What happens if you cancel your pet insurance?

Nothing, you just won’t be covered as of the day you cancel. If you’ve paid for your premium in advance then you may be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of your premium. If you pay monthly then you’ll forgo that amount. Importantly, your pet will no longer be covered by this insurance. You’ll still have access to the vet but the cost of any consultations and surgeries will come straight from your pocket.

Does it cost to cancel pet insurance?

Not usually but some insurers may charge a cancellation fee. This is typically pretty minor — around $30-$40.

Can I cancel my pet insurance policy at any time?

Yes, you can cancel whenever you like. You may have to pay a small cancellation fee but not all insurers charge this. If they do, the fee usually doesn’t exceed around $30-$40.

What is the cooling off period for pet insurance?

This varies by insurers but it's usually between 14-30 days. Your cooling off period will be noted in your product disclosure statement (PDS) which would have been emailed to you when you took out your policy.

Cancelling pet insurance? What to know before you decide

You can cancel your pet insurance at any time, but you may want to consider switching first.
Some insurers may charge you a cancellation fee. This is typically around $30.
There’s a few things to consider before hitting the cancel button. We’ll run you through them below.

How to cancel pet insurance

To cancel your pet insurance policy, you'll need to get in touch with your pet insurance to let them know. You can usually do this by calling, emailing or writing to them. Some may even have an app that you can cancel through too.
Cancelling over the phone can feel a bit awkward. Here’s an easy script you can follow.

You: Hi, I’d like to cancel my pet insurance policy please. Can you let me know the steps to arrange this?

Insurer: Sure, may I ask why you’d like to cancel?

You: I’m finding the premiums to be really expensive and there’s no room in my budget for this at the moment.

If that’s not the real reason, feel free to include why you’re actually cancelling. We like to use this excuse because it often prompts the insurer to give you a discount or a limited period completely free.

Insurer: I’m sorry to hear this. If I can offer you 3 weeks free, would you keep your policy active for now?

Insurer: No problem at all, I can cancel your policy now. I’ll email you confirmation of this.

What to consider before cancelling your pet insurance policy

Before you hit that cancel button, there’s a few things you should consider to ensure you’re making an informed decision.

Cancellation fees. Some insurers will charge you a cancellation fee. It’s usually not much, around $30 but it never feels nice when you’re not prepared for it. We’ve outlined the different fees below.
The age of your pet. If your pet is over 9 years old then you will likely struggle to find cover for it again. This is because pet insurers typically only accept pets under 9 years of age. So if you cancel now, know that you probably won’t have the option to take out another policy later.
Do you want to switch or cancel? When you’re fed up with the rising cost of pet insurance premiums, it can be easy to jump to cancelling your policy. Before you do this, get some quotes for other policies and see if any come in cheap enough for you to consider keeping the cover. Sometimes even just calling your existing insurer and telling them you’re going to cancel can prompt them to give you a period of time for free or at a discounted rate.

Pet insurance cancellation fees

Does your pet insurer charge a cancellation fee? We’ve researched a bunch of providers and outlined their cancellation terms.

Provider	Cancellation fee
Medibank	Not stated
Kogan Pet Insurance	Not stated
Budget Direct	$40 cancellation fee
Coles Insurance	Not stated
PD Pet Insurance	Not stated
Vets Choice	Not stated
PetsOnMe	Not stated
Australian Seniors	Not stated
Guardian	Not stated
RSPCA Pet Insurance	Not stated
Pet Insurance Australia	$30 cancellation fee
Petsy	Not stated
Real Pet Insurance	Not stated
Knose	Not stated
Bow Wow Meow	Not stated
Guide Dogs Pet Insurance	Not stated

Did you know you may be entitled to a refund?

Our expert says

"If you pay your pet insurance premium annually and are cancelling before the year is up, then you could be entitled to a refund for the unused portion of your premium. A lot of people wrongly assume that if they’ve paid for the year then that money is just gone and they may as well see out the years worth of coverage. This is incorrect! You can cancel at any time and you’ll get the unused portion back."

Peta Taylor

Associate publisher

FAQs

Nothing, you just won’t be covered as of the day you cancel. If you’ve paid for your premium in advance then you may be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of your premium. If you pay monthly then you’ll forgo that amount. Importantly, your pet will no longer be covered by this insurance. You’ll still have access to the vet but the cost of any consultations and surgeries will come straight from your pocket.

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.

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

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Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio

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2 Responses

RenJune 5, 2023

I recently changed providers a month ago as I was trying to get the best deal on pet insurance. I’ve had insurance now for the past 6 years. I wanted to get the cruciate ligament time period waived so I took my dog to the vet, to which she did a quick work up on her anyway. All looked to be ok. 2 weeks later we have now noticed a lump on her chest on her right hand side. I’m curious to know as I’ve read that if it is deemed to have been there prior to the policy starting that the new insurer may not cover it, but as mentioned I’ve been insured for 6 years so if it’s deemed the new insurer won’t cover it, surely my old insurer would have to?

Finder

JamesJune 6, 2023Finder

Hi Ren,

Thanks for your message. For illnesses, you’ll generally have to serve a waiting period of between 14 to 30 days before you can claim – and 6 months for long-term conditions. It’s best to speak directly to your insurer for help with your specific situation and to find out what you can claim for.

Best,

James

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Cancelling pet insurance

You can cancel your pet insurance at any time, here’s how.