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All the pet insurance policies below will cover your pet for accidents and illnesses. They all have an annual limit (how much you can claim back each year) and a benefit percentage (how much of the vet bill it will cover you for, e.g. 90%).
To select our top picks, we used our Finder Awards data and researched 69 pet insurance policies (that's nearly all pet insurance policies available in Australia), looking at features including annual limit, benefit percentage, discounts and excess. Remember, there's no single best pet insurance policy that suits each one of our furry friends, since we all have different budgets and priorities.
Offer: You get 2 months off your first year. We researched over 19 insurers. Only 1 other insurer offers a discount as good as this. Plus, Medibank and ahm health members save 10% every subsequent year.
2 months free can lower your costs significantly. For example, you could save $100 with a $600 per year policy.
Medibank gives you 80% back on vet bills. This is the same as the majority of insurers, though several including Coles, PetsOnMe and Knose offer a higher percentage benefit of 90% or 100%. It also only comes with a $15,000 annual limit. We found 15 policies that offer a bigger annual limit.
We researched 19 accident and illness pet insurance policies and selected our top pick based on the insurer that offered the biggest discount. We included temporary offers but not multi-pet discounts. Medibank currently offers the biggest sign-up discount with 2 months free and money off for Medibank and ahm health members.
Top pick for features: Everyday Comprehensive Plus Pet Insurance
What we like about Everyday pet insurance:
It has one of the largest annual limits on the market. Its Comprehensive Plus Pet Insurance lets you claim up to $30,000 a year towards vet bills.
You get free access to VetAssist with every policy. This is valued at $199 per year and gives you 24/7 access to licensed Australian Vets via video call or online chat. It also comes with GapOnly cover which lets you claim on the spot, as opposed to pay for the full vet bill and wait to be reimbursed.
You get 10% off your grocery shop at Woolies every month. This could save you a lot if use your discount when you do a big shop.
Everyday gives you 80% back on vet bills. This is the same as the majority of insurers but it is possible to get more back. For example, Coles, PetsOnMe and Knose can cover 90% or 100%.
Accidents:
Illnesses:
Routine care:
Reimbursement rate: 80% Annual limit: $30,000 Cruciate ligament sub-limit: $5,000 per leg, per policy period
We researched 60+ accident and illness pet insurance policies and selected Everyday because it has one of the highest annual claim limits on the market. It also comes with Vet Assist, GapOnly cover and you get 10% off your Woolies shop. No other insurer offered all of these features and benefits.
It's typically cheaper than every other pet insurer whether you own a cat or a dog. While prices differ depending on the type of pet you have, Budget Direct is comparitevly cheap. On average, it cost $642 per year in our 2023 Finder Awards research. That's $279 less than the second cheapest policy, offered by Real pet insurance.
It covers vet bills for accidents and illnesses and you can take your pet to your preffered vet.
It's on the more basic side of pet insurance policies. You can claim up to $12,000 a year towards vet bills. That's below the average of $15,000.
It comes with sub-limits. This limits how much you can claim for specific conditions. For example, there's a $4,000 cap on orthopaedic conditions, a $2,600 cap on cruciate ligament conditions, a $1,500 cap on tick paralysis and a $1,200 cap on snake attacks. Insurers including Knose and Petsy don't do sub-limits.
We got over 30 quotes each from 23 accident and illness pet insurance policies and selected our top pick based on who offered the cheapest policy on average. Budget Direct was the cheapest by $279.
It won 2 Finder Awards for best comprehensive policy and best value policy. Knose covers 90% of eligible vet bills and you can claim up to $25,000 per year. The majority of insurers in Australia don't do this – most cover 80% of vet bills and let you claim between $12,000 and $15,000 a year.
On top of that, Finder currently has an exclusive offer that lets you get 10% off your first year. (Sign up using the promo code FINDER. T&Cs apply.)
There are also no sub-limits on specific conditions. For example, some insurers only let you claim up to $1,500 for certain conditions such as paralysis ticks. Knose doesn't do this.
There are a small number of policies that cover 100% of vet bills. There are also some that let you claim more in a year (such as PIA and Trupanion).
We researched 25+ pet insurance policies as part of our Finder Awards. We gathered over 700 quotes and analysed 190+ features. Knose pet insurance came out on top for both the comprehensive and best value policy.
