Insurance & protection
This article provides general information only and doesn’t take into account your individual circumstances. Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. Please read the relevant PDS. Accurate as at 18 September 2026.
If you’ve been searching for a pet insurance policy, you’ll know that there’s no shortage of options out there. The harder part is deciding which one actually fits your pet, your finances, and the way you want to manage vet expenses. That’s a slightly different job from simply comparing prices.
A policy with the highest annual limit isn’t automatically the right one. Neither is the cheapest premium. And the policy your neighbour swears by was designed for their household, not necessarily yours.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) recommends considering your budget, waiting periods, pre-existing conditions, benefit limits, your pet’s age, and policy exclusions before selecting cover.
While there’s a lot to consider, choosing pet insurance doesn’t have to feel complicated. Let’s get into it.
Table of contents
- Start with your pet, not the policy
- Decide what job you want the insurance to do
- Consider your excess and benefit percentage
- Pressure-test the policy with a couple of scenarios
- Think about the claims experience before you need it
- Read the PDS before you commit
- Find a pet insurance policy tailored to your pet and budget
Start with your pet, not the policy
Before looking at an insurance quote, write down a basic profile of your pet.
Age
Some insurers have minimum and maximum entry ages, while age may influence premiums.
Breed
Some breeds have different health considerations, which may have an impact on your cover.
Health history
Previous signs, illnesses, and treatment can affect your pet’s pre-existing condition assessments.
Lifestyle
An indoor cat, a very active dog, and a pet who travels regularly may have different care priorities.
Veterinary needs
If there are particular healthcare needs you’re concerned about, ask your vet about your pet’s health. While your vet isn’t there to help you choose an insurer, they can help you better understand your pet’s needs.
Decide what job you want the insurance to do
This is the step people often skip. Pet insurance can’t be everything to everyone, so ask: ‘What am I actually trying to protect myself from financially?’
Maybe your biggest concern is a substantial unexpected surgery. Maybe you want broader illness cover. Perhaps you’re particularly interested in optional dental, behavioural, or supportive therapy benefits. Or you may simply want a financial buffer for larger eligible vet expenses while paying for routine care yourself.
Write down your must-haves before looking at quotes. Then separate them from the nice-to-haves.
For example:
| Must-have | Nice-to-have | Not important to me |
|---|---|---|
| Accident and illness cover | Routine care option | Overseas cover |
| Annual limit that suits my needs | Direct vet claims | Behavioural cover |
| Affordable ongoing premium | Consultation cover | Dental cover |
Your answers will be different. That’s the point.
Consider your excess and benefit percentage
When choosing pet insurance, it can help to start with what you’d be comfortable contributing towards an eligible vet bill yourself. That’s where your excess and benefit percentage come in.
Your excess is the amount you agree to contribute when you submit a claim, subject to the terms of your policy. Your benefit percentage is the percentage of eligible vet costs your insurer will pay after the applicable excess has been taken into account, up to your policy limits.
For example, if you choose an 80% benefit percentage, your insurer will pay 80% of eligible vet costs, with you contributing the remaining 20%, subject to your excess, annual limit, and other policy terms.
With RSPCA Pet Insurance’s PetFlex cover, you can choose from a range of benefit percentages, annual excesses, and annual cover limits. Rather than simply picking the highest benefit percentage or lowest excess, think about the balance that works for your pet, your budget, and what you’d be comfortable paying if an unexpected vet visit comes along.
Pressure-test the policy with a couple of scenarios
Here’s one way to make policy wording feel less abstract: before choosing cover, imagine the following situations.
Several claims in one year
Is the excess annual or applied differently? What happens to your remaining annual limit?
Treatment that isn’t covered
Could you comfortably pay it yourself?
This question matters because no pet insurance policy should be assumed to cover everything. It’s important to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully for exclusions, pre-existing conditions, and treatment that occurs during applicable waiting periods. If the policy only feels affordable in the scenario where everything is covered, it may be worth another look.
Think about the claims experience before you need it
A policy is not only a list of conditions and numbers. Eventually, you may need to use it. Ask what happens when you need to claim.
