9 Lives Pet Insurance Review

Cover the cat-astrophes for a flat $30 a month, with no payout caps and no fine-print surprises.

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Ceyda Erem

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9 Lives accident-only insurance for cats

Key takeaways

  • Accident-only cover for cats, with no illness or routine care included. A flat $30 per month that does not increase based on your cat’s age or after a claim. No annual limit, sub-limits or payout caps on accident claims.

Pros

  • No annual payout limits, which is rare in the Australian market.
  • Fixed monthly premium that does not rise based on age or claims.
  • Covers cats of any breed, age or size.

Cons

  • No cover for illness, so conditions like cancer, diabetes or arthritis are excluded.
  • Routine care, dental and preventative treatments are not covered.

Compare 9 Lives Pet Insurance

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Finder Score Maximum Yearly Benefit Paralysis Tick Yearly Sub-Limit Reimbursement rate Accidental Injury Illness
9 Lives accident-only insurance for cats logo
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9 Lives accident-only Cat Insurance
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No maximum
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100%
Discount: Get your first month of cover free. For new policies purchased online using promo code CATLOVERS by 30 Jun 2027. T&Cs apply.
Accident-only cover with a capped monthly fee of $30 and no payout limits.
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Why choose 9 Lives Pet Insurance?

  • Focused, accident-only cover: 9 Lives covers accidental injuries only, which tend to be the most common and most costly unexpected vet expenses for cats.
  • No payout limits: 9 Lives has no annual limit, no sub-limits and no payout caps on accident claims. Just a $250 excess per accident claim.
  • A flat price: The monthly premium remains at $30 and does not increase based on your cat getting older or after you make a claim.
  • No lock-in contract: With 9 Lives, you can start or stop your monthly cover whenever you like, giving you greater flexibility over your budget, though you will need to resit the waiting periods if you take out a new policy.
  • GapOnly® claiming: GapOnly® is available at participating vets, which allows cat owners to pay only the gap between the vet’s invoice and the eligible claim benefit at the time of treatment.
  • Backed by PetSure: 9 Lives is promoted and distributed by Luna Pet Health and underwritten by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd, Australia’s largest pet insurer, spanning over 25 years of claims experience.

What is covered?

9 Lives covers accidental injuries, which refers to any sudden and unexpected event that causes physical injury to your cat. Once you have paid the $250 excess for an accident claim, the policy reimburses 100% of the eligible vet costs that follow. Covered events and treatments include but are not limited to:
  • Fractures from falls off furniture, stairs or other high places
  • Ingestion of foreign objects such as string or toys and hairball blockages
  • Poisoning from toxic plants, medications or cleaning products
  • Insect bites from bees, spiders or ants
  • Burns, eye trauma, claw injuries and smoke inhalation
  • Snake bites and tick paralysis
  • Motor vehicle incidents and injuries from other animals
  • Emergency vet visits, tests and diagnostics, surgery, hospital stays, medication and follow-up care for covered conditions

What isn’t covered under 9 Lives Pet Insurance?

As an accident-only policy, 9 Lives does not cover illness or routine care. Exclusions include:
  • Illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, allergies and infectious disease
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Routine care, including vaccinations, wellness checks and dental cleans
  • Desexing, elective treatments and preventative care
  • Behavioural conditions, medicated baths and shampoos, accessories and training
Please note this is a summary. Policy terms and conditions including exclusions like pre-existing conditions apply. For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the 9 Lives PDS.

Waiting periods and excess

A 2-day waiting period applies before you can claim for most accidental injuries. A longer 6-month waiting period applies to cruciate ligament conditions, but this can be reviewed and may be reduced after you take out cover. Remember, a $250 excess applies to each accident, before 9 Lives can reimburse you in full per claim.

How to submit a claim

You can claim with 9 Lives either through GapOnly® at a participating vet, or by lodging a claim yourself online.

Using GapOnly® at a participating vet

  1. Your cat is treated at a participating GapOnly® vet clinic.
  2. Your vet submits the claim through GapOnly® at the time of your appointment.
  3. The claim is assessed against your policy terms and conditions.
  4. If approved, you pay only the gap between the vet’s invoice and the eligible claim benefit.

Lodging a claim yourself

  1. Log into your 9 Lives account and start a new claim.
  2. Upload your supporting documents, such as the vet invoice and clinical notes.
  3. Submit your claim and keep your claim reference somewhere safe.
  4. Wait for the 9 Lives team to assess your claim and confirm the outcome.

FAQs

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Ceyda Erem is Finder’s senior writer for insurance and has almost 10 years of experience writing about personal finance. Formerly a copywriter for several business and finance clients, Ceyda has written hundreds of articles, guides, blogs and more to ensure Australians stay in the loop about how to best manage their money. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Writing from Macquarie University. See full bio

Ceyda's expertise
Ceyda has written 229 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Insurance
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