The right cover for your pet
For some of the policies that Choosi offers, optional routine care is also available to add to your policy. This means you can pamper your pet with a contribution towards some preventative treatments that wouldn’t normally be covered. These treatments include:
- Desexing
- Microchipping
- Heartworm control
- Teeth cleaning
- Dew claw removal
- Council registration fees
- Prescription diets
- Alternative therapies
- Cremation/burial
- Behavioural therapy
- Flea/tick/worm control
- Vaccinations or health checks
- Dental illness treatment
- Obedience training
There are also other benefits such as emergency boarding, essential euthanasia, pet overseas travel, and paralysis tick benefit which are included at no extra cost in all policies. Certain policies also offer dental illness after you’ve held cover for two years.
Accident only or accident and illness?
If you’re trying to decide whether you want to only be covered for specified accidental injuries, or both specified accidental injuries and illness, it’s important to see the key features of the two types of cover. Choosi can help you find pet insurance that covers both specified accidental injuries and illness only.
Type of cover | Specified accidental injuries only | Specified accidental injuries and illness |
|---|---|---|
| What’s covered | This is basic cover for specified accidental injuries, making it a lower cost option compared to specified accidental injury and illness cover | This cover offers a broader protection for specified accidental injuries and illnesses |
| Examples of what’s covered | Specified accidental injuries might be an injury from a motor vehicle accident, snake bite, or broken bones | In addition to specified accidental injuries like the examples to the left, this cover also includes treatment for certain illnesses like cancer* |
| Minimum entry age eligibility | Your puppy or kitten must be at least 8 weeks old to apply, and by the time your policy starts | Your puppy or kitten must be at least 8 weeks old to apply, and by the time your policy starts |
| Maximum entry age eligibility | There’s no upper age limit to get cover. Once insured, your pet is insured for life provided there’s no break in your cover and subject to the terms and conditions of your renewal policy | You can cover your pet as long as they’re younger than 9 years old (or younger than 16 years old for some policies) when you apply and by the time your policy starts. Once insured, your pet is insured for life provided there’s no break in your cover and subject to the terms and conditions of your renewal policy |
| Choice of vet | You can use any registered vet in Australia | You can use any registered vet in Australia |
| Waiting periods (apply from the day your policy starts) | The waiting period applies from the day your policy starts. It’s important to be aware that during any waiting period, you’re not eligible to make a claim for any of the following conditions:
| The waiting period applies from 11.59pm on the day your policy starts. It’s important to be aware that during any waiting period, you’re not eligible to make a claim for any of the following conditions:
|
| Exclusions | Exclusions* are generally:
| Exclusions* are generally:
|
* Depending on the type of cover you choose, you could claim up to 85% on eligible vet bills, up to $20,000 per year. Note not all conditions are covered by all policies. You should read the Policy Booklet and your Certificate of Insurance for details of your cover.
Extra, extra, extra
You may be able to include routine care as part of your insurance. This provides a contribution towards the costs associated with routine care such as vaccinations, worming, and desexing. On some policies, extras such as emergency boarding, essential euthanasia, pet overseas travel insurance, and paralysis tick will be included at no extra cost. Some policies also offer a dental illness benefit after two years of holding your policy.
Premium pricing
The benefit percentage, where you and your pet permanently live, plus the breed and age of your dog or cat can affect your premium and level of cover. Visit our FAQsFrequently Asked Questions section for more information on how your premium is calculated.
You can insure your kitten or puppy from 8 weeks old. If your pet is aged under 9 years old (or up to 16 years for some policies) at the time of your application and by the time your cover starts, you may be eligible for combined specified accidental injury and illness cover. Once covered, as long as you pay the premiums and keep the policy continuously in force, your pet can keep this cover for life (cover is subject to the terms and conditions of your renewal policy). Pets aged 9 years and over (or 16 years and over for some policies) are generally excluded from obtaining cover.
What’s covered?
You'll only receive benefits from your insurance policy if you claim for something that’s covered by the policy. Exclusions apply to every policy, but generally many pet insurance policies will cover:
- hereditary and congenital conditions, provided that the symptoms and/or signs of the condition weren’t present before the policy commencement date or during any applicable waiting period (provided your pet has illness cover);
- specified accidental injuries like burns, bone fractures, and bite wounds;
- illnesses caused by parasites like tapeworm (provided your pet has illness cover);
- patella luxation - a knee joint problem that can cause lameness (provided your pet has illness cover);
- cancer, diabetes, and some skin conditions (provided your pet has illness cover);
- elbow dysplasia - a front leg degenerative condition that may require surgery to fix (provided your pet has illness cover); and
- other specified accidental injuries or illnesses.
What most policies don’t cover
Like other types of insurance, there are a number of exclusions that won’t be covered. Generally, these include:
- pre-existing conditions or conditions arising within the applicable waiting period;
- chronic or recurring conditions beyond pre-set annual benefit limit;
- declared widespread pandemic diseases;
- alternative therapies;
- voluntary euthanasia;
- prosthesis and organ transplants;
- treatment related to breeding and obstetrics;
- dental care; and
- a lack of protection for pet due to gross negligence.
Pet insurance can help cover up to 85% of eligible vet bills up to a maximum of $20,000 per year.* Choosi can help you compare, choose, and apply for pet insurance. Call Choosi’s team of Choosers on 1300 462 4871300 462 487 or get a quote online for pet insurance today.
* Exclusions, benefit limits, and sub-limits apply. An annual condition limits applies to some policies. Claim for reimbursement. Information is general. Please read and consider the relevant Policy Booklet (containing the Product Disclosure Statement, Policy Terms and Conditions, and Financial Services Guide) before purchasing for specific details of the policy’s inclusions and exclusions based on your selected level of cover.
The pet insurance information provided on this website is based only on the pet insurance policies that Choosi can arrange. Choosi doesn’t provide information or offer cover for all products available in the market and there may be aspects of some products that Choosi doesn’t compare. Information on this website doesn’t take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider the relevant Policy Booklet for more information and to ensure the product suits your needs.