The Finder Pet Insurance Awards showcase the best pet insurance products across two key categories; value and comprehensive. Our methodology has been curated to help pet owners find the best fit for their furry friends by comparing products from 29 providers, assessing products for features, including price.
Best Value Pet Insurance: Budget Direct Essential Cover
Budget Direct Essential Cover is this year's Finder Award winner for Best Value Pet Insurance. The insurer keeps premiums affordable while delivering substantial coverage, ensuring customers can keep their pets safe without blowing the bank.
Highly commended
ING Pet Insurance
ING Pet Insurance keeps things easy with one affordable level of cover for dogs and cats, earning it a 2026 Highly Commended Finder Award.
ING Pet Insurance
ING Pet Insurance keeps things easy with one affordable level of cover for dogs and cats, earning it a 2026 Highly Commended Finder Award.
Guardian Bronze Accident & Illness Cover
Underwritten by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, a globally leading pet insurer, Guardian's Bronze Accident & Illness Cover offers a wide range of pet insurance cover types. It gives peace of mind to pet owners when they need it most.
Guardian Bronze Accident & Illness Cover
Underwritten by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, a globally leading pet insurer, Guardian's Bronze Accident & Illness Cover offers a wide range of pet insurance cover types. It gives peace of mind to pet owners when they need it most.
Vets Choice Pro Cover
Vets Choice Pro Cover covers up to 80% of eligible vet bills and is the only insurer to be endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association, earning it a place in this year's Highly Commended category for value.
Vets Choice Pro Cover
Vets Choice Pro Cover covers up to 80% of eligible vet bills and is the only insurer to be endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association, earning it a place in this year's Highly Commended category for value.
Real Insurance Classic Accident & Illness Cover
Real Insurance earned itself a Highly Commended spot for its generous premium benefit and coverage options for a basic policy, covering both accidents and illness.
Real Insurance Classic Accident & Illness Cover
Real Insurance earned itself a Highly Commended spot for its generous premium benefit and coverage options for a basic policy, covering both accidents and illness.
Best Comprehensive Pet Insurance: Fetch Pet Insurance
Fetch Pet Insurance offers top to bottom protection for pet owners at a reasonable pricepoint, earning it a 2026 Finder Award for Best Comprehensive Pet Insurance.
Highly commended
Australian Unity Platinum Cover
Covering a wide range of conditions across accidents and illness at a decent price, Australian Unity Platinum Cover earned itself a Highly Commended Award for Comprehensive Pet Insurance.
Australian Unity Platinum Cover
Covering a wide range of conditions across accidents and illness at a decent price, Australian Unity Platinum Cover earned itself a Highly Commended Award for Comprehensive Pet Insurance.
Petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover
petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover delivers all-round value to pet owners with same-day accident cover, flexible excess options and a generous annual reimbursement rate, earning it a spot in our Highly Commended category.
Petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover
petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover delivers all-round value to pet owners with same-day accident cover, flexible excess options and a generous annual reimbursement rate, earning it a spot in our Highly Commended category.
Everyday Insurance Comprehensive Plus Cover
Everyday Pet Insurance Comprehensive Plus Cover has earned a Highly Commended award for its affordable and fuss-free cover, delivering must-have protection during emergencies.
Everyday Insurance Comprehensive Plus Cover
Everyday Pet Insurance Comprehensive Plus Cover has earned a Highly Commended award for its affordable and fuss-free cover, delivering must-have protection during emergencies.
Bow Wow Meow Nose-to-Tail Cover
Featuring GapOnly claims, competitive pricing and a high benefit limit, Bow Wow Meow Nose-to-Tail Cover was a top performer, earning it a Highly Commended Award for 2026.
Bow Wow Meow Nose-to-Tail Cover
Featuring GapOnly claims, competitive pricing and a high benefit limit, Bow Wow Meow Nose-to-Tail Cover was a top performer, earning it a Highly Commended Award for 2026.
About Finder's Pet Insurance Awards methodology
Finder's Pet Insurance Awards recognises market-leading pet insurance products, using our proprietary ratings methodology. We compare products from 29 providers, assessing products for features, including price.
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To be eligible for the awards, providers must provide quotes across a number of pet personas. The quotes across each of these personas are averaged to determine the average price per provider. For value insurance, price accounted for 70% of the total. For comprehensive insurance, it accounted for 30%.
