Pet Insurance Australia has helped protect
Over 145,000 Cats & Dogs since 2008

Pet insurance works similarly to other types of insurance but is designed to cover veterinary expenses for your pets if they have an unexpected illness or injury. Here's how it typically works:

1. Choose a Policy: You start by selecting a pet insurance policy from a provider of your choice. Policies may vary in terms of coverage options, excess, premiums, and other features.
2. Pay Premiums: Once you have a policy, you'll need to pay regular premiums to the insurance company. These payments are typically made monthly or annually and help keep your coverage active.
3. Visit the Veterinarian: When your pet requires medical care, you take them to a veterinarian or animal hospital for treatment. This could be for illnesses, injuries, or even surgeries.
4. Pay the Vet Bill: At the veterinary clinic, you'll need to pay the full bill for your pet's treatment and care. This includes any excess or expenses not covered by your insurance.
5. Submit a Claim: After paying the vet bill, you collect the necessary documentation, such as invoices and medical records, and submit a claim to your pet insurance provider. This can also be done on the spot at your vet if you are utilising the GapOnly® service at participating veterinary clinics.
6. Claims Review: The insurance company reviews your claim to ensure it meets the policy's terms and conditions. They assess whether the treatment is covered, whether it falls within any waiting periods, and if there are any pre-existing conditions that might affect coverage.
7. Reimbursement: If your claim is approved, the insurance company will reimburse you for a portion of the eligible expenses, according to the terms of your policy. The reimbursement rate is typically a percentage of the covered costs.
8. Repeat as Needed: You can continue to use your pet insurance for future veterinary expenses as long as your policy remains active. The process of paying vet bills and submitting claims repeats each time your pet requires medical care.

Pet Insurance can cover a wide range of common pet accidents and illnesses, including cancer treatments, fractures, Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) and allergies^. Depending on your chosen level of cover, you may also be able to claim an annual amount for non-insurance-based treatments like training, microchipping and desexing*. It is crucial to note that certain conditions and treatments may not be covered by your insurance policy. The specifics vary based on your chosen pet insurance plan, so it’s important to carefully read your policy booklet, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to compare policies and select the one that best suits the needs of you and your pet. For essential information about Pet Insurance Australia policies, please refer here. 

^Subject to limits, benefit percentage, excess and exclusions

*Subject to limits and exclusions

Pet Essentials – Specified Accidental Injury and Illness Cover (subject to an annual condition limit).

Comprehensive Cover – specified Accidental Injury and Illness Cover^.

Major Medical Cover – Specified Accidental Injury, Illness and Routine Care Cover (non-insurance benefit).

Compare our policies options here.

The Waiting Periods that apply are:

30 days – for Conditions covered under the Illness Cover.

6 months – for Cruciate Ligament Conditions (may be waived on application, refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for more information.

Specified accidental injuries are covered from 11:59pm from the commencement date of the first policy period.

With all pet insurance there are general exclusions.

At Pet Insurance Australia we also have some general exclusions that will affect your coverage. Unless the relevant item appears on your Certificate of Insurance, we don’t provide cover or pay benefits for:

• regular nail clipping or preventative dew claw removal;
• behavioural conditions such as anxiety disorders, phobias or chemical imbalances;
• medicated baths and shampoos, unless your vet says they are medically necessary to treat a condition covered by your policy;
• accessories, including but not limited to pill poppers, cage hire, crates, bedding and collars;
• medication not approved or listed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority;
• the provision of medication(s) that covers a period of more than 30 days beyond your policy end date, chemical castration, suprelorin implants or other desexing procedures, unless required to treat the eligible condition affecting your pet’s reproductive organs due to a condition covered by your policy;
• breeding or obstetrics;
• orthodontic treatment, crowns, root canal, cosmetic dental surgery or corrective treatment and odontoclastic resorptive lesions;
• or any disease that affects dogs or cats that is subject of a biosecurity emergency declaration under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth); flea/tick/worm preventative treatments or measures, including but not limited to tick baths, sprays, and intestinal worming products, whether recommended by your vet or not – however, there is an annual benefit limit on Major Medical policies for some of these treatments.
• Cell-replacement therapies including but not limited to stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma are also not covered in our policies.

For more information on what is not covered in our policies take a look at our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) under important notices on our website.

Yes, at Pet Insurance Australia, your pet is eligible for new policies from eight weeks until their ninth birthday for our Major Medical and Comprehensive insurance plans. For our Pet Essentials policy, pets are eligible for cover from eight weeks of age until their 12th birthday. However, pets who hold a policy with us, with no insurance break, will have lifetime cover for their dog or cat. 

Yes. We cover for hereditary and congenital conditions as long as there are no signs or symptoms of that condition prior to the commencement of your policy or within the applicable waiting period.

Yes, you can choose any vet you wish if they are registered veterinarians in Australia. If you want to access the GapOnly® service, where you can claim on the spot at your veterinary clinic, it is vital to check they are participating on this platform. 

Making a pet insurance claim for eligible veterinary costs is simple with Pet Insurance Australia. You can lodge a claim via our pet portal on our website, directly at your veterinary clinic with the GapOnly® platform or a postal paper claim. GapOnly® on the spot claims are only available at participating veterinary clinics. To find out more on how you can make a claim, take a look here.

You can cancel your policy with us anytime by contacting our customer service team. The cancellation will be effective once we provide you with a written confirmation of your request, either by email or letter.