Your selected pet insurance
Looking to insure your cat or kitten? The right policy could help reimburse vet bills. Here at Mozo, we compare cat insurance policies from a range of pet insurance providers to help you compare policy features and offers side by side.
100% Australian owned, Pet Circle Pet Insurance comes with no sneaky sub-limits and your choice of 3 annual limits up to $30K. Enjoy 3 benefit percentage options; 70% 80% or 90%, subject to annual excess. Choose what level of annual excess you need, from $0 to $150. Team of pet experts to help you on hand. Cancel at any time.
100% Australian owned, Pet Circle Pet Insurance comes with no sneaky sub-limits and your choice of 3 annual limits up to $30K. Enjoy 3 benefit percentage options; 70% 80% or 90%, subject to annual excess. Choose what level of annual excess you need, from $0 to $150. Team of pet experts to help you on hand. Cancel at any time.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Pet Circle Accident and illness
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Enjoy flexible options that make it simple to tailor your pet insurance. Get a quote in just 2 minutes. Aussie customer care team. There are no sub limits and emergency help is available 24/7. Add optional extras such as dental illness and specialised therapies. Get 10% off your first-year premium using the exclusive promo code "MOZO10" - T&Cs apply.
Enjoy flexible options that make it simple to tailor your pet insurance. Get a quote in just 2 minutes. Aussie customer care team. There are no sub limits and emergency help is available 24/7. Add optional extras such as dental illness and specialised therapies. Get 10% off your first-year premium using the exclusive promo code "MOZO10" - T&Cs apply.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Knose Pet Insurance
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Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Pet Insurance Australia Major Medical
Your selected pet insurance
Get cover for a generous 80% of your eligible vet bill when you take your furry family members to yourchoice of registered vet or veterinary practice in Australia. Enjoy a 15% discount on your first year’s premium for new policies quoted online. T&Cs apply.
Get cover for a generous 80% of your eligible vet bill when you take your furry family members to yourchoice of registered vet or veterinary practice in Australia. Enjoy a 15% discount on your first year’s premium for new policies quoted online. T&Cs apply.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Budget Direct Pet Insurance
Your selected pet insurance
Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Pet Insurance Australia Comprehensive
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Get dental, physio and behaviour cover included as standard with Fetch 30k cover with no sub-limits. Your plan includes free 24/7 vet support and an all Aussie vet nurse team to manage claims. Claims are paid directly to your vet.
Get dental, physio and behaviour cover included as standard with Fetch 30k cover with no sub-limits. Your plan includes free 24/7 vet support and an all Aussie vet nurse team to manage claims. Claims are paid directly to your vet.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Fetch Pet Plan
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Multiple Mozo Experts Choice Award winner^. 100% of your eligible vet bills covered, less your chosen excess with PetsOnMe. No sub-limits on consult fees and lightning-fast claims payouts, usually within 2 business days.
Multiple Mozo Experts Choice Award winner^. 100% of your eligible vet bills covered, less your chosen excess with PetsOnMe. No sub-limits on consult fees and lightning-fast claims payouts, usually within 2 business days.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the PetsOnMe Deluxe
Your selected pet insurance
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Pet insurances Awards
*Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Like us, our feline friends sometimes get sick and must be looked after. The difference is humans have a national healthcare system to help us pay medical bills, whereas animals do not.
When cats fall ill, the Australian government won’t help with their vet bills, which sure can add up. Luckily, pet insurance is available for cats; if you have it, it can help minimise the costs of going to the vet.
If you consider taking out cat insurance, you’ll probably want to research how it works first. This is where our handy guide comes in, as we’ve attempted to answer all your questions on cat insurance.
Cat insurance is health insurance for cats. It’s pet insurance tailored to meet the needs of our purring pals should they get sick or injured.
As with all forms of insurance, the idea is to provide some financial support in case something goes wrong. Cat insurance is specifically designed to help lower expensive vet bills by reimbursing eligible costs you've already paid.
So instead of an accident or illness making a permanent dent in your savings, cat insurance puts eligible claims back into your pocket.
Exactly what cat insurance covers will depend on a few factors. These include the insurance company you opt for and the level of cover you pay for, for your cat - plus any terms, conditions, exclusions and sub-limits that may apply. Different insurance companies will have different cover options and perks available.
Generally speaking, though, cat owners will often have around three different levels of cover to choose from:
Basic
Essential
Comprehensive.
