1300 946 501 Get a  quote
  1. Home
  2. Pet Insurance
  3. Dog Insurance

Dog Insurance

Pet insurance that cares for your dog and supports Australia’s animal welfare communities.

Get a quote
Customers rate us

4.6 /5

Feefo logo

from 3,732 verified reviews 2

Pet insurance for your dog

We know that your dog is more than just your pet, they’re an important part of your family. In fact, a recent survey showed that 52% of respondents consider their pets to be family. Yet only 17% of Australians with dogs had pet insurance in 2022, often because they’re unaware of the value. Despite this, at least 84% of dog owners take their furry friend to the vet once a year or more, paying out of pocket for vet bills.

Whether your four-legged bestie is a little pup or has grown enough to have found their paws, they probably have a way of sniffing out adventures in places they shouldn’t be sticking their nose! Or they love going full throttle when playing catch with their favourite toy, with no fear of accidents or injuries. These escapades can lead to unexpected vet visits – this is when dog insurance can come in handy. With Buddy Pet Insurance, you can claim up to $35,000 every year, depending on your level of cover.

Icon
Get a Buddy info brochure

Digging for more info? We can send you everything you need to know about Buddy Pet Insurance.

Request now

Buddy dog insurance

Buddy Pet Insurance offers three different levels of cover to help Aussie dog lovers care for their pets, while helping to protect their wallet from unexpected eligible vet bills:

  • Gold Accidental Injury & Illness is our highest level of cover that can take care of up to 90% of your dog’s eligible vet costs with a benefit limit of up to $35,000 per year.
  • Silver Accidental Injury & Illness is the next level of cover, which can help you keep your dog feeling fit with a benefit limit of up to $20,000 per year that can take care of up to 80% of eligible vet bills.
  • Bronze Accidental Injury & Illness cover can come in handy if you have to visit the vet occasionally. It can cover up to 70% of eligible vet costs with a benefit limit of up to $11,000 per year.

Compare dog insurance

Choose the level of cover that suits you and your mate best3

Cover Option Icon

GOLD

Accidental Injury & Illness Cover 

  • Up to 90% of eligible vet bills reimbursed  
  • $35,000 benefit limit per year
  • Annual $0/$200/$500 excess – your choice  
  • Pay your premiums fortnightly, monthly or annually  
  • No sub-limits  
  • Optional Routine Care (non-insurance) benefit of $100 to contribute towards everyday items such as vaccinations or health checks
  • Optional Booster Care cover of $2,000 for specified dental conditions and specialised therapies including behavioural conditions, physiotherapy and acupuncture


Get a quote
Cover Option Icon

SILVER

Accidental Injury & Illness Cover

  • Up to 80% of eligible vet bills reimbursed  
  • $20,000 benefit limit per year  
  • Annual $0/$200/$500 excess – your choice 
  • Pay your premiums fortnightly, monthly or annually
  • No sub-limits
  • Optional Routine Care (non-insurance benefit) of $100 to contribute towards everyday items such as vaccinations or health checks
  • Optional Booster Care cover of $2,000 for specified dental conditions and specialised therapies including behavioural conditions, physiotherapy and acupuncture
Get a quote
Cover Option Icon

BRONZE

Accidental Injury & Illness Cover

  • Up to 70% of eligible vet bills reimbursed
  • $11,000 benefit limit per year
  • Annual $0/$200 excess – your choice
  • Pay your premiums fortnightly, monthly or annually 
  • No sub-limits
  • Optional Routine Care (non-insurance benefit) of $100 to contribute towards everyday items such as vaccinations or health checks
  • Optional Booster Care cover of $2,000 for specified dental conditions and specialised therapies including behavioural conditions, physiotherapy and acupuncture
Get a quote

Help protect your pet and your pocket

Get cover that helps you put your bestie first with Buddy Pet Insurance.

Get a quote

What does dog insurance cover?

