We recommend pet health insurance for you because unexpected illness and injuries can be very costly.
From a torn cruciate ligament to a chocolate toxicity to a visit to the emergency hospital, costs can run into the thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars.
You want to make sure you don’t compromise on your pets health because of costs.
You can alleviate the anxieties by enrolling into pet health insurance.
Treatment decisions for your pet are easier and
Some health insurance schemes provide varying levels of cover for some of the routine health care costs for your pet.
The following is a list of PET HEALTH PROVIDERS. Each offer a variety of cover options and, like any insurance policy, you need to assess what cover you think is most appropriate for your situation.
** (ask for 4 weeks free insurance for Puppies and Kittens at Merrylands Vet)
Comparing the different types of pet insurance
When signing up for pet insurance, you can generally choose from three types of cover:
Accident Only Cover
Accident-only insurance covers injuries caused by an accident. This can include broken bones from a car accident, scratches from fighting with other animals, burns or snake bites. Keep in mind that this policy doesn’t pay out for all types of accidents.
Accident & Illness Cover
Accident and illness cover will protect your pet from accidents, as well as sickness or disease. Your furry friend will be covered for conditions such as cancer, infectious diseases, hereditary illness, and skin conditions.
Comprehensive Cover
Comprehensive cover protects your four-legged friend against accidents and illness as mentioned above, but often to a higher limit. Some policies include (or allow you to add) routine care, which provides a set amount for training, prescription diets, deworming, desexing etc.
How can you compare pet insurance policies?
Here’s how to compare 2 insurers’ policies against one another.
| Insurer A | Insurer B | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | $120.68 | $123.55 |
| Annual Benefit Limit | $12,000 | $20,000 |
| Reimbursement rate | 80% | 85% |
| Illnesses | Yes | Yes |
| Accidental Injury | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Excess | $0 | $0 |
| Choice of excess | $0, $100 or $200 | $0 or $50 only |
This comparison was made for Winnie, a female desexed French bulldog. She is 5 years old, and lives in Merrylands NSW.
As you can see, these policies cost around the same and cover Winnie for similar services. However, there are some key differences worth noting, such as:
- Annual Benefit Limit: The maximum benefit limit between policies can vary from around $11,000 to $20,000. A lower limit generally means cheaper premiums but you risk reaching your annual limit and being out of pocket if your pet is seriously ill or injured or becomes ill.
- Choice of excess: This is how much you pay out of pocket if you needed to make a claim. Some policies allow you to choose your excess amount (the higher your excess, the less you pay each month). In the example above,
- Reimbursement rate: While the difference between an 80% and an 85% reimbursement rate doesn’t seem like a lot, imagine if you were faced with a $5,000 vet bill. You’d be out of pocket $750 with Insurer A and $1000 with Insurer B.
Case Study 1: Winnie the Frenchie
As many a pet owner will tell you, it seems like pets are forever munching on things they’re not allowed to eat, from slippers to freshly baked brownies.
It only takes a moment’s lapse in concentration and you could be looking at an expensive trip to the vet. For instance, imagine that Winnie the Frenchie swallows one of his owner’s socks. Surgery can range from $982 to a staggering $22,919 and costs generally depend on where and when you need it.
With something like a swallowed object, you don’t have time to shop around for the best deal – your pet needs to be taken care of now. A comprehensive policy with a benefit limit of $20,000 would help cover up to 85% of the cost of surgery to remove the object. So while you’d still be out of pocket $3,000 in the worst case scenario, it’s a bit more palatable than $20,000, or having to make a far more difficult decision.
That’s why it’s always worth looking for higher annual limits when searching for a policy. While slightly lower premiums may be tempting, you risk being seriously out of pocket if something goes wrong.
Case Study 2: Lucas and Amelia
Lucas took out pet insurance for his 3-year-old dog, Buddy. Buddy got a bad eye infection and needed an operation costing $1,000. Lucas’ pet insurance covered $750 of this bill, so Lucas ended up paying $250 for the operation.Lucas’ sister Amelia also got pet insurance for her 6-year-old dog, Boo. When Boo also got a bad eye infection, the insurer did not cover the bill because Boo had seen a vet for the same condition when he was a puppy. This meant that Boo’s condition was considered to be ‘pre-existing’ and was not covered.