Cover offered will often be for accidents and illnesses, emergency boarding, prescription medicine, testing, etc.
Routine care for teeth cleaning, vaccinations and check-ups can sometimes be available with a comprehensive policy or as an optional extra.
How cat insurance is sold and packaged by insurance providers can vary widely. While some pet insurance providers will offer one policy plus optional extras, others may have three different cat insurance levels. Some insurance companies even offer indoor cat insurance for cats who don’t wander outside.
Broadly speaking, these are the types of cat insurance you will find offered most often:
Accident injury cover is often the most basic type of cat insurance providers will offer. As the name suggests, this type of insurance provides cover for injuries caused as a result of an accident. Accidents often include motor vehicle incidents, burns or electrocution and insect bites.
Accidents covered and the definition of accidents may vary from policy to policy. With this in mind, we would recommend reading the PDS thoroughly before signing on the dotted line.
As well as covering accidents, this type of cat insurance protects specific illnesses. Covered illnesses can be cancer, skin conditions, eye or ear conditions, tick paralysis, etc.
Exactly what illnesses are covered will depend on the individual policy. It is also worth noting that with most policies, around a 30-day waiting period may apply for illnesses. This means you must have had the policy for at least 30 days to claim for an illness.
Another thing to keep in mind is that pre-existing conditions are often not covered. So if your kitty has a health condition predating the policy, you most likely won’t be able to claim for any associated treatment. Other illnesses may be excluded, so again, read the PDS properly before making a decision.
As mentioned above, pet insurance providers most often offer some form of higher-end, comprehensive cover.
This isn’t always called comprehensive cover per se. Sometimes it is called premium, superior or even ultimate cover. The idea is the same, though, that is a policy that usually offers the most amount of coverage possible with that particular insurance provider.
The main differences with a comprehensive policy are most often the annual benefit limit and percentage of eligible vet bills covered. Sub-limits for specific cover may also be higher with a comprehensive cat insurance policy. Some providers may even include routine care cover, although generally, this can only be accessed as an optional extra.
As so many people have indoor cats, many insurance providers offer indoor cat insurance. Indoor cat insurance is specifically designed to cover cats that do not roam outside.
It is generally more cost-effective than regular cat insurance, as it takes into account that indoor cats are less likely to be involved in accidents outdoors, such as road incidents.
Some providers that offer indoor cat insurance include Bow Wow Meow and petinsurance.com.au.
Most insurance providers will not offer cat insurance for very young kittens. Generally, cats must be at least eight weeks old to be eligible for insurance.
For younger cats specifically, accidental injury cover might be worth considering. Young kittens can be more prone to getting into scrapes than their elders, especially if they are getting used to a new home.
Really when it comes to it, there are a fair few factors to consider when choosing a pet insurance policy. Ultimately what works best for your pet will come down to what matters most to you and your financial situation.
When an insurance provider works out the cost of an insurance premium, they are trying to determine how likely that person is to make a claim. If the likelihood of making a claim is high, the insurance premium will be high and vice versa.
For cat insurance specifically, the insurance provider will try to find out how likely the kitty will wind up at the vet. Some factors the insurance providers usually take into account include:
Age: Just like people, the older a cat gets, the more susceptible they will be to developing certain medical conditions. For this reason, as your cat’s age goes up - so might their insurance premium.
Breed or pedigree: Some cat breeds may be more likely to develop certain conditions, so insurance providers may consider the breed and pedigree.
Where you live: If you live in a busy, built-up area, there may be a higher risk of your cat being involved in an accident.
Desexed status: Your cat’s desexed status may affect how much their insurance premium costs.
Medical history: An insurance provider may ask to review your cat’s medical history to see if they are prone to certain illnesses.
As well as these factors, your chosen policy will also affect your premium. For example, an accidental injury-only policy will likely come with a lower premium price than an accidental injury and illness cover plan.
Here’s a quick rundown of some essential factors to consider when comparing cat insurance plans.
Price: Although getting the right type of cover is essential, it is also understandable to be restricted by a budget. Your budget will probably determine whether you opt for comprehensive cover or are more strategic and take out accidental injury-only insurance instead.
Waiting periods: A waiting period will apply with most cat insurance policies. This is a certain amount of time you must wait, from signing up for the insurance plan to making a claim. Waiting periods can vary depending on the insurance provider and type of cover, ranging from 1 to 30 days or longer.
