Cheap pet insurance

Video: how to get cheap pet insurance in Australia

Cheap pet insurance options

To demonstrate just how much pet insurance premiums can vary between providers, we gathered a range of quotes from pet insurers for a 5-year-old male, desexed Staffordshire Terrier. The figures below can be used as a general guide to highlight how premiums can differ between providers. Your own quote will likely differ.

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Sample quote
Promoted Budget Direct Essential Cover	Sample quote $647.75	Get quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Australian Unity Silver Cover	Sample quote $557.11	Continue More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Orivet Silver Cover	Sample quote $557.11	Continue More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Potiki Silver Cover	Sample quote $557.11	Continue More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Petinsurance.com.au Dog Silver Cover	Sample quote $557.11	Continue More info Compare product selection Compare	loading

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How we picked these

To learn more about how we got the costs above, read our pet insurance methodology.

How to get cheaper pet insurance

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 does pet insurance cover?

A typical pet insurance policy can cover you for a range of treatments. Each provider differs so be sure to understand what's included as standard and what you'll need to add as an optional extra.

Here are some of the benefits you'll find in your policy:

How does pet insurance work?

In the event your pet needs medical attention, pet insurance works by providing you with a partial reimbursement on the vet fees you had to pay. This is done with a few considerations:

Benefit percentage

When you take out your pet insurance policy, you can elect a reimbursement rate. The options are typically for 70, 80, 90 or 100%. The higher your reimbursement rate, the higher your premium will be.

Benefit limit and sub-limits

Each insurer has a maximum cover amount available per year. This is the limit which they will pay out in any single year. On top of this, there are sub-limits which apply to specific treatments. Let's say for example, you take out a policy with a max cover amount of $30,000. Afterwards, you have to go to the vet for a cruciate ligament treatment and it costs you $4,000. You go to make a claim for cruciate ligaments but it has a sub-limit of $1,500. This means you only get reimbursed for $1,500 of the $4,000 you paid.

Policy excess

When you take out a policy, you will nominate an excess to pay. This is the amount you will have to pay the insurer to be able to make a claim on your policy. Often, instead of having to transfer the money to your insurer, they'll just deduct it from your reimbursement.

How is a pet insurance premium calculated?

The cost of your pet insurance premium is highly customised. It will depend on any of the following:

• Breed
• Age
• How healthy they currently are and if they've had illnesses in the past

The status of your pet aside, there are a few other factors that influence your overall premium:

• Policy excess: The higher your excess, the lower your premium
• Optional extras: The more you add, the more expensive your policy will be.

"I realised the value of pet insurance when one of my dogs got very sick as a young puppy. We have now had both dogs insured for years. I can't tell you how much we've saved being able to claim vet bills for injuries and some illnesses. If I could do it again, I would organise insurance before bringing the dogs home as puppies."

Elizabeth Barry

Journalist

FAQs

• Who has the cheapest pet insurance?

  According to Finder's 2025 pet insurance awards, Budget Direct has the cheapest pet insurance policy. Keep in mind, this is based on a specific pet profile and your own quote will differ. It's wise to get quotes from multiple providers to see which one has the best value for your circumstances.

• What is the best pet insurance?

  The best pet insurance will depend on your needs and your budget. For those looking for a policy with generous cover limits that remains comparatively affordable, Finder found petinsurance.com.au to be one of the best. You can read about our award winners here.

• Does pet insurance cover desexing?

  If your policy includes routine care then there's a good chance you're covered for desexing.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise

Gary Ross has written 589 Finder guides across topics including:

• Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
• Managing the cost of living

Co-written by

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

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