Pet Insurance

Having a pet as a companion can be a wonderful experience... but it can also be an unexpectedly expensive one!

The initial purchase cost of your pet, high or low as that may be, can be cheap compared to veterinary costs if your pet becomes seriously ill, or sustains severe injuries. You may be up for several thousand dollars of vet bills in a single instance, and this may happen more than once in your pet's life, especially as they age.

Dog fights! Cat fights! Motor vehicle accidents! Snake bites! Poisoning! Ear infections! Cancer! Hip Dysplasia! Diabetes! Renal failure!

The list goes on and on...

Apart from general increases in vet service costs, there are also many more options of treatment becoming available for your pet. New advancements in vet care has led to a better chance of quality life for many animals, and along with this, added possible expenses. For example, pets can now be treated for cancer by chemotherapy or radiation therapy, rather than just surgery or euthanasia.

Most people want to provide the best veterinary care possible for their beloved companion, but sometimes financial constraints lead loving pet owners to have to have their pet put down as they just can't afford the alternative options. This can be heartbreaking for all concerned.

If a huge vet bill might significantly impact your family, pet insurance may be the ideal safeguard.


Pet health insurance premiums and types and percentage of vet treatments covered, vary widely. Policies also vary for different types of pets. The most common policies are pet insurance for dogs and pet insurance for cats. There are also policies for other animal insurance like bird insurance, horse insurance, exotic pet insurance, rabbits, natives and other small animals. You can buy pet insurance that gives you 100% coverage of most illness and accident related vet expenses up to a stated limit, or pet insurance policies that give you a choice of what percentage you wish to be covered for. Discounts may apply for insuring multiple pets.

Some policies also include standard vet costs for things such as desexing, vaccinations, micro-chipping, flea treatments, teeth cleaning etc. Policies usually have some exclusions. Also, certain breeds that are prone to certain problems may be excluded, or have higher premiums. Age limits for the initial cover also often apply (often over a few weeks old, and under 8 or 9 years old, although certain breeds may only be eligible to take out initial cover at a younger age), but once accepted the animal is usually entitled to cover for life, as long as the premiums are continued.

Some pet insurance policies also offer extras (up to specified limits) such as money to help you purchase a new pet if yours dies due to illness or injury or is lost or stolen, pet boarding fees, advertising and reward money for lost pets, and holiday cancellation fee money in case your pet goes missing or needs urgent veterinary treatment, resulting in the need to cancel your holiday.

Not all vet procedures are covered. Some which may not be included are pregnancy, elective procedures, pet foods/diets, grooming, behavioural problems, dental conditions and, almost always, pre-existing conditions that showed clinical signs before taking out the insurance. There is also often a waiting period for coverage of certain treatments, however usually accidental injury is covered immediately. Usually you are able to use any liscensed veterinarian of your choice, Australia wide.

Pet insurance can help give pet owners peace of mind. Knowing you are covered in times of emergency takes away the worry of where the money for the vet bills is coming from, and allows you to make decisions based entirely on your pet's best interests, and to concentrate on helping your beloved pet recover as quickly and fully as possible.


Check out the various pet insurance policies online.

Many sites offer a special quote tool so you can easily make pet insurance comparison for premium prices and coverage. Hopefully you will find a policy that suits your budget, whether it be top of the line everything included insurance, or a budget insurance policy... however be careful of very cheap pet insurance, as it may not really cover you for very much, or have restrictions. Always read the fine print!


Wishing you and your pet a long and happy life together!