What is covered in all plans?³

  • Accidental injuries and illnesses
  • Hereditary and congenital conditions
  • Emergency pet boarding with no waiting period
  • Essential euthanasia (required as a result of covered condition)
  • Pet overseas travel insurance (New Zealand and the Norfolk Islands only)
  • Skin conditions and allergies
  • Ear infections and eye conditions like conjunctivitis
  • Gastrointestinal conditions
  • Tick paralysis
  • Respiratory conditions like asthma
  • Endocrine diseases like diabetes
  • Lumps, masses and cancer treatment
  • Musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis
  • Infectious diseases like kennel cough
  • Injuries from heatstroke, frostbite, or near drowning
  • Injuries from rough play, stick injury or ingesting foreign objects

Exclusions

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Elective treatments and procedures 
  • Behavioural conditions like anxiety disorders, phobias or chemical imbalances 
  • Dental care and procedures 
  • Food and diet, including supplements and vitamins
  • Pet grooming or medicated baths and shampoo4
  • Pet accessories like pill poppers, cage hire, crates, bedding and collars
  • Training and socialisation
  • Preventative or routine items like vaccination or microchipping
  • Flea, tick or worm treatment

For the full list of all exclusions and further information on what’s covered by Buddy Pet Insurance, please refer to your Product Disclosure Statement 

Buddy’s optional extras

Routine Care

Add optional Routine Care (non-insurance benefit) to your cover for a $100 annual contribution towards the following items to help keep your buddy feeling their best:

  • De-sexing 
  • FeLV/FIV test 
  • Flea, tick and worm control 
  • Heartworm control 
  • Health checks 
  • Micro chipping 
  • Nail clipping 
  • Prescription diets 
  • Obedience training 
  • Vaccinations
  • Wellness blood screening

Booster Care

Take advantage of a $2,000 yearly benefit limit with Booster Care and boost your cover for your buddy’s health and wellbeing3

  • Dental conditions
  • Eligible vet expenses incurred for scaling, polishing, dental x-rays and tooth removal for specified dental conditions only:  
    • gingivitis; abscesses;  
    • odontoclastic resorptive lesions;  
    • dental disease arising from infection; retained deciduous teeth;  
    • cavities; or  
    • fractured teeth due to dental disease. 
  • Specialised therapies 
  • Eligible vet expenses incurred for the following specialised therapies to treat a covered condition: Physiotherapy or physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, prescribed medication and diagnostic tests for behavioural conditions, vet behavioural specialist consultations.

Dog insurance claims – it’s quick and easy!

With Buddy, claiming for your dog's vet visit is a walk in the park. Whether you're using our convenient GapOnly® service for on-the-spot claims5, or opting to lodge online through our Pet Portal, we've got you sorted. Make quick and easy claims at any time, so you can focus on your furry friend.

Take your dog to the vet

Claim on the spot with GapOnly® at participating vets5, or claim online through our Pet Portal after paying your bill.

Fill out your paperwork

Submit a copy of your vet’s itemised invoice via our online Pet Portal.

Receive your payment

Eligible claims are assessed within five business days of receiving all documentation. Once approved you’ll receive your payment.

Examples of how we settle your claim

Your claim payment will be based on your level of cover and any applicable excess. Exclusions, excess, limits and waiting periods under your policy may affect your benefit amount. Here’s an example of how claims can be calculated, depending on your level of cover.

Amanda has a 3-year-old Labrador Retriever, Ruby, who loves playing in their backyard. Amanda noticed Ruby limping during playtime, and after a vet visit, found out that she needed surgery costing $3,000.

Since Ruby has Buddy’s Gold Accidental Injury & Illness cover with $0 excess, she’ll be covered for up to 90% of eligible vet expenses, and Amanda can claim $2,700 – being only $300 out of pocket.

Use our table below to see how claim benefits are calculated for each of our levels of cover.

