Budget Direct Pet Insurance ⭐Finder Exclusive:
Apply by 31 December 2021 to get a $55 eGift card. T&C’s apply.
- $12,000 annual benefit for accidental injuries/illnesses
- Cover for all orthopaedic conditions
- 5% multi-pet discount per pet
Cheap pet insurance
Cheap pet insurance does exist! You can protect your dog or cat from as little as $19.65 a month.
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
Cheap pet insurance policies for dogs
To help you find a cheap pet insurance policy, we calculated the average monthly cost of accident-only pet insurance from 6 Australian pet insurance providers for 5 popular dog breeds. Quotes are taken in August 2021 based on a 1 and 5-year-old desexed male dog. The owner was 24 years old at the time and lived in the 2010 postcode.
| Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | German Shepherd | Get quote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pet Insurance | $53.85 | $57.78 | $57.78 | $80.11 | $98.49 | Get quote |
 Essentials Pet Care | $69.01 | $64.91 | $64.91 | $56.64 | $64.91 | Get quote |
 Accident Plan | $24.36 | $24.36 | $19.65* | $29.45 | $19.68 | Get quote |
 Pet Insurance | $95.89 | $95.89 | $90.25 | $52.57 | $96.06 | Get quote |
 | $68.50 | $79.14 | $68.50 | $71.87 | $79.14 | Get quote |
 Pet Essentials | $81.98 | $82.25 | $82.25 | $65.07 | $82.25 | Get quote |
Remember these prices won't be the exact same for you. Pet insurance costs differ depending on your pet's breed, age, health and where you live. To get a precise quote, you'll need to click "get quote" from one or more of the pet insurers above where you'll be asked a few questions about your pet.
Cheap pet insurance policies for cats
Here's a breakdown of some cheap pet insurance policies for cats. We calculated the average monthly cost of an accident-only policy from 6 providers for 5 popular cats breeds. Quotes are taken in August 2021 based on a 1 and 5-year-old male cat. The owner was 24 years old at the time and lived in the 2010 postcode.
| Ragdoll cat | Persian cat | Siamese cat | Burmese cat | Tabby cat | Get quote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet Insurance | $42.04 | $50.71 | $42.04 | $42.04 | $31.21 | Get quote |
| Essentials Pet Care | $33.03 | $37.03 | $39.23 | $37.03 | $30.02 | Get quote |
| Accident Plan | $12.81 | $12.81 | $12.81 | $12.81 | $12.81 | Get quote |
| Pet Insurance | $52.57 | $52.57 | $52.57 | $52.57 | $46.89 | Get quote |
| $42.49 | $42.49 | $42.49 | $42.49 | $42.49 | Get quote |
| Pet Essentials | $44.34 | $47.26 | $50.28 | $47.26 | $39.08 | Get quote |
Deals and discounts to make your pet insurance cheaper
Deal
exclusive
Receive a $55 eGift card after your 21-day cooling off period. Apply by 31 December 2021.
The eGift Card will be sent after the 21 day cooling off period. Use the link to qualify and redeem the offer. T&Cs apply.
Deal
Save up to 15% when you buy Budget Direct Pet Insurance online
Get 15% off on your first year’s premium when you buy online.
Deal
exclusive
Get 10% off your pet insurance premiums
Get 10% off of the first year. Lower prices for lower risk pets. T&C's apply.
Code
Get 10% off your first year of cover
Use the code to get 10% off your purchase of a new Coles Pet Insurance policy. T&C's apply.
Deal
Get free pet insurance for the first 2 months
Get 2 months free pet insurance when you sign up for cover with Pet Insurance Australia
Deal
Get your first month free
Apply for a PD pet insurance policy online and get your first month free. T&C's apply.
Deal
Get 2 months free and a personalised pet tag.
Enjoy 2 months free and personalised pet tag. Petsy members enjoy free personalised gifts, exclusive pet discounts and perks for humans.
Deal
Get $75 Kogan.com Credit
Sign up and get $75 Kogan.com credit with a $10 ongoing monthly credit. T&Cs apply.
Code
Get 11% off your first year
Sign up by 7 Dec 2021 and use our promo code to save on your first year of Medibank Pet Insurance. T&Cs apply.
What does cheap pet insurance cover?