Common situations where pet insurance can help
Our pets can get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Pet insurance can help you out if an accident or illness strikes. Here are some common issues your pet insurance can help cover:
- Illnesses: Diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, ear infections and lethargy are all common illnesses among kittens and puppies, and can cost anywhere from $100 to $2,500 or even more. While pet insurance can also cover you for scarier things like cancer and surgery, pet insurance is often just as helpful when it comes to these common illnesses.
- Accidents: Animal fights, car accidents, swallowing objects – these are all common occurrences with pets, often resulting in a trip to the vet. The average cost to treat a fracture is $2,500, meaning if 80% of your bill is covered with pet insurance, you’ll be looking at $500 for out of pocket expenses.
- Genetic health conditions: Short-nosed dog breeds such as pugs often have breathing and digestive problems, labradors often have hip dysplasia and Persian cats are prone to certain kidney diseases. If you have a pet that’s pre-disposed to health issues, you’re better off getting insured before any of them come up.
When should you get pet insurance?
You can get cover for your pet once it’s 8 weeks or older. If you’re considering pet insurance, you’re better off getting it while your pet is young and healthy, before it develops any pre-existing conditions. It’s a good idea to consider pet insurance for any of the following reasons:
- You have a purebred: It’s more likely that your purebred will have congenital conditions which means they’re likely to need surgery at some point, or regular medication. Pet insurance can help keep things more affordable.
- If you can’t afford a huge unexpected bill: Pet insurance keeps things manageable with a small monthly payment. Without insurance, you run the risk of being hit with an unexpected bill you can’t afford and a potentially horrible decision to make.
- If you’ve got an adventurous pet: Is your canine naturally excitable? Does your pet love exploring the outdoors? If so, you really need to think about pet insurance as you never know what kind of trouble your pet might get into, whether it’s eating something they shouldn’t, getting into a fight or running into traffic.
- If your pet is under the age of 9: You can get usually cover for vet bills, accidents, illnesses and routine care for pets under the age of 9. Some policies do cover pets for illness over the age of 9, but it can be harder to get comprehensive cover, as most insurers only offer accident cover for older pets.
Should you switch pet insurance?
It’s often the case that the best deals are available to new customers, so it makes a lot of sense to compare what’s out there and switch to a more affordable policy, as long as you’re still covered for what you need. However, there are a few key things to watch out for when switching brands:
- Pre-existing conditions: Any pre-existing condition your pet might have suffered from prior to being insured is unlikely to be covered. If your pet has had a pre-existing condition, you may not be covered with a new insurer. Always check the product disclosure statement (PDS) before you switch providers and check in to make sure.
- Your excess: The monthly premiums might be cheaper but a high excess means that sometimes you’ll be forking out more than the cost of treatment itself whenever you need to claim. Look for a policy that comes with a low excess. Some have options as low as $0 or $50.
How much does pet insurance cost?
We crunched the numbers on 560 dog breeds and 96 cat breeds, and found that the average cost of comprehensive pet insurance for a 5-year-old dog was $78.04 a month, while the average cost of comprehensive pet insurance for a 5-year-old cat was $51.69 a month.
As a pet owner, you know that having a pet isn’t exactly cheap. The average Australian dog owner spends $1475 a year, and the average cat owner spends $1,029 a year on their pets (ASIC MoneySmart). When you consider that Australians spent $2.24 billion on vet costs in 2016, pet insurance starts to make a lot more sense. Insuring your pet helps offset the costs of owning a pet with policies ranging from around $20 a month (accident only cover) to $60 a month and upwards (comprehensive cover). As you can imagine, the cost differs considerably from one brand to another, so it pays to compare. Read our pet insurance cost guide to see what impacts the cost of pet insurance.
Is it worth it?
Check out some of the pros and cons of pet insurance to help you work out if it’s worth it.