Top pick for benefit percentage: PetsOnMe Deluxe Plan
What we like about PetsOnMe:
It's one of the only insurers to give you 100% back on your vet bills if your pet gets sick or injured. The majority of insurers in Australia don't do this – most give you 80% back.
You can get 2 months free if your pet is between 6 and 52 weeks old, or 1 month free if your pet is over 1 year old.
It processes claims fast, typically within 2 business days.
PetsOnMe isn't the only insurer to give you 100% back on your vet bills. Coles, Vets Choice and PD also do this. However, PetsOnMe has the lowest excess option ($75), which is the amount you need to pay when you make a claim.
We researched 69 pet insurance policies and selected our top pick based on who automatically offered the largest benefit percentage and the lowest possible excess.
Coles, PD and Vets Choice can all cover 100% of eligible vet bills but PetsOnMe offered the lowest excess option of $50. The second-lowest excess option was the PD Deluxe Plan at $75.
Petsy was a highly commended brand for value and comprehensiveness in the 2023 Finder Awards. It covers 90% of eligible vet bills and you can claim up to $25,000 per year. The average is 80% and around $15,000 a year.
There are no sneaky sub-limits. This means you're covered for up to $25,000 for any accident or illness. This is a really helpful benefit because, as any owner who's had to pay for surgery will tell you, it can be extremely expensive in Australia.
It can cover illnesses after you've held a policy for 14 days. The average is between 21 and 30 days.
If you're looking for a basic policy, look elsewhere. Providers including Budget Direct, Medibank and Coles are all typically cheaper but don't come with the high limits Petsy offers.
Accidents:
Illnesses:
Routine care:
Reimbursement rate: 80% or 90% Annual limit: $0 Cruciate ligament sub-limit: $5000 or $10,000 or $25,000
We researched 25+ accident and illness pet insurance policies as part of our Finder Awards. We gathered over 700 quotes and analysed 190+ features. Petsy pet insurance came in second-place for both the comprehensive and best value policy. It was behind Knose only because it was marginally more expensive on average. However, costs may differ for your pet.
Top pick for routine care: PIA Major Medical Cover
What we like about PIA Major Medical Cover:
It's the only policy out of 60+ policies to automatically covers routine care. It gives you up to $145 a year towards costs such as desexing, microchipping, council registration fees and vaccinations. All other insurers make you pay extra for this or don't include it at all.
It has the second highest annual limit out of all Australian pet insurers. You can claim up to $30,145 per year towards vet bills if your dog or cat gets sick or injured.
It's good for discounts as well. You get the first 2 months free. Based on average pet insurance costs, that could work out as a saving of around $160.
You can get 80% back on vet bills. Insurers including PD, Coles, PetsOnMe and Vets Choice all offer up to 100% back.
You pay the same price as buying directly from the pet insurer.
We're not owned by an insurer (unlike other comparison sites).
We don't ask for your phone or email.
We've reviewed over 35 policies on the market, so you don't have to.
Tips to find the best pet insurance policy
Keep these 3 tips top of mind and it'll be much easier for you to find a good pet insurance policy:
Don't settle for a low annual limit
Pet insurance policies typically let you claim up to $15,000 a year. This may seem like a lot but surgery can exceed $20,000 in some cases. Always check the annual benefit limit before you buy. Everyday ($30,000), Petsy ($25,000) and RSPCA ($20,000) all offer more than average.
Look for a reimbursement rate of 80% or higher
The reimbursement rate, or benefit percentage, is the amount of the vet bill the pet insurer will cover you for. Most comprehensive pet insurance policies will pay 80% of all eligible vet bills. Some, such as Coles (100%), Vets Choice (100%), PD (100%), PetsOnMe (100%) and Petsy (90%) offer more. A high benefit percentage is best for those who don't want to risk facing big out-of-pocket expenses.
Don't hold off on pet insurance until your pet is older
If they develop any health conditions before you've taken out pet insurance, they will be considered pre-existing conditions by the insurer and you won't usually be covered for any treatment related to that condition. Some insurers won't cover your pet at all once they are 9 or older.
Once you have narrowed down your options, get some quotes from each insurer. This will help you see who offers the best-priced pet insurance policy for you.
How Alex keeps her pet insurance costs down
For the last 2 years, when my pet insurance was set to go up, I just emailed them saying I may have to cancel. It's worked like a charm every time. It saved me $360 this year and $240 last year.