Breed Persona Cavoodle Dog, male, cavoodle, 1yr old Cavoodle Dog, male, cavoodle, 2yrs old Cavoodle Dog, male, cavoodle, 4yrs old Cavoodle Dog, male, cavoodle, 5yrs old Cavoodle Dog, male, cavoodle, 6yrs old Border Collie Dog, female, border collie, 1yr old Border Collie Dog, female, border collie, 2yrs old Border Collie Dog, female, border collie, 5yrs old Border Collie Dog, female, border collie, 6yrs old Golden retriever Dog, female, golden retriever, 1yr old Golden retriever Dog, female, golden retriever, 5yrs old Golden retriever Dog, male, golden retriever, 1yr old Golden retriever Dog, male, golden retriever, 5yrs old Maltese cross Dog, female, maltese cross, 1yr old Maltese cross Dog, female, maltese cross, 5yrs old Labrador Dog, female, labrador, 1yr old Labrador Dog, female, labrador, 5yrs old Staffordshire bull terrier Dog, female, staffordshire bull terrier, 1yr old Staffordshire bull terrier Dog, female, staffordshire bull terrier, 5yrs old Staffordshire bull terrier Dog, male, staffordshire bull terrier, 1yr old Staffordshire bull terrier Dog, male, staffordshire bull terrier, 5yrs old Dachshund Dog, male, dachshund, 1yr old Dachshund Dog, male, dachshund, 2yrs old Dachshund Dog, male, dachshund, 3yrs old Dachshund Dog, male, dachshund, 4yrs old Dachshund Dog, male, dachshund, 5yrs old King charles cavalier spaniel Dog, male, king charles cavalier spaniel, 1yr old King charles cavalier spaniel Dog, male, king charles cavalier spaniel, 5yrs old Greyhound Dog, male, greyhound, 6 months Greyhound Dog, male, greyhound, 1yr old Greyhound Dog, male, greyhound, 5yrs old Domestic short hair Cat, male, domestic shorthair, 2yrs old Domestic short hair Cat, male, domestic shorthair, 6yrs old Tabby Cat, male, tabby, 1yr old Tabby Cat, male, tabby, 5yrs old -
Feature Score - Medical Coverage Accidental injury 10.00% Illness cover 10.00% Cancer treatment 8.00% Hereditary conditions 6.00% Skin conditions 5.00% IVDD 4.00% Cruciate ligament cover 4.00% Specialist care cover 4.00% Radiology cover 3.00% Lab tests / pathology 3.00% Alternative therapy 3.00% After-hours visits 3.00% Feature Score - Policy Terms Maximum yearly benefit 6.00% Reimbursement rate 6.00% Excess options available 3.00% Third-party liability cover 3.00% Feature Score - Routine and Preventative Care Dental care 6.00% Routine care 3.00% Microchipping cover 1.00% Feature Score - Claim and Coverage conditions Tick paralysis benefit 4.00% Paralysis tick benefit 3.00% Emergency boarding cover 2.00%
Why you can trust our awards


All the Finder Awards
Check out the best of the best, judged by experts.
Explore our past award winners
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Best Value Pet Insurance
- Winner: Budget Direct Comprehensive Cover
- Highly Commended: ahm Platinum Cover
- Highly Commended: Everyday Pet Insurance Comprehensive Cover
Best Comprehensive Pet Insurance
- Winner: Fetch Pet Insurance
- Highly Commended: Budget Direct Comprehensive Cover
- Highly Commended: Petinsurance.com.au Dog Platinum Cover
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Best Pet Insurance - Value
- Winner: Bow Wow Meow Ultimate Care Plan
- Highly Commended: Petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover
- Highly Commended: Coles Comprehensive Cover
Best Pet Insurance - Comprehensive
- Winner: Petinsurance.com.au Platinum Cover
- Highly Commended: Pet Insurance Australia Major Medical Cover
- Highly Commended: Coles Comprehensive Cover
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Finder writers are subject matter experts and use primary sources, in-depth research and interviews with other experts to ensure you're getting accurate, up-to-date information. Articles are fact checked in line with our editorial guidelines.
- Pet Insurance 2026 Finder Awards
Ceyda Erem is Finder’s senior writer for insurance and has almost 10 years of experience writing about personal finance. Formerly a copywriter for several business and finance clients, Ceyda has written hundreds of articles, guides, blogs and more to ensure Australians stay in the loop about how to best manage their money. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Writing from Macquarie University. See full bio
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