Pet insurance · Australia
Knose vs PetsOnMe: the two compared on published cover
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Refer Labs is an independent Australian comparison publisher. We compare services on public pricing, eligibility, inclusions, trade-offs, availability in Australia and suitability. Commercial relationships may exist and are disclosed, but rankings are not paid placements.
Is Knose or PetsOnMe better?
On the published numbers Knose is the stronger headline product: up to 90% of the bill against PetsOnMe's 80%, an annual limit up to $25,000, a $0 excess option, and no sub-limits, so the full limit is available for any covered condition. PetsOnMe's strength is clarity: three plainly tiered plans with published limits and a named underwriter, so you can see exactly what you are buying. Neither wins outright, because neither publishes premiums and the one that looks better on paper can still cost more for your pet. The sub-limit difference is the one most likely to decide it in a real claim.
General information only. Refer Labs is not an insurer, broker or financial adviser, and this is not a recommendation or personal financial advice. We publish no star ratings of our own and earn a commission from both providers. Read each Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination before deciding. Contains disclosed affiliate links.
Side by side
| Knose | PetsOnMe | |
|---|---|---|
| Benefit percentage | Up to 90% of eligible vet bills, across its policies | 80% of the eligible vet bill, on all three plans |
| Annual benefit limit | Up to $25,000 | $5,000 (Accidental), $10,000 (Classic), $20,000 (Deluxe) |
| Excess options | $0, $100 or $200 per policy period | $100, $200 or $300 |
| Sub-limits | States no sub-limits on eligible treatments: the full annual limit applies to any covered condition | Yes. Hereditary conditions capped at $2,300pa (Classic) or $3,800pa (Deluxe) |
| Hereditary & congenital | Covered, with a six-month exclusion period unless waived | Covered on Classic and Deluxe, within the sub-limits above. Not on Accidental |
| Dental | Optional extra (dental illness), alongside behavioural and specialised therapies | Select dental included on Deluxe, capped at $500pa |
| Underwriter | Not stated on the cover page | Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd (ABN 83 169 311 193) |
| Premiums | Not published: quote-based | Not published: quote-based |
| Refer Labs offer | 2 months free with code referlab2mf | Code REFERLABS lifts the pet care services discount from 12% to 15%, not the premium |
Every figure is taken from each provider's own published pages and was checked on 17 August 2026. Neither publishes premiums, because pricing depends on your pet's species, breed and age, your postcode and the excess you choose. Terms change: confirm current cover in each Product Disclosure Statement.
Knose suits you if
You want the highest share of the bill covered, you would rather not meet a sub-limit at claim time, or a $0 excess appeals. It is also the one to look at if your breed carries hereditary risk, since the full annual limit stays available for those conditions.
Get a Knose quote (2 months free)PetsOnMe suits you if
You want clearly separated tiers and a stated underwriter, or you are starting with accident-only cover and want a defined entry point. The pet care services discount is worth something on top if you regularly use walking, minding or grooming.
Compare PetsOnMe coverUse code REFERLABS at quote
Common questions
Is Knose or PetsOnMe better?+
On the published numbers Knose is the stronger headline product: it claims back up to 90% of the bill against PetsOnMe's 80%, carries a higher annual limit at up to $25,000, offers a $0 excess option, and states it applies no sub-limits, so the full annual limit is available for any covered condition. PetsOnMe's advantage is clarity of structure: three plainly tiered plans, published limits, and a named underwriter, which makes it easy to see exactly what you are buying. Neither is better for everyone, because premiums are quote-based and neither publishes them, so the provider that looks better on paper can still cost more for your pet.
What is the biggest practical difference between them?+
Sub-limits. PetsOnMe caps hereditary conditions at $2,300 a year on Classic and $3,800 on Deluxe, and dental at $500 on Deluxe. Knose states it applies no sub-limits on eligible treatments, so the whole annual limit is available for any covered condition. If your breed carries a known hereditary risk, that single difference can matter more than the headline limit, because a sub-limit is the number you actually hit when you claim.
Which one pays more of the vet bill?+
Knose, on the published figures: up to 90% of eligible vet bills against PetsOnMe's 80%. On a $6,000 surgery that is roughly $600 versus $1,200 out of pocket before the excess. A higher benefit percentage usually carries a higher premium, so compare quotes for your own pet with the same excess before treating that as settled.
How do the excess options compare?+
Knose offers $0, $100 or $200 per policy period. PetsOnMe offers $100, $200 or $300. A $0 excess is unusual in the Australian market and means you pay nothing before the benefit percentage applies, though it generally raises the premium. Choose the excess you could genuinely absorb on the day your pet needs surgery, not the one that makes the monthly figure look smallest.
What do the offers actually give me?+
They are different in kind, which is worth understanding before you compare them. The Knose code referlab2mf gives new customers 2 months free on the policy itself. The PetsOnMe code REFERLABS lifts the discount on their pet care services, meaning walking, minding, sitting, day care, house sitting and grooming, from 12% to 15%. The PetsOnMe code does not reduce the insurance premium.
Does Refer Labs prefer one of them?+
No, and we publish no star ratings of our own. Refer Labs is not an insurer, broker or financial adviser, and nothing here is a recommendation or personal financial advice. We earn a commission from both providers, which is why we set out the published figures side by side and let them decide it rather than naming a winner. Read each Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination before you buy.
Published by Refer Labs. Contains disclosed affiliate links to Knose and PetsOnMe, both of which pay us a commission if you take out a policy through them, at no extra cost to you. Because we earn from both, we set out the published figures rather than naming a winner, and a provider cannot pay to be described more favourably than the facts support. Cover details are from each provider's own pages, checked 17 August 2026, and can change: confirm current cover, limits, exclusions and waiting periods in the Product Disclosure Statement before you buy.