Most pet insurers generally require the pet parent to pay the vet fee and submit a claim afterwards. Other payment processes may also be available.
For example, RSPCA Pet Insurance currently allows policyholders to submit claims through its customer portal. Alternatively, participating vet clinics can also submit claims on behalf of policyholders using Direct2Vet, a direct vet payment portal. If the claim is approved, the vet clinic is paid directly for the covered portion and the policyholder simply pays the gap between the invoice and what’s covered by their policy.
Read the PDS before you commit
We know a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) isn’t exactly light reading. But it’s worth spending a little time with it before choosing your cover.
You don’t need to know every word by heart. Focus on the details that matter most to you, your pet, and your budget.
What could my pet be covered for?
Start with the cover sections to understand which illnesses, injuries, and treatments may be covered, along with any limits that apply.
What isn’t covered?
Just as important is knowing what’s not included. Take a close look at the exclusions, including how pre-existing conditions are treated.
What needs to happen for my cover to apply?
Check the policy conditions, exclusion periods, and claims requirements. These details can affect when you can claim and what you’ll need to provide if you do.
Your PDS checklist
As you read the PDS, keep an eye out for:
- How pre-existing conditions are treated.
- Any exclusion periods that apply.
- Age requirements for taking out cover and whether there’s a maximum renewal age.
- Treatments that aren’t covered, as well as any benefit limits or sub-limits.
- Which benefits are included as standard and which are optional.
- Whether you’ll need to pay your vet upfront before submitting a claim.
- How your premium may change at renewal, and whether you can change your excess or benefit percentage later.
- What switching pet insurance providers could mean for your pet’s cover in the future.
If there’s something you don’t understand, ask the insurer before you buy. A little clarity now can help you feel much more confident about the cover you’re choosing for your pet.
Find a pet insurance policy tailored to your pet and budget
Choosing pet insurance is personal. The right cover should make sense for your pet, your budget, and the level of support you’d like if the unexpected happens.
With RSPCA Pet Insurance, you can customise your pet’s cover by choosing the annual cover limit, benefit percentage, excess, and optional extras that work for you. There are also no sub-limits, giving one less thing to worry about at claims stage.
And with every policy contributing to vital RSPCA animal welfare initiatives, including rescue, rehab, and rehoming efforts, it’s protection with purpose. For your own pet and thousands of others across Australia.
To learn more about how RSPCA Pet Insurance could support you and your pet, click here. Or, if you’re ready to take the next step, you can fetch a commitment-free pet insurance quote online.
Disclaimer
As with any insurance, terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement to make sure the cover suits your needs.
References
[1] The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Pet insurance. Available from: https://moneysmart.gov.au/add-on-insurance/pet-insurance
Further resources
RSPCA Australia. Pet insurance. Available from: https://www.rspca.org.au/pet-insurance/
FAQs
Not always. A cheaper premium might look appealing, but price is only one part of the picture. Different pet insurance policies can have different annual limits, excesses, benefit percentages, inclusions, and exclusions. It’s worth looking at what you’re actually getting for your money and choosing cover that suits both your pet’s needs and your budget.
There’s a little more to comparing pet insurance than looking at the monthly premium. It’s also important to consider things like your budget, waiting periods, pre-existing conditions, benefit limits, your pet’s age, and policy exclusions. Taking the time to understand these details can help you find pet insurance that works for you and your furry family member.
Not necessarily. A higher benefit percentage generally means your insurer pays a greater share of eligible vet costs, up to applicable limits. But choosing a higher benefit percentage may also affect how much you pay for your cover. Before settling on a policy, think about what you’re comfortable paying in premiums, as well as how much you could afford to contribute towards vet costs if your pet needs treatment.
RSPCA Pet Insurance offers customisable cover that can be tailored to your pet and budget. Simply choose the annual cover limit, benefit percentage, excess, and optional extras that work for you.
Every policy also contributes to vital RSPCA animal welfare initiatives. So while you’re helping to protect your own pet, you’re also making a difference for animals in need across Australia.
To learn more, visit the RSPCA Pet Insurance website or get a commitment-free quote online today.
As with any insurance, terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement to make sure this cover suits your needs.
