Pet Insurance FAQs

Pet insurance can help cover the cost of medical care for your pets, reducing out-of-pocket expenses related to vet bills should something unexpected happen. Pet insurance typically works by reimbursing you for eligible veterinary expenses related to your pet's health, such as accidents and illnesses. Different pet insurance plans offer varying levels of cover, so it's important to compare policies to find one that best suits your pet's needs and your budget.

Just like us, pets can get sick or injured and need medical attention. Unlike us, they can’t tell us when something is wrong. And if they do get sick or injured, vet bills can get quite expensive – that’s where pet insurance can help cover the cost. So, pet insurance can go a long way in protecting your pet (and your back pocket) if the unexpected happens.

Pet insurance typically covers a wide range of medical expenses for covered conditions. For example, vet visits, blood tests, imaging, emergency care for injuries, prescription medication, etc. With Buddy Pet Insurance, you can claim up to 70%, 80% or 90% of eligible vet bills, with up to $11,000, $20,000 or $35,000 cover per year (depending on the level of cover). It’s important to review your policy documents to understand the specifics and any applicable excesses.

The cost of pet insurance can vary based on several factors, including your pet's age, breed, and the level of cover. Whether you pay an excess can also impact the cost of your pet policy. With Buddy Pet Insurance, depending on your needs, you can either go for no excess or pick an annual excess amount of $200 or $500 (depending on the level of cover), which can reduce the cost of your premiums, but means a higher out-of-pocket expense at claim time.

As your pet ages, the premiums will increase, as they’re more likely to get sick or injured. The overall cost of medical treatments for pets continues to increase as well. This is due to advancement in medical treatments, improved technology, and the ongoing demands of veterinary care. It's always a good idea to review your policy and understand how your premiums might change over time.

An annual excess refers to the amount that you, as the policyholder, must pay towards the cost of your claim(s) per policy period. It’s applied on a per policy period basis and applied to each claim in the policy period until fully paid. Your annual excess will reset when you renew your policy.

At Buddy Pet Insurance we offer excess options of $0, $200 or $500 depending on your product. When you claim, this annual excess will be deducted from your calculated claim benefits after we apply the benefit limit (where applicable), Booster Care limit (where applicable) and the benefit percentage to your claimed amount.

A pre-existing condition is a health condition that a pet had before the start of a pet insurance policy or during any applicable waiting period. This includes a sickness or injury that was diagnosed, treated, or had symptoms before the policy started. Most pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions, as they are considered a pre-existing risk and may require ongoing treatment.

Pre-existing conditions are assessed differently depending on whether they are considered a temporary or a chronic condition:

• Temporary pre-existing conditions are health issues that typically resolve with treatment. If your pet remains symptom-free for a period of 18 months, these conditions can be removed from your policy as exclusions.
• Chronic pre-existing conditions are long-term or require ongoing care. These conditions, if present before purchasing the policy or during the waiting period, will not be covered under the policy.

A pre-existing condition also includes a related condition or bilateral condition of a pre-existing condition.

Refer to your Product Disclosure Statement to understand what your pet insurance covers.

If your pet had a condition that first existed or occurred before you bought a pet insurance policy or before the applicable waiting period ended, or of which you were aware or could have been reasonably aware (diagnosed or not) that condition is usually not covered.

Insurance policies are meant to cover the unexpected, so for this reason claims for pre-existing conditions are generally excluded to ensure fairness for all policyholders.

However, some conditions can be treated and don't require ongoing care. These pre-existing conditions are evaluated differently based on whether they are temporary or chronic. If, after any applicable waiting period, your pet has a pre-existing condition that is a temporary condition which hasn’t existed, occurred or shown noticeable signs, symptoms or an abnormality in the 18-month period immediately prior to your claim treatment date, it won’t be excluded from cover as a pre-existing condition.

Refer to your Product Disclosure Statement to understand what your pet is covered for or speak to your insurer.

No, pet insurance premiums are not the same across all breeds. The cost of premiums can vary based on several factors, including the breed of your pet.

Different breeds have different risk levels for certain health issues. For example, larger breeds might be more prone to joint problems, while some smaller breeds could be more susceptible to dental issues. Additionally, pedigree breeds may have higher premiums due to a higher likelihood of congenital health problems.

Your premiums are based on various factors including years of claims and veterinary data. Your premiums may be affected by data relating to the health of pets that are a similar age and breed to your cat or dog.