Pet insurance with no waiting periods

Compare pet insurance waiting period options

You can compare the waiting periods for each provider side by side by ticking the compare boxes.

Name	Product AUFPI	Maximum yearly benefit	Maximum yearly benefit	Reimbursement rate	Reimbursement rate	Waiting Period
Budget Direct Plus Cover		$25,000	$25,000	80%	80%	2 days for Accidental Injuries 30 days for illnesses 6 months for cruciate ligament	Apply online and get 15% off your first year's premium. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Medibank Pet Max Cover with Extra Care		$30,000	$30,000	90%	90%	30 days for illness & specialised therapies 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions and specified dental conditions 0 days for specified accidental injuries	Medibank has a generous maximum yearly benefit of $30,000 and it includes some alternative therapy as standard, which is often an optional extra with many other providers. It also has a multi-pet discount of 5%. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Everyday Comprehensive Plus Cover		$30,000	$30,000	80%	80%	30 days for illness conditions 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions 0 days for specified accidental injuries	Everyday Pet Insurance customers get 10% off their monthly Woolworths shop. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Knose Pet Insurance Finder AwardExclusive		$25,000	$25,000	90%	90%	6 Months for Specified Conditions, Dental Illness & Behavioral Problems 14 days for Illness & Dental Illness 1 day for Accidental Injury	⭐Finder Exclusive: Get 10% off your first year. Sign up using promo code FINDER10. T&C's apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
PIA Major Medical Cover		$30,145	$30,145	80%	80%	30 days for illnesses & tick paralysis 6 months for cruciate ligament	Covers specified accidents and illnesses, with Routine Care Cover included. Get 2 months free when you sign up using the code PIA202. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Coles Premium Cover		$15,000	$15,000	80% or 100%	80% or 100%	21 days for accidental injuries or illnesses 6 months for cruciate ligament	Earn 10x Flybuys points per $1 spent on pet food at Coles Supermarkets. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
PD Deluxe Plan		$20,000	$20,000	100%	100%	0 days for accidental. 21 days for illness, Ingestion poisoning, IVDD, and Tick Paralysis. 6 months for hereditary conditions, cruciate ligament, patella luxation, third party liability & Dental illness.	Apply online and get your first 1 month free. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Fetch Pet Insurance		$30,000	$30,000	80% or 90% or 100%	80% or 90% or 100%	2 days for injury 30 days for Cruciate Ligaments 90 days for Cherry Eye	Get dental, physio and behaviour cover included and skip wait periods by following our in-app journey.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vets Choice Elite Cover		$15,000	$15,000	80%	80%	21 days for illnesses & tick paralysis 6 months for cruciate ligament	Get a 5% discount when you insure more than one pet.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Guardian Platinum Accident & Illness Cover		$12,000	$12,000	80%	80%	30 days for illnesses & tick paralysis 6 months for cruciate ligament	Lifetime cover for cats and dogs, up to 80% covered.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Petsy Custom Cover Exclusive		$0	$0	80% or 90%	80% or 90%	1 day for injury 14 days for illness 6 months for specified conditions	⭐ Finder Exclusive: Enjoy 30% off your first month of pet insurance, plus receive a custom pet tag. Sign up using the code FINDER. T&Cs apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Real Premium Accident & Illness Cover		$12,000	$12,000	80%	80%	30 days for illnesses & tick paralysis 6 months for cruciate ligament	Claim up to a maximum of $12k per year, with no excess to pay.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
RSPCA Ultimate Plus Accident and Illness Cover Best Rated Brand		$20,000	$20,000	80%	80%	30 days for illnesses & tick paralysis 6 months for cruciate ligament	Comprehensive cover for your pet, including the option of routine care. Get 1 month free for the first year of new policies. T&C's apply.	Get quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Waiting periods for specific conditions and illnesses

Waiting periods vary depending on the ailment and the provider offering pet insurance. Below is an outline of how long you will likely have to wait for specific conditions and illnesses.

Use the Compare checkbox in the table to compare provider waiting periods side-by-side.

Typical waiting periods for pet insurance

Accidents: 0 days

Generally, accidents have no waiting period but in some cases, you may have to wait a day or two. Typically, accidents you can claim for include:

• A motor vehicle incident
• A burn or electrocution
• Allergic reaction to insect or spider bite excluding flea bites
• A traumatic ligament or tendon injury other than cruciate ligament condition

• Snake bite toxicity
• A bone fracture
• Bite wound or fight wound abscesses
• Lacerations or abrasion of tissue, skin or mucous membrane due to external violence

Routine care and illnesses: 14 - 30 days

Routine treatments and most illnesses usually come with a 14-30 day waiting period. These treatments might include:

• Eye trauma
• Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)
• Heat stroke
• Ingestion of foreign object
• Poisoning
• Soft tissue injury

• Tick paralysis
• Torn nail
• Trauma-induced respiratory impairment
• Traumatic spinal disc rupture

Specified conditions: 6 months

Most pet insurance policies have a 6 month waiting period for certain serious conditions. These can include:

• Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)
• Cherry eye
• Cruciate ligament condition
• Ectropion
• Elbow dysplasia

• Entropion
• ​​Hip dysplasia
• Intervertebral disc disease
• Lumps
• Osteochondritis dissecans
• Patella luxation

Do I need to re-serve waiting periods when I switch pet insurance policies?

It's common to take out one pet insurance policy when your dog or cat is young and switch to a different policy when your pet gets older. While this may seem like a cost-effective strategy, it could result in you having to re-serve waiting periods. There are some providers that won't reset the waiting periods if you switch to a new policy with the same level of cover as your previous one. You'll have to get in touch with them to see if they'll waive them for your circumstances.

If you upgrade your policy with the same company, for example, from accident and illness cover to comprehensive, you may still have to re-serve the waiting periods, depending on your provider and what you're being covered for. Your best bet is to call them and chat through your options.

FAQs

• What is a waiting period in pet insurance?

  The waiting period is the time between when you take out your insurance policy and when it comes into effect. If you take out pet insurance the day before a vet visit to investigate an illness, you won't be able to claim a benefit for that visit.

• How long will I have to wait until my pet is insured?

  Conditions covered under illness and tick paralysis and routine treatments usually come with a 30-day waiting period. For cruciate ligament conditions, you usually have to wait 6 months, although some providers will offer a form for waiving or shortening this. For accidents, there's often no waiting period but you'll need to check with your insurance provider.

• What happens if my pet gets sick during the waiting period?

  You can seek treatment for any illness outlined in your insurance policy, but it won't be covered until after the waiting period has been served.

• Can I get pet insurance for a pre-existing condition?

  Generally, no. Pet insurance doesn't usually cover pre-existing conditions. In some cases, however, your pet can get covered for an ailment if your vet can advise that your pet is now fully cured. For ongoing pre-existing conditions though, you'll struggle to find cover.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Editor, Insurance

Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise

Gary Ross has written 670 Finder guides across topics including:

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