How much of my vet bills are covered?

Under Ultimate Accident & Illness Cover and Ultimate Plus Accident & Illness Cover, 80% of your eligible vet bills will be covered. This figure drops to 75% under Economy Accident & Illness Cover. 60% of your eligible vet bills are covered for General Accident & Illness Cover.

What additional cover options are there with RSPCA?

If you'd like to take out an increased level of cover for your furry friend, the routine care option may offer the protection you desire. This includes:

Will I have to pay an excess with RSPCA?

No, there is $0 excess you will have to pay when making a claim. However, you should be aware that each claim will pay up to the maximum percentage for each eligible vet bill.

What waiting period do I need to serve with RSPCA?

There is no waiting period for injuries, a 30-day waiting period for all illnesses and a 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions.

RSPCA Pet Insurance Review

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RSPCA pet insurance can cover up to $20,000 of your vet bills each year.
It features a $0 excess.

Pros

No excess to pay, unlike with many other insurers.
It comes with an annual limit of $20,000 – the standard among most insurers on Finder is $15,000.
Supports GapOnly, allowing you to pay only the “gap” at participating vets instead of the full bill upfront.

Cons

Its $20,000 annual benefit isn't quite market-leading. A handful of insurers including Petsy, Knose and Everyday offer more.
It pays 80%, which is standard, though some insurers will pay you more.
No option to raise excess, which can make the premium higher than other insurers.

Compare pet insurance from RSPCA

Finder Score	Maximum Yearly Benefit	Paralysis Tick Yearly Sub-Limit	Reimbursement rate	Accidental Injury
Finder Score 7.4 Great RSPCA Ultimate Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Finder Score 7.4 Great	$11,000	$1,200	80%	Get 1 month free for the first year of new policies. T&Cs apply.	RSPCA's second most comprehensive policy. For extra protection, you can add on Routine Care Cover.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 7.7 Great RSPCA Ultimate Plus Accident and Illness Cover Most Loved	Finder Score 7.7 Great	$20,000	No sub-limit	80%	Get 1 month free for the first year of new policies. T&Cs apply.	Comprehensive cover for your pet, including the option of routine care.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 8.7 Great RSPCA General Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Finder Score 8.7 Great	$11,000	$2,000	60%	Get 1 month free for the first year of new policies. T&Cs apply.	Covers your vet bills when your cat or dog suffers an accidental injury or illness.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 7.5 Great RSPCA Economy Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Finder Score 7.5 Great	$11,000	$1,000	75%	Get 1 month free for the first year of new policies. T&Cs apply.	Covers your pet for a range of accidents and illnesses.	View details 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 do Australians think of RSPCA pet insurance brand?

4.39/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction - higher than the average of 4.15, and this was the highest score in the category
4.74/5 for Trust - higher than the average of 4.39, and this was the highest score in the category
4.4/5 for Customer Service - higher than the average of 4.16, and this was the highest score in the category

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

RSPCA pet insurance costs

To help give you an idea about costs for RSPCA pet insurance, we gathered quotes for a few of Australia's favourite dog breeds. Just remember, prices are going to change based on things like your own dog's breed, age and your address, so it's always worth comparing policies and getting a few quotes.

4 of 4 results

Sample quote	Sample quote	Sample quote	Sample quote
Finder Score 7.4 Great RSPCA Ultimate Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Sample quote $1,967.47	Sample quote $1,967.47	Sample quote $2,260.85	Sample quote $1,967.47	RSPCA's second most comprehensive policy. For extra protection, you can add on Routine Care Cover.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 7.7 Great RSPCA Ultimate Plus Accident and Illness Cover Most Loved	Sample quote $2,201.88	Sample quote $2,201.88	Sample quote $2,518.29	Sample quote $2,201.88	Comprehensive cover for your pet, including the option of routine care.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 8.7 Great RSPCA General Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Sample quote $908.94	Sample quote $908.94	Sample quote $1,025.78	Sample quote $908.94	Covers your vet bills when your cat or dog suffers an accidental injury or illness.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Finder Score 7.5 Great RSPCA Economy Accident & Illness Cover Most Loved	Sample quote $1,812.61	Sample quote $1,812.61	Sample quote $2,094.59	Sample quote $1,812.61	Covers your pet for a range of accidents and illnesses.	View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Showing 4 of 4 results

Pet: 5-year-old dog
Breed: Dachshund, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Greyhound
DOB: 1 June 2020
Sex: Male
Policy: Ultimate Plus, Ultimate, General & Economy Accident and Illness Cover
Quotes updated in July 2025
Desexed: Yes
Excess: $100
Owner's DOB: 1 May 1985
Address: New South Wales, 2011

Prices will differ based on a few criteria, including:

The gender, breed and age of your pet
The level of cover you choose
Your excess
Your location
If your pet is desexed.

