Pet Insurance FAQs

When you take out a policy, you’ll be able to register for the petinsurance.com.au secure pet portal.  Claiming via the portal is easy - simply upload a copy of your vet's tax invoice and consultation notes. If it’s your first claim, you’ll need to attach a full veterinary history. If you don’t have access to the customer portal, you can call the friendly customer service team at petinsurance.com.au on 1300 855 633 for claim forms.

For illnesses, there is a waiting period of 30 days from the beginning of your policy before you can make a claim.

For some injuries, there is also a 30-day waiting period, while others have a waiting period of 0 days, meaning that a claim can be made as soon as your policy commences. The specific incidents to which each waiting period applies are listed in the product disclosure statements for both dog cover and cat cover.  

Cruciate ligament conditions for both dogs and cats have a waiting period of 6 months.

Your policy will commence at 23h59 (11:59pm) on the day that your application has been accepted.

Once all the necessary documentation has been received, claims are generally finalised within 5-10 business days unless we need further information from you to assess the claim.

If you make a claim for a treatment that’s covered under your policy, you’ll receive 80% of the total cost reimbursed to you, up to the annual benefit limits.

Certain expenses are not covered; these are set out in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for both dog cover and cat cover.

Yep! You can use any vet who is licenced to practice in Australia.

No, all the petinsurance.com.au policies have zero excess.

No. You’ll need to pay your vet up front and, providing you’ve met the policy terms and conditions, petinsurance.com.au will reimburse you by depositing the relevant amount into your nominated bank account.

There are several rating factors that affect the calculation of your premium, including your pet’s age, breed and location. There are a few reasons why some breeds can cost more than others, such as genetic pre-disposition, activity levels, and even the size of the dog.

Your policy will automatically renew each year, unless you choose otherwise. So, unless you don’t accept the renewal offer or you don’t pay the premiums when they’re due, you don’t have to worry about your pet’s cover lapsing.

Each year, you’ll receive a renewal notice advising you of the renewal date and any changes that may have been introduced to your existing level of cover.

If you haven’t made a claim under the policy and you’ve paid the annual premium in full, the portion of the premium that reflects the remainder of the policy period will be refunded to you. No refund is available where you have chosen the monthly or fortnightly payment options.

If you have made a claim under the policy, and you’ve chosen to pay premiums annually, no refund is provided if you cancel your policy. Where you have chosen to pay monthly or fortnightly, any remaining premium still has to be paid for the remainder of the policy period.

It’s common for insurance premiums to increase slightly each year as your pet gets older.

For dogs and cats, your pet insurance premium can be affected by several rating factors, including your pet’s age and breed.

For accident and illness policies, your pet needs to be older than 8 weeks and younger than 9 years of age when you purchase your policy.

For accident only policies, you can apply for cover at any age over 8 weeks.

Pregnancy, and any conditions or complications related to pregnancy, are excluded from these policies.

Pet insurance is designed to cover eligible pet health costs. Financial loss by death, theft or straying, or any related conditions or complications related to these, is a general exclusion on the policy and will not be covered.

A $50 benefit for vaccinations (as well as flea/tick/ blood screen) is available if you select Routine Car, which is an option available with any of our pet insurance policies.

Routine Care also offers a $100 benefit for the following treatments and processes:

• Desexing
• Microchipping
• Heartworm control
• Teeth cleaning
• Prescription diets
• Cremation or burial
• Dental illness treatment
• Council registration fees
• Obedience training
• Behavioural therapy
• Alternative therapies

Dog Insurance and Puppy Insurance are essentially the same product, in that they cover the same conditions and feature the same benefits and limits. The difference lies in the age at which your pet qualifies, and the way premiums are determined.

If your dog is over 6 months old, it qualifies for Dog Insurance, whereas if it’s between 8 weeks and 6 months old, it qualifies for Puppy Insurance. If you take out a Puppy Insurance policy while your puppy is within the eligible age range, your premiums will remain fixed for three years. If you take out a Dog Insurance policy, your premiums will be subject to change at each annual policy renewal.

Choosing the right policy for your dog comes down to two factors; their age, and what conditions you’d like to be covered. First, determine whether you qualify for Puppy Insurance or Dog Insurance, then decide whether you need cover for injuries and illness, or injuries only.

If your dog is younger than 6 months, they’ll qualify for Puppy Insurance, which offers fixed premiums for three years. If they’re 6 months or older, you can consider Dog Insurance.

Both the puppy and dog options offer Accidental Injury Cover, as well as Accidental Injury and Illness Cover. A policy that only covers injuries may offer you a lower premium, but you could still be liable for large costs if your dog contracts an illness.

Once you’ve chosen a policy type, you can consider adding optional routine care. This will also affect your premium, but it will greatly broaden the range of treatments for which your pet will be covered.

It may be worth taking the time to consider your needs and budget before you lock in your policy.

Choosing the right policy for your cat is largely a matter of determining which conditions you’d like it to be covered for. Broader coverage can incur higher premium payments but will reduce the likelihood of you needing to make large out-of-pocket payments in future.

When selecting a Cat Insurance policy for your feline friend, it may be worth identifying whether they’re mostly an indoor cat or whether they spend a lot of time outdoors. If you choose Indoor Cat Cover, you’ll be covered for illness only. If your cat will likely be spending some time outdoors, or if you have an indoor cat but still want the broadest coverage available, you can select Accidental Injury & Illness.

You can also choose Accidental Injury cover, which doesn’t include cover for illnesses. This is the only option available to cats over 9 years old.

Once you’ve chosen a policy type, you can consider adding optional routine care. This will also affect your premium, but it will greatly broaden the range of treatments for which you’ll be covered. It may be worth taking the time to consider your needs and budget before you lock in your policy.

If your cat is primarily an indoor cat, it may be less susceptible to accidental injuries, meaning that cover for those injuries may be unnecessary. However, some form of insurance – for example, a policy that will cover illnesses – may still be worth considering.

As with other types of insurance, choosing the right policy for you may involve assessing your needs, including lifestyle and budget. In the case of Cat Insurance, you can get Accidental Injury or Accidental Injury & Illness cover. If your cat spends a lot of time outside, and as such is more likely to be injured by things like car accidents or attacks from other animals, you could consider one of these policy types.

For an indoor car, insurance for accidental injuries may be lower down your list of priorities, especially if you’re on a strict budget. In this scenario, you could consider Indoor Cat Cover, which offers illness-only coverage.