— Alex Holderness, NSW-based dog owner and Finder head of publishing
Read our pet insurance reviews
If you're still not sure which pet insurer is right for you, you can check out our pet insurance review page which outlines the main pros and cons of each provider. We also have individual pet insurance reviews to help you make a decision.
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.
FAQs about finding the best pet insurance
If you want to give your pet the highest protection money can buy, a comprehensive plan will typically cover your pet for:
Accidental injuries. Your insurer will pay a percentage (usually around 80%) of the vet expenses for accidental injuries to your pet. This can include car accidents, snake bites, allergic reactions, insect bites, injuries from falls, bone fractures and ligament and tendon injuries. You'll be able to claim up to a certain amount each year – for example, $15,000.
Illnesses. If your pet suffers a specified illness, your policy will cover up to 80% of the veterinary costs you incur as a result. Pet insurance policies typically cover most treatments related to your pet's illnesses including imaging services and cancer treatments. There's one main exception. If your pet contracts an illness which it could have been vaccinated for or if its illness is related to a pre-existing condition, you typically won't be covered.
Emergency boarding. If you are your pet's sole carer and you're hospitalised for more than 5 consecutive days, a comprehensive policy usually provides cover for the cost of finding emergency boarding for your pet.
Essential euthanasia. Nobody wants to think about this but in cases where euthanasia is deemed to be the most humane option, your pet insurer can cover the costs.
Paralysis tick benefit. If your pet requires treatment for tick paralysis, all policies will cover you. However, be careful, some policies only cover up to $1,200 of the costs. In some cases, the actual treatment can cost more than $2,000.
Routine care. This optional benefit is typically available as an add-on to comprehensive policies. It helps pay for preventative health care procedures, such as vet check-ups, microchipping and vaccinations. However, it typically doesn't cover all of the costs.
The cost of living crisis is pushing the price of everything up but it's still possible to get pet insurance that covers accidents and illnesses for around $30 a month.
For example, Coles' comprehensive pet insurance (which covers specified accidents and illnesses) can cost just under $30 a month, according to Finder research. It's also worth calling up your insurer and letting it know you are thinking about leaving if it plans to increase your prices. There's a good chance it'll lower costs.
All of the pet insurance policies we've selected cover your cat or dog in Queensland. They cover accidents and illnesses, including snake bites, tick paralysis and heat stroke.
Comprehensive pet insurance costs on average around $80 a month. However, costs differ a lot depending on the species, breed and age of your pet. For example, dogs tend to be more expensive than cats. Similarly, popular breeds such as cavoodles, Maltese crosses and Jack Russell terriers are likely to cost you much less to insure than bigger dogs – often around $60 a month.
The cheapest policy is by PD pet insurance and costs around $20 a month, according to our research. However, this only covers you for accidents. If you want cover for illnesses as well, you can expect to pay more. Remember these prices won't be exactly the same for you. Pet insurance costs differ depending on your pet's breed, age, health and where you live.
The best-value pet insurance policy will differ slightly depending on what you are looking for. However, a typical comprehensive policy will cover 80% of your vet bills and have an annual limit of $15,000. Looking for a policy that offers similar cover to this, or more, is a good place to start.
Most pet insurance policies don't cover pre-existing medical conditions (an ailment that your pet already had before they were insured), so it's a good idea to take out pet insurance before this occurs. You can take out pet insurance as early as 6–8 weeks old. If they develop any illnesses after you've taken out a policy, you'll be covered.
Comprehensive pet insurance is worth getting if you want the highest level of cover for your pet. It comes with the highest claim limits, reimbursement rates and some automatically cover routine treatments such as desexing and vaccinations.
A comprehensive pet insurance policy typically includes:
Illness cover.Reimburses you for vet bills up to the limits and chosen reimbursement percentage of your policy, except for certain conditions that are specifically excluded.
Routine care allowance. Usually an optional add-on, routine care provides benefits to spend on routine care expenses, such as microchipping, desexing and teeth cleaning.
Additional benefits. Gives your pet emergency boarding cover, overseas pet cover, tick paralysis benefits and can cover the cost of essential, humane euthanasia.
All of the pet insurance policies we've selected cover your dog or cat in Melbourne. They cover accidents and illnesses, including snake bites, tick paralysis and heat stroke.
Gary Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 5 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, news.com.au, The Telegraph, Explore Travel and Escape. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Kaplan Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
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