Welcoming a new pet into your home can be one of the most pivotal experiences of your life. From unconditional love to affection, there’s never a dull moment when you have a furry companion. But, there’s also a lot of effort that goes into keeping your pup or kitten healthy long-term.
If we think about pet ownership as a whole, there are some key responsibilities, these include - exercise, food, and shelter. Providing a comfortable living environment, an adequate diet and regular walks are all things that satisfy the basic needs of your fur baby, but, what if something happens unexpectedly that falls out of your financial control? That’s where pet insurance comes in.
Having pet insurance can help with the cost of eligible vet bills if your furry friend becomes sick or injured. Let's look at different types of insurance policies and how to decide which one suits you and your pet's needs.
It’s the question on every owner’s mind if their pet is accidentally injured or falls sick - will my insurance cover this? The answer is: it depends on your policy terms and conditions.
There are a few categories that determine what your pet’s illness or injury falls under:
Term | Definition | Example |
Specified accidental injury | Physical harm or injury that occurs through an accident and is a consequence of a certain event |
Snake bite toxicity, bone fracture, bite wound, or lacerations |
Illness and specified conditions | A sickness or disease which:
For specified conditions policies, cover is limited to a specific list of conditions shown in your policy. See: Indoor Cat |
Cancer, ingestion of a foreign object, or gastrointestinal issues |
Pre-existing condition | A pre-existing condition is a condition that first existed or occurred
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Your pet cat is diagnosed with luxating patella during the waiting period of your policy. See our pre-existing conditions page for more details and examples. |
Additional benefits | Additional benefits included in the benefit limit of your policy |
Emergency boarding |
Routine care (optional non-insurance benefits) Available for Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus policies only |
Benefits for certain preventative healthcare treatments for your pet, up to $100 annual sub-limit |
Vaccinations, Health checks and desexing |
Dental illness benefit (Optional) Available for Indoor Cat plan only |
Cover for certain specified dental conditions. (Only available with Indoor Cat plan) |
Gingivitis and Abscesses |
In most cases, specified accidental injuries are covered under most policy types. The differentiating factor is the annual benefit limit.
For example, let’s say your Border Collie, Max is involved in a motor vehicle incident that requires him to need surgery. If you have Basic Cover, you’ll be able to claim up to $5,000 on eligible vet bills.# Comparatively, if you have Comprehensive Plus Cover, you’ll be able to claim up to $30,000.#
These product features are effective for policies sold after 17 July 2023.
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Basic Cover |
Indoor Cat plan |
Standard Cover |
Comprehensive Cover |
Comprehensive Plus Cover |
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Cover types |
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Benefits and limits | |||||
Annual benefit limit (up to 80% back on eligible Vet bills)* |
$5,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 | $24,000 | $30,000 |
Select an excess (per condition, per policy period) |
$0 or $200 | $0 | $0 or $100 | $0 or $100 | $0, $100 or $500 |
GapOnly® | |||||
Lifetime cover2 | |||||
21 day cooling off period | |||||
Consultation fees3 | ![]() |
$300 annual limit (House visit consultations included) |
$300 annual limit | $300 annual limit | $300 annual limit |
Laboratory and diagnostic tests3 | |||||
Radiology3 | |||||
Medicines and drugs3 | |||||
Hospitalisation3 | |||||
Surgery3 | |||||
Cruciate ligament conditions |
$2,000 per leg, per policy period |
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$3,000 per leg, per policy period |
$4,000 per leg, per policy period |
$5,000 per leg, per policy period |
Hip Joint Surgery (Total Hip Replacements are included) |
$2,000 per hip, per policy period |
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$4,000 per hip, per policy period |
$6,000 per hip, per policy period |
$8,000 per hip, per policy period |
Emergency boarding fees |
$500 | $500 | $1,000 | $1,200 | $1,500 |
Waiting period |
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Pre-existing conditions
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Specified accidental injury cover | |||||
Motor vehicle incidents | ![]() |
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Burns or electrocution | ![]() |
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A reaction to a bite from an insect, spider or scorpion; | ![]() |
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Bone fracture | ![]() |
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Snake bite toxicity | ![]() |
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Traumatic ligament or tendon injuries (other than Cruciate Ligament Conditions) | ![]() |
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Bite wounds or fight wound abscesses | ![]() |
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Lacerations or abrasion of tissue, skin or mucous membrane due to external trauma | ![]() |
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Illness cover or specific conditions cover (Indoor Cat plan only)5 (examples of conditions covered) |
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Poisoning | |||||
Cancer treatments | |||||
Skin conditions | ![]() |
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Outer and Inner Ear Infections | |||||
Gastrointestinal problems | |||||
Ingestion of a foreign object |
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Diabetes |
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Hyperthyroidism |
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Heart Disease |
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Arthritis |
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Renal Disease |
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Feline lower urinary tract disease (coverage for Cats only) |
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Paralysis tick (sub-limit) |
$1,500 | ![]() |
$1,500 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) | ![]() |
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Additional Illness not listed in summary table | Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply | ![]() |
Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply | Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply | Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply |
Above is a summary table only. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions that apply.
Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus Covers also includes the optional non-insurance routine care benefit. This benefit allows you to claim $50 annual benefit towards vaccinations or health checks, and another $50 annual benefit towards one of the items in the list below:
Learn more about optional non-insurance routine care
With optional dental illness benefit you can claim up $1,000 Annual Benefit on:
Please read the Product Disclosure Statement for further information for full terms, conditions and exclusions. Please note that a 6 month waiting period applies for specified dental conditions.
All Everyday Pet Insurance policies also come with free access to VetAssist, valued at $199 per year.† With VetAssist, you can have a video call or online chat consultation with a licensed Australian Vet. It's perfect for those times when you're unsure if a trip to the Vet is required and you need some advice.
Above everything, pet insurance can give some level of protection if things go wrong. Take some time to review the needs of yourself and your pet so you can choose the appropriate level of cover.
Ready to take out a new policy?
Claim up to $30,000 a year
Get up to 80% back on eligible vet bills
Your pet is covered from 8 weeks old for life
Claim your benefit on the spot and only pay the gap on eligible claims=
If you're thinking about buying or adopting a puppy, check out what you need to know before getting a dog
If you're thinking about buying or adopting a kitten, check out what you need to know before getting a cat
Learn more about Dr Harry, Woolworths Pet insurance ambassador for 10 years
= The gap is defined as the difference between the vet's invoice and the claim benefit under your policy. Policy terms and conditions apply. GapOnly® is only available at participating Vets. Please visit GapOnly® to search for GapOnly® enabled vets. GapOnly® is a trademark owned by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd (PetSure) (ABN 95 075 949 923, ASFL 420183).
2 Cover is available for the life of your pet provided you renew your policy each year without any break, lapse or change in the level of Cover. This means once your pet is insured with us and as long as we continue to offer the product, you will be able to renew your policy for that pet for life provided you continuously maintain the cover. Cover is subject to the terms and conditions of your renewing policy. See details in your PDS.
3 This is an example of treatment which is covered if provided in relation to conditions covered by your policy, subject to policy T&Cs, limits, exclusions, excesses and waiting periods. See PDS for further information.
4 This 6 month waiting period may be waived if we receive within 14 days of examining your pet, written certification from your vet that they have examined your pet on or after the commencement date of the first policy period and found no signs or evidence of cruciate ligament conditions.
5 Means a sickness or disease which isn’t included under the specified accidental injury cover and isn’t a pre-existing condition. If you have Indoor Cat plan, you will be only covered for specified conditions listed in your PDS.
6 By a qualified Animal Behavioural Therapist or Vet.
7 Under Indoor Cat, you are only covered for the following 11 specified conditions: Poisoning, Ingestion of Foreign Object, Cancer, Feline lower urinary tract disease, Gastrointestinal Problems, Diabetes, Hyperthyroidism, Heart Disease, Outer and inner ear infections, Arthritis and Renal Disease.
# Policy Terms and Conditions, exclusions and limits apply. Benefit limit amounts vary by level of cover.
† Offer available to new Everyday Pet Insurance policyholders, and is limited to 1 membership per eligible policy. The free membership offer (valued at $199p.a) is from the date of your policy commencement, provided your Everyday Pet Insurance policy remains active. You are not eligible to redeem the free membership subscription for cash or credit. VetAssist is a separate subscription based service to the Everyday Pet Insurance product, and is provided independently by Woolworth’s third party service provider, VetChat Services Pty Ltd (VetChat). Click here for full VetAssist Service terms and conditions. Woolworths reserves the right to withdraw or extend this offer at anytime, without notice.
* Exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply.
‡ Cover is available for the life of your pet provided you renew your policy each year without any break, lapse or change in the level of Cover. This means once your pet is insured with us and as long as we continue to offer the product, you will be able to renew your policy for that pet for life and your cover level will not be reduced as your pet ages provided you continuously maintain the cover. Cover is subject to the terms and conditions of your renewing policy. See details in your PDS.
Everyday Pet Insurance policies entered into for the first time prior to 17 July 2023 and subsequent renewals of those policies are issued by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473, AFSL 241436 (Hollard), arranged and administered by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 95 075 949 923, AFSL 420183 (PetSure) and promoted and distributed by Hollard’s Authorised Representative (AR) Woolworths Group Limited ABN 88 000 014 675, AR 245476 (Woolworths). Everyday Pet Insurance policies entered into for the first time on or after 17 July 2023 and subsequent renewals of those policies are issued by PetSure and promoted and distributed by PetSure’s AR, Woolworths. Any advice provided is general only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to ensure this product meets your needs before purchasing, or choosing to continue with the product. PDS and Target Market Determination available at insurance.everyday.com.au/pet-insurance.