Does it pay to have pet insurance?
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance is available for cats and dogs. The type of cover that Choosi can arrange offers a combined specified accidental injury and illness cover with extras that can be added (see table below). The relevant Policy Booklet (containing the Product Disclosure Statement, Policy Terms and Conditions, and Financial Services Guide) outlines which illnesses and injuries are covered under a policy.
Pet insurance could help you provide life-saving care when your pet needs it most. Choosi can provide you with some options to help you weigh up the costs so you can decide if it pays to insure your pet.
We’ve all heard stories of small fortunes being lost after a visit to the vet! See the table below for the most common conditions that are claimed and for how much, according to 2018–2019 PetSure claim statistics.
Vets can be unpredictably expensive
For an emergency, there’s an element of the unknown. Your pet might have a common health issue that you can pay for. Alternatively, it could be something serious requiring expensive procedures and long-term care. You might also face additional costs for out-of-hours attention. A cat owner spent $17,000 in vet bills after her cat was injured when it fell from a balcony 8 storeys high.1
Whatever the situation, bills for pet care come directly out of your pocket. For anything urgent, serious or ongoing, you may be forced to make the difficult choice between the cost of care and the treatment of your dog or cat. With pet insurance, you may be able to claim up to 85% back on eligible vet bills.*
By numbers: common costs and claims
A survey completed in 2019 of over 1300 pet owners found that at least 84% of dog-owners and 68% of cat-owners visit a vet in the previous 12 months and some even multiple times, spending an average of $546 for dogs, and $371 for cats.2 That’s a lot of visits to the vet! See below the most common pet medical conditions and total cost of claims ranked by number of claims according to 2018–2019 PetSure claim statistics.
Top 10 most common pet medical conditions and total cost of claims ranked by number of claims by PetSure 2018-2019
Diagnoses | No of claims | Total claim amount |
|---|---|---|
| Otitis external | 10,000 | $1,065,627.88 |
| Cruciate disease | 8,520 | $3,403,739.08 |
| Gait abnormality - lameness | 6,683 | $940,045.44 |
| Ear (aural) infection | 6,419 | $700,966.95 |
| Hypersensitivity (allergic) skin disorder - atopic dermatitis | 6,299 | $980,513.56 |
| Arthritis | 6,011 | $417,086.42 |
| Dermatitis | 5,714 | $643,499.18 |
| Hypersensitivity disorder (allergy) | 5,102 | $602,672.83 |
| Conjunctivitis | 3,751 | $294,317.47 |
| Faecal appearance abnormal - diarrhoea | 3,627 | $655,667.60 |
Top 10 expensive pet operations and average claim amount by Petsure claim statistics 2018-2019
Diagnoses | Total claim amount | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| Neoplasm - jaw, maxilla | $7,523.03 | $7,523.03 |
| Intestinal perforation | $7,218.37 | 7,218.37 |
| Portosystemic (portosystemic, portacaval) shunt - acquired | $5,732.50 | 5,732.50 |
| Urolithiasis - ureteric | 15,914.52 | 5,304.84 |
| Total hip replacement surgery- left hip | 14,888.79 | 4,962.93 |
| Urinary bladder, intrapelvic position | $4,040.28 | 4,040.28 |
| Total hip replacement surgery (fracture) - left hip | $4,000.00 | $4,000.00 |
| Total hip replacement surgery - right hip | $24,000.00 | $3,428.57 |
| Physeal Disorder – Premature Physeal Closure | $3,939 | $3,939 |
| Joint subluxation | $6,711.93 | $3,355.97 |
| Gallbladder rupture | $14,811.47 | $2,962.29 |
As our animals age, just like us, medical care becomes more likely and complicated. For example, an average claim is $2,131.42 for a snake bite, $1,950.66 for diabetes, and $1,859.31 for cataracts (based on 2018–2019 PetSure claims statistics). Pet insurance could provide you the peace of mind knowing that you can give your dog or cat the care they deserve.
How pet insurance can help with vet bills
With pet insurance, depending on the level of cover you select, you can claim up to 85% of eligible vet bills* if your pet suffers a specified accidental injury or an illness that’s covered. For an insured dog or cat, an owner can:
- claim up to 85% of eligible vet bills, up to a maximum of $20,000 per year;*
- cover their pet from as young as 8 weeks; and
- use their own vet as long as they’re registered to practice in Australia.
Some policies offer extra benefits on top of the standard policy such as emergency boarding, essential euthanasia, overseas pet travel insurance, and paralysis ticks at no extra cost. You can also choose to add a routine care benefit to your policy and this helps cover the cost of some typical preventative treatments.
Emergency boarding
If you (the sole carer) are unexpectedly hospitalised, or need emergency accommodation due to family violence for a specified period and are unable to care for your pet, this cover can help with the cost of boarding at a registered kennel or cattery up to an agreed amount.
Essential euthanasia
If a vet deems euthanasia essential and humane for your pet as a result of a condition covered under your policy, the benefit percentage will be covered up to your chosen benefit limit.
Paralysis ticks
Tick bites are very serious and can cause paralysis in pets that can be fatal if untreated.3 The benefit percentage will be covered up to the specified limit.
Optional routine care
Adding this to your policy (for an additional premium) can help cover the cost of some routine health checks or procedures that are otherwise not covered, such as vaccinations, desexing and worming.
References
- Aussie pet owners forking out thousands on vets – news.com.au
- Animal Medicines Australia – Pet Ownership in Australia 2019 Report p.40
- Animal Welfare League NSW, Ticks
Learn more about pet insurance
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 to 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.