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.
Pet insurance feels like a fairly modern idea. Online quotes. Digital claims. Customisable benefit percentages. Your vet submitting a claim from the clinic.
But insuring animals has a much longer history.
In fact, the earliest pet-insurance-style policy identified by the US National Association of Insurance Commissioners dates all the way back to 1890 in Sweden, although the animals being protected weren’t household Labradors or tabby cats. They were horses and livestock.
So, how did insurance go from protecting valuable working animals to helping pet parents manage veterinary expenses? Here’s the short history.
Table of contents
- 1890: animal insurance begins in Sweden
- 1924: the first dog insurance policy
- 1947: pet insurance arrives in the United Kingdom
- 1982: the first US pet insurance policy
- When did pet insurance start in Australia?
- How pet insurance has changed in Australia
- Where does RSPCA Pet Insurance fit in?
1890: animal insurance begins in Sweden
The first animal insurance policy generally recognised in the history of pet insurance was issued in Sweden in 1890. The early focus was horses and livestock. That makes sense when you think about the role animals played at the time. For farms and businesses, an animal could represent transport, labour, production, and significant financial value.
The original idea therefore looked rather different from modern pet insurance. The connection, though, is familiar: an animal faced an uncertain risk, and the owner wanted financial protection against it.
1924: the first dog insurance policy
According to historical records, the first dog insurance policy was issued in Sweden in 1924. That marked a shift closer to the type of pet insurance we recognise today. Dogs weren’t merely being viewed as agricultural assets. Insurance was beginning to extend to pets.
Still, the industry was tiny compared with the insurance market pet parents know today, with none of the instant online quotes or apps available now.
1947: pet insurance arrives in the United Kingdom
In 1947, the first pet insurance policy was issued in the United Kingdom. From there, pet insurance gradually developed into a recognised category in parts of Europe. Modern products would eventually become centred on vet treatment costs and, in some international markets, other forms of pet-related protection.
1982: the first US pet insurance policy
According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, veterinarian Dr Jack Stephens founded Veterinary Pet Insurance, with the company making headlines when a famous Collie named Lassie became its first policy beneficiary in 1982.
The Insurance Information Institute also records Lassie as the recipient of the first pet insurance policy issued in the US in 1982.
When did pet insurance start in Australia?
Pet insurance has been around in Australia for decades, becoming more familiar to pet owners through the 2000s and 2010s. Since then, it’s become an established option for Australians looking for help managing the cost of unexpected vet care.
And while there wasn’t one defining moment when pet insurance suddenly ‘took off’, Australians now spend a significant amount on protecting their pets. Animal Medicines Australia’s 2025 survey estimated that around $1 billion was spent on pet insurance in the 12 months to March 2025.
It’s a sign of just how far pet insurance has come, and the role it now plays for pet parents planning for the unexpected.
How pet insurance has changed in Australia
Australian pet insurance today looks quite different from the early products of the category, and from the working-animal policies that started it all.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) currently describes Australian products as broadly including accident-only cover, accident and illness insurance, and more comprehensive products that may include some preventative care.
Modern policies typically include:
- Annual cover limits
- Benefit percentages
- Excesses
- Exclusions
- Exclusion periods
- Pre-existing-condition assessments
- Optional extra cover
The claims experience has changed too. Digital claims are now common, with invoices and other supporting documents generally uploaded for assessment.
Some insurers even go a step further with direct-to-vet claims. With RSPCA Pet Insurance‘s current Direct2Vet service, participating vet clinics can submit a claim on the policyholder’s behalf and, if approved, RSPCA Pet Insurance pays the covered portion directly to the vet.
That’s a fair leap from a Swedish livestock policy written more than a century ago, and it reflects a broader shift: modern pet insurance is largely concerned with helping pet parents manage eligible vet costs associated with illness and injury, rather than protecting the economic value of a working animal.
Where does RSPCA Pet Insurance fit in?
Pet insurance has come a long way since it first began. Today, pet parents have more choice in how they prepare for unexpected vet costs, including cover that can be tailored to suit their needs.
With RSPCA Pet Insurance, you can customise your pet’s cover to suit their needs and your budget. Simply choose the annual cover limit, benefit percentage, excess, and optional extras that work for you.
Every policy also supports the RSPCA’s work, including rescue, rehab, and rehoming efforts. 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 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] NAIC (US National Association of Insurance Commissioners). Pet Insurance White Paper. Available from: https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/cmte_c_related_pet_ins_whitepaper.pdf
[2] NAPHIA (North American Pet Health Insurance Association). Dr Jack Stephens and early US pet insurance. Available from: https://naphia.org/news/naphia-news/dr-jack-stephens-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-from-pet-insurance-industry/
[3] Insurance Information Institute. Pet ownership and insurance. Available from: https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-pet-ownership-and-insurance
[4] Animal Medicines Australia. Pets in Australia 2019. Available from: https://animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ANIM001-Pet-Survey-Report19_v1.7_WEB_low-res.pdf
[5] Animal Medicines Australia. Pets in Australia 2022. Available from: https://animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AMAU008-Pet-Ownership22-Report_v1.6_WEB.pdf
[6] Animal Medicines Australia. Pets in Australia 2025. Available from: https://animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au/resources/pets-in-australia-a-national-survey-of-pets-and-people-3/
[7] Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Pet insurance. Available from: https://moneysmart.gov.au/add-on-insurance/pet-insurance
[8] RSPCA Australia. Pet insurance. Available from: https://www.rspca.org.au/pet-insurance/
FAQs
The earliest known animal insurance policy identified by the US National Association of Insurance Commissioners was issued in Sweden in 1890, covering horses and livestock. Dog insurance followed in Sweden in 1924.
There isn’t one clear date when pet insurance took off in Australia. However, research from Animal Medicines Australia shows that pet insurance became increasingly familiar to Australian pet owners throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
The exact number varies depending on the research and how the data is collected. Animal Medicines Australia’s 2025 survey suggests that around 24% of dog owners and 14% of cat owners have pet insurance.
Because surveys use different methods, these figures are best viewed as a guide rather than an exact measure of pet insurance ownership across Australia.
RSPCA Pet Insurance is designed to help Australian pet parents manage eligible vet costs when their dog or cat gets ill or injured.
With cover you can customise to suit your pet’s needs and your budget, and every policy contributing to vital RSPCA animal welfare initiatives, it’s protection with purpose. For your own pet and thousands of others 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.
