Pet Insurance Reviews

At a glance, pet insurance providers seem similar, but there are actually lots of differences between policies. To make your decision easier, we've reviewed the standout features from each pet insurance provider available on Finder, looking closely at the key pros and cons.

How do the insurers on our panel stack up? Here are our pet insurance reviews

Provider	Pros	Cons	Apply today
Budget Direct	Keep things simple with the choice of one level of cover with all the essentials offered Cruciate ligament benefit of $2,600 is on par or higher than most of its competitors Covers all orthopaedic conditions – including some not covered by other insurers Choice of any registered vet in Australia	Its $12,000 annual benefit limit is not market-leading No routine care cover available, not even as an optional add-on	Get quote
PD	Covers 100% of vet bills Comprehensive dental cover is included in the Deluxe Plan - one of the few that offer it The ​​$15,000 paralysis tick benefit is higher than many competitors Flexible excess options - choose from $50, $100 and $150	Its $15,000 annual limit can be beaten by other providers Routine care is only available as an add-on	Get quote
Vets Choice	It's the only insurer endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association The included $2,500 paralysis tick benefit is higher than 6 of the 10 insurers we looked at Its $15,000 annual limit is similar to many other pet insurers Choice of 80% or 100% back on claims so you can choose to save on premiums or on vet bills	No cover at all if your pet is 9 or over where other insurers often provide accident-only cover Outside of the optional dental cover, routine care cover is not offered	Get quote
Knose	A flexible policy with a variety of excesses, limits and benefits percentages to choose from Its generous $25,000 annual limit is the highest we've seen Its 14-day waiting period for illnesses is half of most other brands No sub limits so you can claim up to $25,000 for paralysis tick benefit	With only comprehensive cover on offer, it won't suit those looking for a basic policy No routine care available as part of your policy	Get quote
Bow Wow Meow	There's no excess, so it's worth claiming for even the smallest vet bills It's one of the few insurers to include dental illness cover It doesn't exclude cover for any hereditary breed conditions At $20,000, it offers one of the highest annual limits	Like many pet insurers, you can't purchase its top plans if your pet is 9 or over	More info
Guide Dogs	A portion of your premium goes to Guide Dogs Australia Liability cover of up to $1 million for Registered Guide Dogs You can get cover for accidents and illnesses for pets over 9 years old	If you want routine care, it's only available as an add-on	More info
Prime	85% of vet bills covered – one of the highest reimbursement rates Cover for your pet while travelling overseas It's one of the few providers to offer dental illness benefits	It has a $14,000 annual benefits cap. There are some pet insurers in Australia that offer more, if you're worried that it's not enough It comes with a paralysis tick benefit cap of $1,200	More info
PetSecure	Covers up to 75% or 85% of vet bills No excess, so your money stays in your pocket There are discounts for rescue animals, assistant dogs and pensioners	Your benefits are capped at $12,000 a year, which is less than many other providers The paralysis tick benefit cap is low – $500 per year. Many others provide $1,000 or more	More info
Petsy	The only pet insurance provider on Finder that lets you claim 100% back on your vet bills $0 excess, always A generous $25,000 annual limit	To qualify for its top policy, your pet needs to be older than 8 weeks and younger than 8 years old	Get quote
Pet Insurance Australia	You can lower your premiums if you like with Choice of $0, $100 and $200 An incremental 5% discount for every additional pet you insure, up to a maximum of 15% off Emergency boarding fees if you're hospitalised or require accommodation due to family violence	Routine care is only automatically included with Major Medical Cover. If you want it with a comprehensive policy, you'll have to pay extra	Get quote
Kogan	Flexible reimbursement rates of 65%, 70% and 80% mean you can tailor your policy Choice of $0, $50 or $100 excess A $2,000 paralysis tick benefit is more generous than most other insurers we've compared Bonus Kogan.com credit could be a plus for online shoppers	You'll need to pay more if you want routine care included Like many pet insurers, you can't purchase its top plans if your pet is older than 8	Get quote
Australian Seniors	You get overseas cover and emergency boarding included at no extra cost There's no excess, so even the smallest vet bill is worth claiming for In-home vet visits are covered Save 10% on your policy if you're over 50	Only lets you claim up to $12,000 a year which is one of the lowest limits we've seen Routine care is only available as an optional add-on	Get quote
Guardian	No excess and no joining fee Choose from any registered vet in Australia Get covered for life if you keep your policy	Only lets you claim up to $12,000 a year, which isn't as much as some other pet insurers You can't purchase its accident and illness cover if your pet is 9 or over	Get quote
RSPCA	A portion of your premium supports the RSPCA No excess, meaning no out of pocket costs when you visit the vet A large annual benefit cap of $20,000 No sneaky sub-limits for paralysis tick with its top policy – you get up to $20,000	If you want routine care, you'll need to pay extra for it	Get quote
Real	10% refund on your premium after a year Pay fortnightly, monthly or yearly at no extra cost You can visit any licensed vet in Australia	Annual benefits are capped at $12,000, which is less than some other insurers If you want routine care, you'll need to pay extra for it	Get quote
Everyday	Members get 10% off their Woolies shop every month Price beat guarantee on comparable policies The $24,000 annual limit is higher than most of its competitors Donates $10 to Pet Rescue for every new policy	Routine care is automatically included with the comprehensive policy, but you might not want or need it (treatments are often not that expensive anyway)	Get quote

