Puppy Pet Insurance: Protecting Your Furry Friend from the Start

Bringing a new puppy into your home is an exciting journey filled with joy, cuddles, and the occasional chewed slipper. As you work on training your pup, it’s just as important to consider how you’ll care for them in the event of an unexpected illness or injury. For many Australians, choosing a quality pet insurance policy helps them feel better prepared  in the event of sickness or injury, as they can access financial assistance towards unexpected and possibly expensive veterinary costs covered by their policy. This can help protect your pet’s health early on

Getting pet insurance for a puppy allows pet owners to gain coverage from the very early weeks, allowing pet parents to enjoy their puppy with less financial worry when something goes wrong.  When you first apply for cover for a Pet Insurance Australia policy, your pet must be at least 8 weeks old and under 9 years of age for Comprehensive Cover and Major Medical Cover, or under 12 years of age for Pet Essentials Cover.

Why  Pet Insurance can be beneficial For A Puppy

Puppies are naturally curious and energetic, often leading to surprises, like unexpected vet visits. Whether it’s a sudden skin infection, a dietary mishap, or a more serious diagnosis, vet bills can add up quickly.

At Pet Insurance Australia, we help puppy parents prepare for the unexpected with:

• A range of cover options for specified accidental injuries and illnesses^
• Access to GapOnly® for on-the-spot claims at participating vets^>
• Fast claims processing and personal support
• Access to 24/7 online Live Vet support – excellent support for first-time puppy owners

Pet insurance for your puppy can provide you with one less thing to worry about when it comes to the health and well-being of your pet. It can help puppy-parents make  better  decisions for their puppy and worry less about covered veterinary costs.

Pre-Existing Conditions: What Puppy Owners Need to Know

One of the most significant advantages of insuring your puppy early is avoiding exclusions for pre-existing conditions. These are conditions  that  first existed or occurred before your policy started or within an applicable waiting period, and they’re typically not covered. Unfortunately, many do not understand the financial impact a sick or injured pet can have until after the trip to the veterinarian.

At Pet Insurance Australia, we recognise:

• Chronic conditions (like arthritis or diabetes) which are long lasting and recurring, are considered pre-existing if they first existed or occurred  before coverage started or during an applicable waiting period.
• Temporary conditions are conditions that normally resolve with treatment.

If, after any applicable waiting period, your pet has a pre-existing condition that is a temporary condition which hasn’t existed, occurred or shown noticeable signs, symptoms or an abnormality in the 18-month period immediately prior to your claim treatment date, it won’t be excluded from cover as a pre-existing condition.

Refer to our Product Disclosure Statements for more information.

The Most Common Puppy Health Issues

According to the PetSure Pet Health Monitor 2024, some of the most common (and costly) conditions in dogs under one year of age include:

• Gastrointestinal upsets – Avg. claim: $661 | Max claim: $25,939
• Skin conditions – Avg. claim: $346 | Max claim: $8,414
• Ear infections – Avg. claim: $330 | Max claim: $12,380

These issues can arise quickly, with multiple vet visits or medications. Having pet insurance for puppies can help  pet parents focus more on the care of their beloved new family member and less  on costs.

Pet Insurance – Breed-Specific Risks to Consider

Some breeds are more prone to particular conditions. For example:

• Labradors – Joint issues such as hip dysplasia and obesity
• French Bulldogs – Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome
• Dachshunds – Spinal problems (IVDD)
• Golden Retrievers – Allergies and skin infections
• Cavoodles – Allergies

It is important to consider these kinds of breed specific conditions before you purchase a pet and when researching pet insurance cover options.

Why Choose Pet Insurance Australia?

Not all pet insurance is the same. With PIA, you’ll benefit from:

✔️ Trusted Australian underwriters (PetSure and Hollard). Choose from Pet Essentials Cover, Comprehensive Cover or Major Medical Cover^:

✔️ Pet Essentials Cover; get up to 90% back on eligible vet bills* and claim up to $6,000 per year. An annual condition limit of $1,000 also applies. ^

✔️ Comprehensive Cover; get up to 80% back on eligible vet bills and claim up to $30,000 per year. ^

✔️ Major Medical Cover; get up to 80% back on eligible vet bills and claim up to $30,000 per year, plus a contribution of $145 towards routine care items under the Routine Care (non-insurance benefit). ^

✔️ Access to GapOnly® with all cover options, where eligible claims are processed on the spot and you only pay the gap (at participating veterinary clinics) ^>

✔️ Fast, friendly claims processing with a dedicated team

✔️Multi-Pet Discounts of up to 15%

Policyholders can also access myPetPass^TM, which includes:

✔️       24/7 online vet support

✔️       Discounted pet prescription meds

✔️       Savings on pet care essentials

Refer to our Product Disclosure Statements for more information

Just as you wouldn’t leave any family member unprotected, your dog also deserves a safety net for their health and well-being. Pet Insurance Australia offers a selection of coverage options for a range of canine breeds to help pet parents with the stress of unexpected vet costs.

We’re proud to support Aussie pet owners by offering pet insurance policies for pups from eight weeks of age and by offering policy renewal over your pet’s life including their golden senior years of dog ownership.

Pet Insurance for your puppy– Protection During the Growth Phase

Puppies grow quickly — and so do their healthcare needs. Getting pet insurance early can help protect your pet before health concerns arise.

From tummy troubles to more breed-specific conditions, Pet Insurance Australia is here to help every step of the way — so you can focus more on bonding with your new best friend and less on the vet bill.

¹ myPetPass™ is a rewards programme provided by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 95 075 949 923 (PetSure). Available only to holders of active Pet Insurance Australia policies. myPetPass™ perks are provided by PetSure and third-party suppliers and also subject to these third-party suppliers’ terms and conditions. myPetPass™ perks may be amended or withdrawn any time without notice. PetSure does not guarantee that any particular third-party providers will continue to participate in myPetPass™ through the offer or provision of perks, or that the myPetPass™ rewards programme or any myPetPass™ perks or features of myPetPass™ will continue to be available. Full Terms & Conditions available at www.mypetpass.com.au/terms.

² Live Vet Support is a service provided by PetSure that gives you 24/7 access to general veterinary telehealth advice for your insured pet(s) via online video or chat, via the Customer Portals owned and operated by PetSure. Access to Live Vet Support consultations subject to the Customer Portal terms of use available at petportal-petinsuranceaustralia.petsure.com.au.

*For Pet Essentials Cover, the benefit percentage will reduce to 65% once your pet is over 8 years of age.

^Terms, conditions, exclusions, benefit limits and sub-limits apply.

> The gap is defined as the difference between the eligible vet’s invoice and the claim benefit under your policy. Policy terms and conditions apply. GapOnly® is only available at participating Vets. Please visit gaponly.com.au/find-a-gaponly-vet to search for GapOnly enabled vets. GapOnly® is a trademark owned by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 95 075 949 923, AFSL 420183 (PetSure).

We offer award-winning* pet insurance policies to protect your furry friend’s health and wellbeing. Get a quote today and give your pets the care they deserve.