Yes, your Medibank pet insurance policy will have an annual maximum benefit limit of either $4,000 on an Essential policy, $15,000 on an Ultimate policy, or $8,000 on an Emergency policy. The annual benefit limit and claim terms and conditions for each of Medibank’s pet insurance policies are outlined in the Product Disclosure Statement. Find out more about pet insurance benefit limits and how much you can claim here.

Medibank allows you to receive a reimbursement of either 70% (Essential policy) or 80% (Ultimate and Emergency policies) of your eligible vet costs. The reimbursement you receive will depend on the age of your pet and your choice of insurance cover.

You can lodge a claim with Medibank either online or by post. More information on claiming with Medibank can be found here.

Your Medibank pet insurance policy will automatically renew if you choose not to alter or cancel it after receiving your renewal notice. If you’re not sure whether to renew or switch, here’s our guide to renewing your pet insurance policy.

Make sure you compare pet insurance policies before simply renewing the same policy, so that you continue to get outstanding value insurance at the right price:

Compare Pet Insurance

Medibank was founded in 1976, and in 2016 they celebrate their 40th birthday as a health insurer. Medibank has won the coveted CANSTAR Award for Outstanding Value Health Insurance every year from 2008 to 2016.

Medibank members receive some great benefits:

• Mobile apps: Medibank members can use the Medibank Mobile App to make claims and find a healthcare provider near them, Symptom Checker to find possible causes for their symptoms, and Energy Balancer to track their daily eating and exercise decisions and get easy-to-understand advice.
• flybuys points: Health information guides to help you eat healthy, get active, and maintain your well-being. At the time of writing, Medibank members continue to collect 10 flybuys points every time they reach 10,000 steps in one day with a linked Fitbit device, and collect triple flybuys points when they buy fresh fruit and vegetables or frozen veges at Coles supermarkets.
• Mi Health health services: Mi Health support services include 24/7 Medibank nurse helpline for medical advice (call 1800 Mi Health or 1800 644 325), mobile health apps to keep you on track, and the Online Health Hub for online coaching programs.
• Healthy eating ideas: Delicious, healthy-eating recipes are available on the Medibank website in partnership with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, like this one for vegetable samosas for the lunchbox. Their practical tips for healthy eating include “7 things better than an afternoon sugar hit” and “7 things better than a morning coffee”.

Medibank supports the community through the Medibank Community Fund, established in 2010 to distribute community grants, and the Medibank Health Research Fund (MHRF). For example, Medibank is committed to fighting childhood obesity by partnering with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation National Program in schools. Medibank invests in Indigenous health and well-being by partnering with programs such as Ngurra Kujungka and Night Hoops.

Medibank is a major sponsor of events that promote health and fitness. Their sponsorships at the time of writing include Australian Open (check out the hilarious WEPLAY video highlights), the Melbourne Marathon and other marathons, fun runs, and walking events (hear from everyday Melbournites on “Why I Run”), and Wave Warriors Junior Surfing Challenge.

While Medibank’s health insurance offerings are self-underwritten, its pet insurance offerings are provided by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd.