Australia · General information
Pet insurance in Australia
Far fewer insurers exist than brands: one underwriter, PetSure, sits behind more than twenty of the policies sold in Australia, so two brands you are comparing may be the same product with different branding. Five things then decide what you get back, and all five live in the Product Disclosure Statement rather than the marketing: cover level, waiting periods, exclusions, excess and annual limit. General information, not advice and not a recommendation.
Refer Labs may earn a commission if you sign up or buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never changes a comparison or a conclusion.
Editor Jarred, FounderLast updated How we compareHow we make money
The two insurers we cover
Both are underwritten by Pacific International Insurance, so they are two products carried by one insurer rather than independent alternatives. Cover, waiting periods, exclusions and limits sit in each provider's PDS and Target Market Determination, which is what to read before you buy. Listed alphabetically, not ranked.
Provider
Who it suits
What it costs
Current offer
Knose
Quote online for your pet; the policy terms sit in Knose's PDS.
Who it suits
Buyers who want the cover, waiting periods and exclusions set out before they get a quote.
What it costs
Priced per pet and postcode, so a quote is the only real figure.
Current offer
2 months free a policy taken out through our link, with the code referlab2mf applied through our link. Checked 27 August 2026.
Get a Knose quote
We earn a commission if you sign up with Knose through this link, at no extra cost to you.
PetsOnMe
Compare the three published cover levels, then quote online; the policy terms sit in PetsOnMe's PDS.
Who it suits
Buyers comparing published cover levels before quoting.
What it costs
Premiums are not published. Annual benefit limits run $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 by level, each paying 80% of the eligible vet bill less an excess of $100, $200 or $300. Read off PetsOnMe's own compare-cover page, 17 August 2026.
Current offer
15% off pet care services, up from the usual 12%, not the insurance premium, with the code REFERLABS applied through our link. Checked 17 August 2026.
Compare PetsOnMe cover
We earn a commission if you sign up with PetsOnMe through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Our guide to each of them
What each one costs, and what we could not verify about it.
Weighing them up? See Knose vs PetsOnMe side by side, or our guide to choosing pet insurance, which sets out the six things that decide what you get back. Both are underwritten by the same insurer, which is worth knowing first: who underwrites which brand. Current offers across every category sit on the deals page.
General information, not financial advice
Refer Labs is not an insurer, broker or financial adviser, and nothing here is a recommendation or personal financial advice. We provide general information and refer you to the provider. We may receive a commission or referral fee if you take up an offer through our links, at no extra cost to you. Whether a policy suits you depends on your own circumstances, so read the provider's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before deciding.
What pet policies differ on
These are the things to read and compare in any insurer's PDS. They are explained here so the terms are clear, not to steer you toward any particular policy.
Cover type
Policies range from accident-only, to accident and illness, to more comprehensive cover that may include optional routine-care add-ons. What is and isn't included is set out in each insurer's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
Waiting periods
Most policies apply a waiting period before you can claim, which can differ for accidents, illnesses and specific conditions. The exact periods are in the PDS.
Exclusions
Pre-existing conditions are commonly excluded, and other exclusions vary by insurer. Read the PDS to see what a policy will not pay for.
Excess and benefit percentage
Many policies let you choose an excess, and reimburse a percentage of the eligible vet bill. Both affect your premium and what you get back.
Annual and sub-limits
Cover is usually capped by an annual limit, and sometimes by sub-limits for particular conditions. These caps determine the most a policy can pay in a year.
Common questions
Is Refer Labs recommending a pet insurance policy?
No. Refer Labs is not an insurer, broker or financial adviser. We provide general information and refer you to the provider. Nothing on this page is a recommendation or personal financial advice, and whether a policy suits you depends on your own circumstances.
What does pet insurance generally cover?
It depends entirely on the policy. Cover can range from accidents only, to accidents and illness, to more comprehensive options with optional routine-care add-ons. Waiting periods, exclusions (such as pre-existing conditions), excess, benefit percentages and annual limits all vary. The insurer's Product Disclosure Statement sets out exactly what is and isn't covered.
How does Refer Labs make money from this page?
We may receive a commission or referral fee if you take up an offer through our links, at no extra cost to you. This does not change what we publish, and we do not provide advice or recommend any policy.
What should I read before buying pet insurance?
Read the insurer's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD), and get a quote for your specific pet, so you can see the cover, waiting periods, exclusions, excess and limits that would apply. Consider your own circumstances before deciding.
How much does pet insurance cost per month in Australia?
Premiums vary widely by species, breed, age, location and the level of cover, so there is no single figure. Cats generally cost less than dogs, accident-only cover is the cheapest tier, and premiums usually rise as a pet gets older. The only accurate number is a quote for your specific pet.
What age should I insure my pet, and is there an age limit?
Insurers set their own minimum age, often around eight weeks, and many apply an upper age limit for taking out a new policy, particularly for illness cover. Insuring a pet while it is young and healthy means fewer conditions are later treated as pre-existing. Once a pet is insured, policies are generally renewable as it ages.
Is pet insurance worth it?
That depends on your finances and how you would handle a large, unexpected vet bill, which can run into thousands for surgery or serious illness. Insurance trades a known premium for help with those costs, after any excess and exclusions. Some owners self-fund by saving instead. Your own situation decides it; this is general information, not advice.
Is pet insurance tax deductible in Australia?
For a family pet, generally no. Pet insurance and vet bills are treated as a private expense. Costs may be deductible only where an animal helps earn income, such as a working farm dog, and the ATO applies its own tests. This is general information, not tax advice.
General information, not financial advice
Refer Labs is not an insurer, broker or financial adviser, and nothing here is a recommendation or personal financial advice. We provide general information and refer you to the provider. We may receive a commission or referral fee if you take up an offer through our links, at no extra cost to you. Whether a policy suits you depends on your own circumstances, so read the provider's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before deciding.