Compare accident-only pet insurance

An accident-only pet insurance policy can help cover specified accidental injuries, such as:

• Car accidents
• Ingestion of foreign objects
• Poisoning
• Burns or electrocution
• Bone fractures
• Cuts and lacerations
• Bite wounds or fight wound abscesses
• Snake bite toxicity
• Allergic reactions to insect or arachnid bites
• Eye, nail and mouth injuries.

Inclusions and benefit limits may vary depending on your specific policy and insurer, so be sure to check your policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to find out what you’re covered for.

Accident-only pet insurance doesn’t cover illnesses. Other common exclusions that apply to most pet insurance policies include:

• Elective treatments
• Treatment for vaccine-preventable diseases (unvaccinated pets can still receive coverage for other treatments)
• Behavioural problems
• Breeding and pregnancy
• Dental illness and treatments
• Pre-existing conditions.

Keep in mind that some insurers offer optional extras on more comprehensive accident and illness policies that provide a benefit towards treatments commonly excluded from accident-only policies. This may include cover for vaccinations and routine care procedures like de-sexing, worming and dental care.

Most insurers will offer pet insurance cover for dogs and cats. However, if you want to cover a different animal (like a horse), you’ll need to seek a policy from a specialist insurance provider.

Remember that certain dog breeds are banned in Australia and therefore won’t be covered by pet insurance, including dogs considered dangerous by authorities. Additionally, pets used for commercial purposes will not be covered.

Pet insurance coverage and benefits will differ between insurers, but you can generally expect a policy to include the following:

• An annual limit. The majority of pet insurance products have an annual benefit limit, which is the maximum the insurer will pay in any policy period. The annual limit is subject to exclusions, conditions and sub-limits.
• Choice of vet. Most insurers will let you go to a vet of your choice to treat your pet, while others may ask you to use a vet they nominate.
• A benefit percentage. All pet insurance products will include a benefit percentage, typically ranging from 70% to 90% (but some policies may be lower or higher). The benefit percentage is the amount of the bill your insurer will cover after the excess is deducted, and the remaining amount will be your gap payment. Some insurers will apply the policy excess before the benefit percentage, while other insurers will apply it after.
• Ability to insure more than one pet. Some insurers will allow you to insure multiple pets under one policy, and some may even offer ‘multi-pet’ discounts for those with more than one fur baby. Keep in mind that you may need to pay an additional premium to cover more than one pet.
• Cover for life. If you insure your pet before they reach the insurer’s nominated maximum age limit (usually nine years old) and maintain that cover continuously, your insurer may cover your pet for their whole life. However, the cost of pet insurance may still increase as your pet ages.
• Optional extras. Depending on the insurer and your policy, you can include optional covers for extended benefits in your accident-only policy. Keep in mind that including optional extras like routine care in your policy will add to your premium.

The premium you pay for your accident-only pet insurance will likely differ from what other pet owners pay for their policies. This is because premiums are calculated using factors unique to you and your pet, like the level of cover you’ve chosen and your pet’s age, breed and health status.

If you’d like to find out how much accident-only pet insurance might cost, you can get a quote via our pet insurance comparison service.

Your pet’s age, current health status and medical or claims history are all factors that can affect the cost of premiums and the policies available to them. You may feel that your pet needs protection for more than just accidents and may instead benefit from a more comprehensive pet insurance policy.

An excess is an amount you need to contribute to any claim on your pet insurance and this will be listed in your policy schedule. Other common out-of-pocket expenses are usually due to the policy’s benefit percentage; after the insurer applies the benefit percentage, you will need to cover the balance of the vet’s bill.

While an excess is a fixed amount you pay for each claim, other out-of-pocket expenses will change in line with the total cost of the vet bill.

Waiting periods don’t typically apply to accidental injuries (which means you’re covered from when you buy your policy), but most health conditions and illnesses covered under a combined policy have applicable waiting periods on claims unless stated otherwise.

For example, you may only be able to claim on cruciate ligament conditions once a certain amount of time has passed (e.g. six months). This can vary from insurer to insurer so make sure to review your PDS for exact details.

If you’re looking to get your pet covered for illnesses, you can read about accident and illness cover and comprehensive coverage in our guide to different types of pet insurance.

Most insurance providers will consider any symptoms or health conditions present before the commencement date of your new pet insurance policy as pre-existing conditions, meaning they’ll be excluded from cover. However, some insurers may cover pets with pre-existing conditions that have been cured or resolved for some time, usually for a minimum of 12 months.

Insuring your dog or cat when they’re young and healthy (or at least within their first year) means they’re less likely to have pre-existing conditions that won’t be covered. This is particularly important if your pet’s breed is known to have hereditary issues.