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