Cheap pet insurance policies usually only cover accidents. If you want cover for illnesses, you'll need to pay a little more. A basic accident-only pet insurance policy usually comes with an annual claim limit of between $3,000 and $12,000 and will typically cover your pet for the following:
- Injuries from car accidents
- Burns and electrocution
- Snake bites
- Allergic reactions to insect bites, excluding ticks and fleas
- Injuries such as bite wounds caused by other animals
- Falls
How to find cheap pet insurance
Follow these 4 quick and easy steps, use the filters at the top of the page and you'll be able to find a cheap pet insurance policy in just a few minutes.
Go for an accident-only policy
Accident-only pet insurance policies are the cheapest type of cover you can get. If you're happy to go without illness cover, narrow your search by selecting accident-only policies from the filters.
Select a higher excess
The higher the excess you choose, the cheaper your premiums will be. Our filters let you choose between a $0 and $500 excess to help lower costs. Just remember that you'll need to pay this excess whenever you make a claim.
Opt for a lower annual limit and reimbursement rate
An annual limit is the maximum amount you can claim per year. The reimbursement rate refers to the percentage of a vet bill the pet insurer will pay. Generally, the lower the annual limit and reimbursement rate, the cheaper your pet insurance policy is likely to cost.
Get multiple quotes
While we can't show you exactly how much you'll pay for a pet insurance policy, there's nothing stopping you from clicking through, answering some questions about your pet and getting a couple of different quotes. If price is your only concern, go with the insurer that gives you the cheapest quote.
What to watch out for when buying cheap pet insurance
Before you go buying the cheapest policy out there, ask yourself these questions:
- How much can you claim back? Policies will reimburse you a certain percentage of costs, typically from about 60% to 80%. Consider how low you're willing to go just for a cheap policy.
- What's the excess? The excess is a fee you pay when you make a claim. A higher excess generally results in a lower premium.
- What are the limits? This is the maximum amount you can claim in a year. Some events will have sub-limits applied.
- Does it cover illnesses? Accident only cover is cheaper, but you might want to pay a little more and get illnesses covered as well.
- Can you add routine care cover? If it's available, routine care cover is often a worthwhile inclusion that can save more than it costs.
- Does it have lifetime cover? Many policies on Finder let you get lifetime cover for your pets. If it is a guaranteed renewal offer, you can continue to renew an existing policy as long as you keep paying your premiums.
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Ask an Expert
I got my cat for free 2 weeks and was advised by previous owner that he had been bitten by a snake. The owner gave the medication for the wound, which I feel isn’t healing the wound. Would I be able to get insurance for pre-existing injury
Hi Angela,
Thanks for your question.
Although your pet has a pre-existing condition, it does not mean you can’t get pet insurance. For this, you have to make special arrangements with your insurer. As terms and conditions vary extensively among insurance companies, it would be best to check it with the insurer beforehand.
Cheers,
Liezl
I am about to buy my 6th Labrador from Guide Dogs Australia, age 15 months and in perfect health. My previous dogs suffered from tick bites and one, a ruptured cruciate ligament. As these are common ailments, it seems that all insurers cap their benefits at less than half the cost of actual treatment in order to maximise profits. Is there any pet insurance policy that does not include caps on these ailments and will pay the advertised 80%, or whatever, of the actual cost within the advertised annual limit?
Hi George,
Thanks for getting in touch. It will depend on the policy but most pet insurers offer either yearly benefits or a percentage of total cost benefit.
Cheers,
Richard
Do any insurance companies actually offer a zero waiting period? Seems a bit of a rip off paying for 12 months insurance when your pup isn’t covered for the first 30 days …
Hi Nigel,
Thanks for your question. We currently only have two pet insurers in our panel and both have waiting periods. Both the Bow Wow Meow and Woolworths Pet Insurance waiting periods are:
30 days – For Conditions covered under the Illness and tick paralysis sections.
6 months – For cruciate ligament conditions.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
Hi,
Looking for a pet insurance that covers at least half the cost of obedience training/behavior training. Can you please assist.
Regards,
Michael
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your question.
Many pet insurance policies provide some cover for obedience training. The insurers listed below all provide $50 each year for obedience training (seems to be an industry standard):
Woolworths Pet Insurance
Real Pet Insurance
Guardian Pet Insurance
Medibank Pet Insurance
Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard