Frequently asked questions

Bronze Cover for Indoor Cats – For cats older than 8 weeks and younger than 15 years 
Silver Cover – For dogs older than 8 weeks and younger than 15 years
Gold Cover – For cats and dogs older than 8 weeks and younger than 9 years
Platinum Cover – For cats and dogs older than 8 weeks and younger than 9 years

Once a policy is approved, cover commences from the time indicated on your Certificate of Insurance.

The waiting periods that apply are:

• 0 days for specified accidental injuries and you may claim immediately for these after the policy has started
• 21 days for specified conditions (Bronze Cover for Indoor Cats) 
• 21 days for specified illnesses (Silver Cover)
• 21 days for illnesses (Gold Cover and Platinum Cover)
• 6 months for dental illness benefit  (Platinum Cover, and if selected, for Bronze Cover for Indoor Cats, Silver Cover and Gold Cover)
• 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions (which may be waived on application by completing the "Cruciate Ligament Form")

For more information on waiting periods, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement

^{^}Cruciate ligament coverage not available for Bronze Cover for Indoor Cats.

If, after any applicable waiting period, you’d like Petinsurance.com.au to check whether a condition that has been excluded as a pre-existing condition in your policy should continue to be excluded, you can apply to check this using the Pre-existing Condition Review form.

Your vet will need to certify and provide veterinary records verifying that the condition remains a temporary condition and has not existed, occurred or shown noticeable signs, symptoms or an abnormality for a period of 18 months (‘temporary condition').

Petinsurance.com.au will let you know in writing whether or not the exclusion still applies.

If your pet has a chronic condition that existed or occurred before the commencement date of your first policy period or during any applicable waiting period, and otherwise falls within the definition of ‘pre-existing condition’, that condition will always be excluded from your policy and will not be lifted.

Once completed, you can email the form back to Petinsurance.com.au and you will be notified of the outcome in writing.

Specified accidental injury means physical harm or injury of at least one of the following:

• a motor vehicle incident;
• a burn or electrocution;
• a reaction to a bite from an insect, spider or scorpion;

OR
the specified accidental injury must be one of the following: 

• a bone fracture; 
• traumatic tooth fracture;
• snake bite toxicity:
• poisoning;
• ingestion of foreign object;
• a traumatic ligament or tendon injury;
• a bite wound or fight wound abscesses;
• lacerations or abrasion of tissue, skin or mucous membrane due to external trauma;or
• a cruciate ligament condition.

Illness – Gold and platinum cover

Illness means a sickness or disease that is not included under specified accidental injury cover nor included under the dental illness benefit.

Specified illness – Silver cover

Specified illness means the following specified illnesses that are a consequence of or result in one of the following:

• tick paralysis;
• heat stroke;
• gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV);
• trauma induced respiratory impairment (for example, if your pet chokes or experiences near-drowning);
• intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or atraumatic spinal disc rupture;
• torn nail;
• embedded grass seed;
• soft tissue injury; or
• eye trauma.

Specified Condition – Bronze cover

Specified condition means the following specified conditions.

• cancer;
• feline lower urinary tract disease;
• gastrointestinal problems;
• ingestion of a foreign object;
• poisoning;
• diabetes;
• hyperthyroidism;
• heart disease;
• outer and inner ear infections;
• arthritis; and
• renal disease.

Note: Specified conditions don’t include specified dental conditions. See the definition of specified dental conditions.

Pre-existing condition means a condition that first existed or occurred: 

• Prior to the commencement date of the first policy period; or


• Within any applicable waiting period; AND 


• Of which you were aware of, or a reasonable person in your circumstances would have been aware, irrespective of whether the underlying or causative condition has been diagnosed. A pre-existing condition also includes a related condition or bilateral condition of a pre-existing condition.

As with most insurance products, there are certain situations where you will not be covered. There are some general exclusions such as pre-existing conditions, routine or preventative treatments (unless the non-insurance benefit Routine care is purchased, which provides a contribution up to the routine care limits), some elective treatments and procedures and breeding or obstetrics. There may be more specific exclusions which may apply to specific levels of cover.

For a more detailed list of general exclusions, refer to the applicable Combined Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement.

When making a claim, you will receive up to 80% of each claim for eligible vet expenses and eligible costs for covered items, subject to the benefit limit, sub-limits and excesses.  Certain expenses are not covered. These are set out in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

Routine Care is a non-insurance optional benefit which may be added to your policy. It provides a contribution towards day-to-day routine care expenses for specified items such as vaccinations.

The annual routine care limit is made up of:

-A $50 annual benefit for any one of the following routine care items:

• Vaccinations or Health checks
• Flea/Tick/Worm control
• Blood screen

- A $100 annual benefit for any one of the following routine care items:

• Desexing
• Microchipping
• Heartworm preventative
• Teeth cleaning
• Prescription diets
• Cremation or burial
• Dental illness treatment
• Council registration fees
• Obedience training
• Behavioural therapy
• Alternative therapies

There are many quick and easy ways to make a claim.

Option 1:  Your Vet submits claim on your behalf

• You can have your Petinurance.com.au claim processed on the spot if your Vet clinic is a GapOnly® GapOnly® reviews and calculates your claim while you’re still in-clinic, so you only have to pay the gap between your pet insurance claim benefit and your vet invoice for eligible claims. Ask your vet or check here to see if they are signed up for GapOnly® claiming yet.
• Alternatively, many vets can submit your claim on your behalf directly to Petinsurance.com.au via the paperless eClaims service. Ask your vet if they can do this for you at the time of settling your invoice.

Option 2:  Submit your claim online

If your vet can’t submit your claim on your behalf, the easiest way to make a claim yourself is through the Pet Portal. To make a claim, you will need the following documentation:

• Itemised invoice (a paid invoice that includes individual treatment items and costs adding up to the total amount paid); and

• Vet consultation notes, if you have them (these are the veterinarian’s medical notes from examination findings).

Petinsurance.com.au may also contact you for additional documentation if needed.

Option 3:  Send your claim in the mail

If you would prefer to lodge your claim in the mail, please follow these steps:

Step 1:  Download a claim form and print it out.
Step 2:  Fill in your and your pet’s personal information in Part 1 of the claim form and sign the form.
Step 3:  Take the claim form to your Vet, and have him/her complete the applicable sections. Ensure your Vet includes his/her practice details on the attached invoice.
Step 4:  Attach detailed itemised invoices, payment receipts and any relevant vet consultation notes to the completed claim form and mail it to us at the address below:

Petinsurance.com.au
Locked Bag 9021
Castle Hill  NSW 1765 

In some instances, Petinsurance.com.au may require more information to process your claim. If this is the case Petinsurance.com.au will contact you for this information.

Once Petinsurance.com.au receives your claim form and all relevant documentation, Petinsurance.com.au will process your claim.

You can check out the Pet Portal for a summary of your coverage or refer to your PDS and Certificate of Insurance for all your coverage information.

Pre-approvals aren’t mandatory, but can provide you with additional reassurance, so if you want to know if an upcoming or specific treatment for your pet will be covered, all you need to do is email claimreview@petsure.com.au with the following:

• Policy number or Policy Holder and Pet Name
• Name of the condition being treated and the proposed procedure
• Name of your regular vet and the vet where the procedure will take place
• An itemised estimate of costs relating to the procedure (optional- if you have it!)               

Once this information is received, you can expect a response within two business days. 

Note: A pre-approval will not be deemed to be valid unless Petinsurance.com.au has agreed to it in writing. The reimbursed amount may vary from the pre-approval if the treatment provided by your vet differs from the treatment request in the pre-approval.

You may cancel your policy at any time. We understand circumstances can change and would like to see if we can help keep your cover active. Please call our customer service team on 1300 855 663 or send us an email at petinsurance@petsure.com.au so we can discuss your options.

Paying annually? 

If you’ve been paying your premiums annually, Petinsurance.com.au will retain a portion of the premium that relates to the period that you’ve been insured.Petinsurance.com.au will refund you the residual premium for the unexpired period (less any government or statutory charges that apply).

Paying by instalment? 

If you’ve been paying your premiums by instalment, there's no premium refund for any remaining days of a current instalment period. No further premium instalments will be deducted.