How do I make a HCF pet insurance claim?

To make a HCF Pet Insurance claim, follow these steps: You must first ensure that you carefully and honestly complete and sign your claim form before submitting it to HCF within 90 days of the treatment being claimed. First time claimers, must provide a full veterinary history from your current vet and all previous veterinarians who have treated your pet in the past. Have your vet complete and sign the appropriate section of the form before sending it in; and finally, ensure that All original itemised invoices and payment receipts must be attached and sent in with your claim form.

What am I not covered for with HCF pet insurance?

Pre-existing conditions – refers to any medical condition, your pet shows signs or symptoms of before your insurance commencement date or during any applicable Waiting Period. Dental Care – refers to dental disease and procedures, gingivitis and treatment of teeth fractures, teeth cleaning and scaling and removal of deciduous or fractured teeth or any oral disease. Day-to-Day Care – includes but is not limited to, regular prescription drugs, preventative procedures, grooming and bathing or treatment while your pet is being used for commercial or occupational purposes. Certain Treatments and Conditions – that won't be covered include medication not approved or listed by the APVMA, breeding or obstetrics, cell-replacement therapies and inconclusive diagnosis. Certain Services & Procedures – such as transport or boarding expenses, ambulance fees, house calls and genetic/chromosome testing. Elective Procedures – refers to any routine examinations, cosmetic procedures and experimental treatments or therapies.

Does HCF cover all types of pets?

Pet insurance policies provided are only available for cats and dogs. Cats and dogs used for commercial purposes such as security and racing are not eligible for cover.

At what age can I get insurance for my pet?

HCF will cover all cats and dog as young as 8 weeks old and younger than 9 years old under their Premium cover option.

Will my pet be covered for hereditary and congenital defects?

Yes, however, they will only be covered for conditions that arise after your insurance Commencement Date and only to the terms and conditions stated in your policy.

HCF Pet Insurance Policy Review

4.1 ★★★★★ (120 reviews) Write a review

A good-vlaue if you're already an HCF member.
Gold multi-pet discount but lower limit than others.

Pros

It's good if you're a HCF member — you can get 15% off.
You can also get 10% off for insuring more than one pet.
Its policies are straightforward and easy to understand. It comes with accident and accident and illness cover options.

Cons

It offers an 80% reimbursement rate, which is what you'll find with the majority of pet insurance providers. A handful of insurers like Knose and Vets Choice do more than that though.
It lets you claim up to $12,145 each year — that's lower than most providers available on Finder.

How does HCF pet insurance compare?

Finder Score	Maximum Yearly Benefit	Paralysis Tick Yearly Sub-Limit	Reimbursement rate	Accidental Injury	Illness
Finder Score 7.4 Great HCF Pet Premium	Finder Score 7.4 Great	$12,000	$1,000	80%			HCF members save up to 15% on pet insurance. Plus get a 10% multi pet discount. T&Cs apply.	More info Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Finder Score for pet insurance

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.

Read the full methodology

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What does HCF pet insurance cover?

HCF offers the following pet insurance policies: Pet Essentials and Pet Premium. The latter comes with the option to add on routine care.

Accidental injuries

HCF's Pet Essentials and Premium plans both cover specified accidental injuries. This can help pay for vet bills (including surgery) related to:

Bone fractures
Motor vehicle incidents
Snake bite toxicity
Fight wound abscesses

Illnesses

HCF's Premium cover is the only policy to cover illnesses (as well as accidents). You'll have to wait 30 days from taking out a policy before you're covered and six months for cruciate ligament injuries – this is standard among most insurers. It can help pay for:

Cancer treatment
Skin conditions
Ear/eye conditions
Gastrointestinal problems
Ingestion of a foreign object
Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)
Hereditary and congenital conditions (but not pre-existing conditions)

Routine Care

You can get routine care cover added on to an HCF Premium policy. This type of cover is designed to help pay for common preventative treatments your pet often needs such as:

Desexing
Microchipping
Heartworm control
Vaccinations or health checks
Teeth cleaning

What do Australians think of HCF pet insurance brand?

3.78/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction - lower than the average of 4.15, and this was the lowest score in the category
3.57/5 for Trust - lower than the average of 4.39, and this was the lowest score in the category
3.95/5 for Customer Service - lower than the average of 4.16, and this was the lowest score in the category

Based on HCF pet insurance brand scores in Finder's 2024 & 2025 Customer Satisfaction Awards.

HCF pet insurance FAQs

To make a HCF Pet Insurance claim, follow these steps:
1. You must first ensure that you carefully and honestly complete and sign your claim form before submitting it to HCF within 90 days of the treatment being claimed.
2. First time claimers, must provide a full veterinary history from your current vet and all previous veterinarians who have treated your pet in the past.
3. Have your vet complete and sign the appropriate section of the form before sending it in; and finally, ensure that
4. All original itemised invoices and payment receipts must be attached and sent in with your claim form.
- Pre-existing conditions – refers to any medical condition, your pet shows signs or symptoms of before your insurance commencement date or during any applicable Waiting Period.
- Dental Care – refers to dental disease and procedures, gingivitis and treatment of teeth fractures, teeth cleaning and scaling and removal of deciduous or fractured teeth or any oral disease.
- Day-to-Day Care – includes but is not limited to, regular prescription drugs, preventative procedures, grooming and bathing or treatment while your pet is being used for commercial or occupational purposes.
- Certain Treatments and Conditions – that won't be covered include medication not approved or listed by the APVMA, breeding or obstetrics, cell-replacement therapies and inconclusive diagnosis.
- Certain Services & Procedures – such as transport or boarding expenses, ambulance fees, house calls and genetic/chromosome testing.
- Elective Procedures – refers to any routine examinations, cosmetic procedures and experimental treatments or therapies.

Sources

Thank you for your feedback!

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 588 Finder guides across topics including:

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

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