Compare pet insurance features and quotes from these Aussie brands

Now that you've weighed up the pros and cons of each, click through to receive a personalised quote.

Name	Product	Accidental Injury	Illness	Paralysis Tick Yearly Sub-Limit	Maximum yearly benefit	Reimbursement rate	Reimbursement Rate
Medibank Pet Max Cover with Extra Care Exclusive				$30,000	$30,000	90%	90%	⭐Finder Exclusive: Get your 1st month’s premium free when you choose Medibank Pet Insurance. Sign up using promo code FINDERONE. Offer ends 12 December. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Everyday Comprehensive Plus Cover				$3,000	$30,000	80%	80%	Everyday Pet Insurance customers get 10% off their monthly Woolworths shop. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Budget Direct Pet Insurance				$1,500	$12,000	80%	80%	Current Offer: Apply online and get 15% off your first year's premium PLUS go in the draw for your chance to win 1 of 3 $10,000 cash prizes. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Kogan Pet Luxury Cover				$2,000	$15,000	80% up to age 8 & 65% over age 8	80% up to age 8 & 65% over age 8	Sign up and get your first month FREE plus $10 ongoing monthly credit. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Coles Premium Cover				$2,500	$15,000	80% or 100%	80% or 100%	Earn 10x Flybuys points per $1 spent on pet food at Coles Supermarkets. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
PD Deluxe Plan				$15,000	$20,000	100%	100%	Apply online and get your first 1 month free. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Pet Circle Dog Cover				$10K or $17.5K or $30K	$0	70% or 80% or 90%	70% or 80% or 90%	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vets Choice Elite Cover				$2,500	$15,000	80% or 100%	80% or 100%	Get a 5% discount when you insure more than one pet.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Guardian Platinum Accident & Illness Cover				$1,200	$12,000	80%	80%	Lifetime cover for cats and dogs, up to 80% covered.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
PIA Major Medical Cover				$3,000	$30,145	80%	80%	Covers specified accidents and illnesses, with Routine Care Cover included. Get 2 months free when you sign up using the code PIA241. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Petsy Custom Cover Exclusive				$5000 or $10,000 or $25,000	$0	80% or 90%	80% or 90%	⭐ 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 quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Real Premium Accident & Illness Cover				$1,200	$12,000	80%	80%	Claim up to a maximum of $12k per year, with no excess to pay.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
RSPCA Ultimate Plus Accident and Illness Cover				$20,000	$20,000	80%	80%	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 quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Australian Seniors Top Accident & Illness Cover				$1,200	$12,000	80%	80%	Benefits include overseas cover when in NZ or Norfolk Island for your pet, plus an optional routine care add-on.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Knose Pet Insurance Finder AwardExclusive				$25,000	$25,000	90%	90%	⭐Finder Exclusive: Get 10% off your first year. Sign up using promo code FINDER10. T&C's apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Kogan Pet Primary Cover				$1,200	$8,000	80%	80%	Sign up and get your first month FREE plus $10 ongoing monthly credit. T&Cs apply.	Get quote View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Your checklist for reading pet insurance reviews

If you're reading multiple pet insurance reviews online, keep the following things in mind:

• Read more than one review. Don't make up your mind based on one review. Read a few reviews to get a more complete picture of the features of a policy and the strengths and weaknesses of an insurer.
• Be wary of reviews written by displeased customers. If a customer has had a bad experience with an insurer, fair enough – it's certainly information that could help you make a choice. However, make sure to check that the customer has a legitimate reason to be dissatisfied, as some customers complain about dodgy service from insurers when it is actually the customer who was in the wrong.
• Look at who wrote the review. Was the review written by a so-called industry expert? If so, what are their qualifications? Was it written by a former customer? Look for any vested interests a reviewer might have that could influence their review.
• Watch out for reviews on the insurer's website. No insurer is going to post negative product reviews on their own website, so don't take these types of reviews as a completely accurate portrayal of a policy.
• Watch out for fake reviews. Use your wits and don't be sucked in by any reviews that sound too good to be true.

What to look for in a pet insurance policy

While you can garner a great deal of useful information about pet insurance policies by reading pet insurance reviews, you need to know what's right for you, which means knowing what to look for.

What is covered?

The first piece of information to look for is exactly what a policy covers you for. Items to look for include:

• Are accidents and illnesses covered or is it an accident only policy?
• Can you add a benefit for routine care procedures (for example vaccinations)?
• What optional extras are available with your policy?
• What is the maximum amount you can claim against your policy each year and what percentage of your eligible vet bills will the insurer pay?

What is excluded?

Look for the section of the review that refers to a policy's exclusions. Common exclusions include:

• Pre-existing conditions; however, some insurers make it possible to take out coverage for certain pre-existing conditions once your pet has recovered from them
• Illnesses for which there is a known vaccine
• Breeding and pregnancy
• Failing to take proper care to look after your pet

Consider what you need in a pet insurance policy

When reading pet insurance reviews, always consider your own needs. There's no point in buying a policy simply because it comes with some added features that you're unlikely to ever use. To get one that's right for your pet, keep the following in mind:

• Know the cover you need. Look at the cost of accident cover compared to the increased cost attached to a combined accident and illness policy. Are you looking for basic or comprehensive cover, and how does the protection offered by each policy stack up against the competition?
• Know what is covered. Look for information on exactly which injuries and illnesses each policy covers. Does one policy cover a larger number of conditions than the rest of the competition? Or is there one particular policy that covers all the injuries you fear your pet is most likely to ever sustain?
• Check the maximum benefit. You also need to check the maximum benefit limit per year on each policy. Pet insurance will usually only cover a certain percentage of your eligible vet bills, usually ranging from 50% to 80%, so look for a policy that will let you claim as much back as possible.

Other features to look for in a review include exclusions, sub-limits, excess amounts, average premium costs and any waiting periods that may apply.

Easily compare policies side by side in our comparison table. Use the filters to compare each feature that matters to you.

Take note of different levels of cover

It's a good idea to consider the exact level of cover you require before taking out a pet insurance policy. Cover options include:

• Accident only. If you're on a tighter budget and only want protection for some of the worst-case scenarios your pet might encounter, an accident only policy may be a good option. This offers protection for the medicine and treatment costs for a range of injuries, including those caused by car accidents, falls, burns, insect bites and snake bites.
• Accident and illness. If you want an increased level of cover, a combined accident and illness policy will offer cover for the treatment costs when your pet suffers one of a wide range of illnesses. These include cancer, skin conditions, hereditary problems and other infectious diseases.
• Comprehensive. A comprehensive policy offers an increased level of cover, typically featuring a higher benefit limit and the option to include cover for routine care procedures. However, in order to decide on which type of policy is right for you, you'll need to consider how important it is to you that your pet is covered and how much insurance you can afford.

Once you know what features you want in a policy, you can read pet insurance reviews to confirm the best policy option for you.

Why you can trust Finder's pet insurance experts

We're free

You pay the same as buying directly from the pet insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site – plus, our tables make it easy to compare policies.

We're experts

Our team of pet insurance experts have researched and rated 25+ policies as part of the Finder Awards. We've produced guides on everything from the best policies to jargon-free explainers.

We're independent

Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of pet insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.

We're here to help

Since 2016, we've helped 110,000+ people find pet insurance by explaining your cover options, simply and clearly. We'll never ask for your number or email. We're here to help you make a decision.