Claim 
Gold Accidental Injury & Illness cover
Silver Accidental Injury & Illness cover
Bronze Accidental Injury & Illness cover
Total amount of eligible vet expenses incurred 
$3,000
$3,000
$3,000
Total claim benefit payment 
$2,700
$2,400
$2,100
Out-of-pocket expense 
$300
$600
$900

Dog insurance

  • Buddy Pet Insurance makes it easy for you to protect your best friend from the day they’re born or as soon as you bring them home, so long as they’re under 9 years of age, when you first apply. Once your pet is covered with Buddy, provided there’s no break in their policy and as long as we continue to offer the product we’ll continue to offer renewal of your policy every year (subject to the terms and conditions of the renewal policy).

  • You can insure an older dog under 9 years of age with Buddy Pet Insurance. As dogs approach their senior years, they become more prone to health issues such as, skin conditions, arthritis and cancer. So, you may want to consider getting insurance while they are still young.

  • While desexing isn’t covered by most dog insurance policies, you can still receive a contribution towards it with Buddy Pet Insurance by choosing our optional Routine Care (non-insurance) benefit. You’ll receive a contribution up to the Routine Care limit towards items including desexing, spaying, or neutering.

  • Dental care isn’t typically covered by dog insurance, but with Buddy Pet Insurance, you can opt in for Booster Care and receive a $2,000 annual benefit limit that can be used to cover specified dental conditions. Including scaling, polishing, dental x-rays and tooth removal for the following dental conditions: gingivitis, abscesses, odontoclastic resorptive lesions, dental diseases arising from infections, retained deciduous teeth, cavities, and fractured teeth due to dental disease.

  • It’s possible to get insurance for your dog , but pre-existing conditions are excluded as they are considered a pre-existing risk and may require ongoing treatment. Pre-existing conditions can also include a related condition or bilateral condition of a pre-existing condition. Some temporary pre-existing conditions may be covered after review.

    If your dog has a temporary pre-existing condition, which is a health issue that usually resolves with treatment and they remain symptom-free for a specified period, that condition can be removed from your policy as an exclusion.

    If your dog has a chronic pre-existing condition, which is long-term or requires ongoing care, and it’s present before purchasing the policy or during the waiting period, then it won’t be covered under the policy.

    Check your Product Disclosure Statement to understand what your dog insurance covers.

  • Buddy Pet Insurance offers a multi-pet discount to pet-parents who have more than one dog (or even a cat!). Enjoy a 10% discount for a second policy and every additional pet policy with Buddy. See here for terms and conditions

More FAQs & help

The Dish

Play

New puppy training tips: Your complete starter guide

Play

Interpreting body language in dogs: A complete guide

Care

A guide to lumps and bumps on cats

Play

Why do cats wag their tails? Understanding cat tail language

Home

Everything you need to know about dog shedding

Care

Signs of snake bite in dogs: What to do in an emergency
Dig into more articles
  1. Each new policy purchased on or after 21/06/2025 is entitled to one month free in your first year of cover (the first month). All quotes provided automatically include this offer. Terms and conditions apply.
  2. Based on our collective reviews generated through Greenstone Financial Services Pty Ltd over the last 14 years within the Pet Insurance category.
  3. Pre-existing conditions are excluded Policy Terms and Conditions, exclusions, waiting periods, excesses and limits apply. Benefit limit amounts and benefit percentage vary by level of cover. Does not apply to the non-insurance Optional Routine Care benefit. The annual excess is the amount deducted from your claim benefit for each claim in the policy period, until fully paid, and will reset at each renewal.
  4. Medicated baths and shampoos are excluded unless your vet says they are medically necessary to treat a condition covered by your policy.
  5. The gap is defined as the difference between the eligible 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 participating vets. GapOnly® is a trademark owned by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 95 075 949 923, AFSL 420183.

Get Buddy Pet Insurance

Help protect your best mate with flexible cover. Get a quote now.

Have us call you Get a quote