"Pet insurance is very expensive (I'm paying $152.07/month for my 2-year-old French bulldog) but there are always special offers so it's worth comparing your options every year or so. When I signed up there was a discount for the first year, so I was paying $118.60/month, but it has since gone up and it was time to compare my options. I like how there is no excess with RSPCA, which is one of the most important things I compared in my research. The "economy cover" doesn't cover everything so it's important to check the fine print and make sure you're comfortable with what it does and does not include. For example, I didn't realise it didn't include desexing and I was out of pocket for this procedure."

Michelle Hutchison

Finder crew member

Why choose RSPCA pet insurance?

No excess on any plan. You won't have to pay a fixed out-of-pocket fee when you make an eligible claim.
GapOnly payments. Claim on the spot at participating vets so you only pay the difference between the bill and your benefit.
Overseas travel cover. Coverage for eligible vet expenses incurred while traveling with your pet in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.

What’s not covered?

Pre-existing conditions
Dental care
Preventative / routine items
Certain treatments and conditions
Certain services and procedures
Elective treatments and procedures
Your pet not being protected
Any consequential loss
Expenses in relation to policy exclusions or related complications/adverse reactions of an exclusion

How to make a claim

Existing members. Please log in and submit your claim via the following steps.
Invoices and notes. Upload a copy of both the itemised invoice and the consultation notes from your vet visit.
Medical history. For your first claim, provide your pet’s full medical history from all previous vets since you first owned your pet.
Adoption records. If your pet was adopted at an older age, supply adoption paperwork and medical records since adoption.
New member registration. If you are a new member, please sign up to manage your policy online.

RSPCA pet insurance frequently asked questions

If you'd like to take out an increased level of cover for your furry friend, the routine care option may offer the protection you desire. This includes:
- a year for heartworm test or blood screen
- FeLV/FIV test or urinalysis – a year
- a annual benefit for one of the following routine treatments: desexing, microchipping, preventative heartworm medication, teeth cleaning, vaccinations, dewclaw removal, council registration fees, prescription diets, alternative therapies, health checks.

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 576 Finder guides across topics including:

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

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20 Responses

SandraJanuary 5, 2016

I wish to cancel my policy as we know longer have the cat have given the cat to our daughter to replace the one she lost

Finder

RichardJanuary 6, 2016Finder

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service. You’ll need to contact RSPCA directly which you can do so by calling 1300 881 492.

I hope this was helpful,
Richard

DeborahSeptember 4, 2015

Hi, I already have 2 cats insured (3.5yo & 3yo) and have just adopted a dog to rescue him from being euthanized. The dog is a 13-14yo Jack Russell cross. Which cover can I get for him to add on to my existing policy?

Finder

RichardSeptember 4, 2015Finder

Hi Deborah,

Thanks for question. According to the RSPCA Pet Insurance FAQs page, while there are no age limits for Accidental Injury Cover, dogs and cats nine years and older cannot be covered for RSPCA Economy Accident & Illness Cover or RSPCA Ultimate Accident & Illness Cover.

I hope this was helpful,
Richard

JenJenApril 21, 2015

I have RSPCA Ultimate Pet cover for my 2.5yr dog. She has been covered by this insurance since she was 10 weeks old. Recently she was diagnosed with a ‘floating kneecap’. This is not a pre existing condition and will need an operation by an orthopedic surgeon. Is my dog covered to the usual 80% benefit.

Finder

RichardApril 22, 2015Finder

Hi Jenjen,

Thanks for your question. You ought to be cover. However, you will need to contact RSPA Pet Insurance for a definitive answer.

Thanks,
Richard

chenieFebruary 10, 2015

Hi,

I am on the ultimate cover with RSPCA and my puppy is due in for surgery for Hernia repair. But i have realized he is not up to date with his vaccinations.

Will i still be covered?

Finder

RichardFebruary 10, 2015Finder

Hi Chenie,

Thanks for your question. Whether or not your puppy is covered depends on whether or not vaccinations is mentioned in your schedule of benefits as an exclusion if shots are not up to date. Your best bet is to get in contact with RSPCA and ask them whether or not you’re covered. You can reach them by calling 1300 881 492.

I hope this was helpful,
Richard

StephanieDecember 10, 2014

I have the Ultimate Cover for my puppy and he has recently been desexed. I am wondering if he is covered, how much coverage percentage I can claim and how I can claim it.

Please email me back at your earliest convenience.

Kinds Regards

Stephanie

Finder

RichardDecember 11, 2014Finder

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks for your question. RSPCA Pet Insurance allows policyholders to claim for up to 80%, which is designed to help pet owners cope with unexpected expenses. However not all vet bills are covered. Unless it is stated on your Certificate of Insurance, desexing is not covered as it is an elective procedure.

I hope this was helpful,
Richard

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