Budget Direct pet insurance

You can pay your premiums by direct debit from your nominated bank account, or manually with a credit card or debit card. You can pay fortnightly, monthly or annually; paying an annual premium may be cheaper than fortnightly or monthly instalments.

The easiest way to make a claim is via the dedicated online claims portal on the Budget Direct website, where you’ll be able to submit new claims at any time and view your pet’s claims history. Alternatively, you can submit a claim by email or post with your vet’s itemised invoice and all your relevant paperwork.

Budget Direct pet insurance covers 80% of the cost of your eligible vet bills, less any applicable excess, up to the relevant remaining annual limit or sub-limit (terms, conditions and exclusions apply). You’ll pay the vet bill upfront and lodge a claim for reimbursement of your eligible costs after your visit. Check your policy’s PDS for more details on your cover.

You can choose any registered veterinarian, vet clinic or mobile vet within Australia to treat your pet. Just remember to keep your invoices and receipts for the treatments to give to Budget Direct when you claim.

Budget Direct pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. A condition is pre-existing if your pet shows signs or symptoms or has received treatment for it at any time before your period of cover or during any applicable waiting period. This also includes any illness or injury, recurring or related conditions, bilateral conditions or complications resulting from a pre-existing condition.

Budget Direct pet insurance has waiting periods that apply to your first period of cover. This includes a two-day waiting period for accidental injuries and snake attacks, and a 30-day waiting period for illnesses and tick paralysis. Cruciate ligament conditions have a six-month waiting period. No waiting period applies to the Routine Care optional extra. For more information regarding waiting periods, refer to the PDS.

If you’re taking out a Budget Direct pet insurance policy for the first time, your pet must be at least eight weeks of age and under nine years. Once your cover has started, you can continue to cover your pet past nine years of age as long as you renew the policy each year with no gap or break in cover.

If you make a claim, you only pay an excess once for each unrelated condition during any one period of cover. You don’t have to pay the excess for further treatment of a related condition during the same period of cover, and no excess applies to Routine Care claims.

The cost of your excess is the amount you selected when you took out your policy, and it will be deducted from your claim benefits. Check your PDS for further information on excesses and how claim payouts work.

You can cancel your policy by phone at any time, and a cancellation fee may apply (unless your pet has passed away). Budget Direct pet insurance has a 21-day cooling-off period, so if you cancel during this time without claiming, you may receive a refund of your premiums.