Pros
- Helps cover unexpected or ongoing vet bills, which can be very expensive
- Peace of mind, knowing you won’t be forced to consider costs when it comes to your pet’s health
- Your pet can get covered for congenital conditions
- The Australian Veterinary Association strongly recommends it
Cons
- Your pet may not have expensive health issues (in the short run anyway)
- Some conditions have sublimits (e.g. treatment for paralysis ticks)
- You are unlikely to get cover for pre-existing conditions
- You’ll still have some out of pocket expenses
If you’re still unsure whether it’s worth it or not, check our our guide on the pros and cons of getting pet insurance.
What extra cover should you consider?
Pet insurance policies will often let you tailor your policy to work for you. Consider each optional extra on its own merits, and compare pet insurance policies to look for the ones you’re more likely to use. Here are some optional extras that are available with different policies:
- Routine care. Routine care can be added onto most comprehensive policies. This covers the cost of everyday care, from vaccinations to teeth cleaning.
- Alternative and complementary medicine. This provides cover for things like physiotherapy, acupuncture and hydrotherapy when recommended by your vet.
- Dental illness. This covers conditions such as gingivitis, abscesses, and the removal of teeth due to cavities or tooth fracture.
Things you probably didn’t know pet insurance could cover
Other than health issues for your cat or dog, pet insurance policies often include some cover for the following:
- Emergency boarding. If you’re hospitalised for an extended period or in an emergency situation, most policies will cover the cost of boarding for your pet until you’re able to get home again.
- Overseas pet travel insurance. Extends your cover overseas, but generally only if you’re travelling to New Zealand or Norfolk Island.
- Essential euthanasia. Under this option, if euthanasia is deemed humane and essential by your veterinarian, your insurance provider will cover the expenses involved in this process.
- Paralysis tick treatment. Your policy will cover up to a certain amount of veterinary treatment arising from paralysis tick bites.
What isn’t covered by pet insurance?
Just like any other insurance, pet insurance doesn’t cover everything. Here are some common exclusions:
- Pre-existing conditions that your pet was diagnosed with or showing signs of before you got insurance.
- A malicious act, deliberate injury or gross negligence by you or even someone living with you.
- Treatment for diseases for which there is a known vaccine. This includes conditions like kennel cough and parvovirus.
- Preventative treatments and procedures such as vaccinations or flea/tick control, unless you have routine cover included.
- Behavioural problems or any conditions caused by behavioural problems.
- Breeding or pregnancy, or any conditions resulting from these.
- Grooming, including shampoos, baths, dips or any cosmetic surgeries.
- Training, socialisation and any alternative therapies.
- Pet food or supplements, even if they’ve been recommended by your vet.
- Organ transplant surgery, artificial limbs or prosthetics.
- Dental procedures or dental diseases. Some insurers offer specialist dental cover, but this isn’t very common in Australia.
Some common questions about pet insurance
- When should I get pet insurance for my cat or dog?
- You can usually insure your pet as soon as it’s 8 weeks old. Generally, the earlier you get pet insurance, the better (before health problems develop) as these won’t be covered by pet insurance.
- Do I have to provide a copy of my pet’s medical history?
- You generally won’t need to provide a full medical history, but will need to disclose any illnesses or injuries your pet has suffered prior to taking out the policy.
- What if my pet was adopted from a shelter?
- You will need to provide a copy of the documentation provided by the pet shelter.
- Can I get cover for multiple pets at once?
- Yes. Most companies will let you get cover for multiple pets, with some offering multi-policies discounts when you do.
- What happens if I can’t remember how old my pet is?
- Most companies will let you provide an estimate of your pet’s age when applying for cover. Some insurers might ask you to consult a vet for a more precise estimate.
- Does pet insurance cover vaccinations?
- Vaccinations are usually covered under policies with a Routine Care Benefit. This is normally either included or available as an optional add-on for comprehensive policies.
- Can’t I just put money into a savings account?
- A high-interest savings account is certainly an option if you’d like to pay for your pet’s vet bills yourself. Self-insuring has its benefits (the main one being not having to pay monthly premiums!) but it has its shortcomings as well. With the rising costs of vet care and the unpredictability of accidents, your pet might be in need of serious medical treatment before you have enough money saved up to cover it. And should your pet develop an ongoing, chronic illness, looking for an affordable insurance policy at that point would be very difficult. Either way, the choice is yours.
