Buddy offers cover for cats and dogs up to 8 years of age, with generous Gold, Silver and Bronze policies. Fortnightly, monthly and annual payment options are offered, with a discount for yearly payments. Buddy launched in June 2025, and is administered by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Pros
You get your first month free in your first year of cover, which amounts to an effective 8.3% discount. There's also a 10% discount for each additional pet you insure after the first.
Gold policies have a $35,000 annual cap for coverage, which is one of the highest on the market. The 90% benefit limit for Gold is also higher than most rivals.
You can customise your policies for excess levels and extra inclusions to reduce the cost.
Cons
Policy costs rise rapidly if you want a $0 excess.
Animals 9 years or older can't get cover.
You're still liable for between 10-30% of vet bills, depending on your cover level.
There's no coverage for any animals other than dogs and cats.
Since Buddy is newly-launched, there haven't yet been enough customer reviews to assess how well it handles claims. We'll keep monitoring this as part of our ongoing Customer Satisfaction Awards.
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We designed Finder Score to make comparing pet insurance easier, assessing more than 20 products for their price and features. Finder Score assigns each product a score out of 10.
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Why choose Buddy pet insurance?
Key features included in their policies include:
Competitive annual benefit limits. Buddy offers varying levels of coverage with annual benefit limits reaching up to $35,000 on Gold plans, providing a higher ceiling for vet expenses compared to many standard market offerings.
Booster care for dental and therapy. An optional Booster Care benefit provides a separate limit for specified dental conditions (such as gingivitis and fractured teeth) and specialised therapies including behavioral consultations, acupuncture, and physiotherapy.
Community giving program. Through its Giving Program, Buddy has committed $1 million to Australian animal welfare organisations and research initiatives, supporting partners such as WIRES, WWF-Australia, and Vets Beyond Borders.
On-the-spot claims with GapOnly. At participating veterinary clinics, Buddy supports GapOnly. This allows pet owners to pay only the "gap" (the difference between the vet invoice and the insurance benefit) at the time of the visit.
Flexible reimbursement and excess. Policies provide up to 90% reimbursement on eligible vet bills. Policyholders can also customise their plans by choosing between different excess levels (such as $0, $200, or $500) to adjust their premium costs.
No sub-limits on standard plans. Unlike many policies that cap payments for specific conditions (such as tick paralysis or cruciate ligaments), Buddy's Bronze, Silver, and Gold plans do not apply separate sub-limits, allowing claims up to the full annual limit.
Supporting veterinary research. Buddy is at the forefront with supporting animal welfare, veterinary wellbeing and research through its $1 million Giving Program.
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How we picked these
Pet: 5-year-old dog
Breed: Dachshund, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Greyhound
DOB: 1 June 2020
Sex: Male
Quotes updated in July 2025
Desexed: Yes
Excess: $100
Owner's DOB: 1 May 1985
Address: New South Wales, 2011
Prices will differ based on a few criteria, including:
The gender, breed and age of your pet
The level of cover you choose
Your excess
Your location
If your pet is desexed.
What will not be covered with Buddy?
The Bronze, Silver, and Gold plans are subject to specific exclusions and conditions, which include:
Pre-existing conditions
Routine and preventative care
Elective or non-essential procedures
Reproductive and breeding costs
Advanced or experimental treatments
Unapproved medications
Neglect or intentional harm
To view the full list of exclusions before taking out cover, please review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
How to submit a Buddy Pet Insurance claim
Buddy supports the GapOnly payment platform. If your vet offers this, you'll only have to pay the difference between the vet's charges and what Buddy itself will pay. If GapOnly isn't available, this is the process:
Pay your vet bill: After your pet's treatment, pay the invoice in full and collect an itemised receipt along with your pet's medical notes.
Fill out a claim form: Log in to the Buddy member portal to complete a claim form. You can also download a form from the website if you prefer to send it via email.
Attach supporting documents: Include your itemised invoice and any relevant vet notes or medical history.
Submit your claim: Upload your documents via the Buddy online portal or submit them via email.
Wait for assessment: Buddy will assess your claim and may contact you or your vet for more information.
Get reimbursed: If approved, you'll be reimbursed up to 90% of eligible vet costs (depending on your coverage level minus your chosen excess), usually via bank transfer.
Frequently asked questions about Buddy Pet Insurance
The cost will vary depending on your animal's age, sex and breed, and the level of inclusions you select. As an example, Gold cover for a 3-year-old male labrador was quoted at $1207.67 with annual payment and a $500 excess in July 2025. If you wanted $0 excess, that went up to $2146.48.
To get coverage for pre-existing conditions, you'll need to submit an assessment form to Buddy to see if coverage is available for your pet. Typically, your pet will need to be free of symptoms for 18 months before those conditions can be excluded. Like most insurers, Buddy won't cover pre-existing conditions that can't be cured, including hip or elbow dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease, patella luxation and endocrine diseases.
Yes, waiting periods apply. These are the main ones:
2 days for accidental injuries
30 days for illnesses
6 months for cruciate ligament conditions
If you take out additional Booster Care benefits, there's a 30-day waiting period for behavioural conditions and 6 months for specified dental conditions.
Angus Kidman is Finder’s global Editor-at-Large and an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in tech, travel and finance. He was previously the editor of Lifehacker Australia and Australian Personal Computer, and is a recognised commentator, appearing on shows like Sunrise and The Project. A two-time IT Journalism Award winner, Angus has written for top publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald, the AFR, The Australian and Gizmodo, and is known for his expertise in travel rewards and consumer technology.
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