Benefit percentage: You will come across this term when comparing cat insurance policies - the percentage of an eligible vet bill covered by the insurance plan. Most often, pet insurance providers will offer an 80% benefit percentage, although some may give the option to choose from 70% to 90%.
Annual benefit limits: The annual benefit limit is the maximum amount the insurance provider will pay out in one insurance period. The annual benefit limit can vary significantly depending on the policy. It should also be noted that individual cover events may also be subject to sub-limits.
Sub-limits: As well as the overall annual benefit limit mentioned above, most cat insurance policies will have sub-limits that apply to certain conditions and cover events. For instance, cat insurance providers may put a cap on cover for things like treatment for cruciate ligament conditions, skin conditions and emergency boarding.
Excess: If you have any other type of insurance, you will know that the excess is the amount you must pay towards a bill before the insurance kicks in. The good news with cat insurance is that many providers only offer a $0 excess. This means eligible claims will automatically be covered, no matter how small.
Exclusions: What is not covered with a policy is just as important as what is covered. Regarding cat insurance, several standard exclusions and possibly even some unexpected exclusions may apply. Make sure you know what the exclusions are before signing up.
Sadly not all cats will be eligible for cat insurance. Generally cats younger than 8 or 9 weeks or older than 9 years won’t be eligible to sign up to a new policy. Some insurance companies will provide older cats with insurance, but only if they already held the policy before a certain age.
Any illnesses a cat may have had before signing up to the policy will also not usually be covered. This is called a pre-existing condition and most insurance providers do not cover them. Illnesses developed during an insurance waiting period, may also count as a pre-existing condition.
How much cat insurance costs will depend on a few factors. Some of these factors can include where you live, your kitty’s age, their medical history and what insurance policy you choose. For example, a policy with basic cover is likely to come with a lower insurance premium than a policy with comprehensive cover. Or, as an older cat has a higher chance of developing certain health conditions, they will probably cost more to insure than a younger cat.
When taking out cat insurance, pet insurance providers will ask a number of questions about you and your cat and from these provide a quote for how much the premium will cost. You can gather quotes from multiple providers to get an idea of how much cat insurance might cost.
According to the RSPCA, the average yearly cost of owning a cat could be around $880. That is after the initial extra costs that may apply when you first adopt them.
Some approximate costs the RSPCA gives are:
$50 to $100 for a carry cage and bed
$23 to $201 for council registration
$115 to $300 for desexing (females may cost more than males)
$370 or over for food and bowls
$170 to $200 for kitten vaccinations
$60 for microchipping
$130 to $180 for tray and litter
According to the RSPCA the first year with your cat could cost around $1,150 to $3,570. Of course just keep in mind that these costs could vary depending on the individual cat and what state or territory they live in.
According to the RSPCA, annual vaccinations and veterinary costs in Australia could be around $80 for a cat. On top of this, flea and worming treatments can be around $100 to $150. This is for preventative care. Costs for things such as surgery and cancer treatments can climb into the hundreds and even thousands.
The idea of cat insurance is to provide some financial support to cat owners, should their beloved feline fall ill. Without cat insurance, as a cat owner you will bear the risk of being left with a big vet bill, should anything unfortunate happen to your fur-baby.
Ultimately though, whether cat insurance is a worthy investment for you, will depend on your individual situation and budget. You will really have to weigh up the cost of insurance premiums against potentially hefty vet bills.
It is highly likely that cat insurance costs will vary by breed. This is because some cat breeds are more susceptible to certain health conditions. Some can even inherit particular diseases.
For example, according to the International Cat Care organisation, Abyssinian cats can suffer from the inherited disease ‘pyruvate kinase deficiency.’ This disease can lead to the cat developing anaemia. Meanwhile, the organisation says that there is limited information about the health conditions that other cats might have, such as the Australian Mist cat.
Cat insurance providers will likely take all this information into account, when figuring out the price of an individual cat’s insurance premium.
Yes, most cat insurance policies will have waiting periods. Typically these can range anywhere from one day to six months. Generally speaking, shorter waiting periods apply for accidental injury, while waiting periods for illness cover can be as long as 30 days.
Waiting periods for certain conditions, such as cruciate ligament condition, can be as long as six months. We recommend reading the PDS in full, to see what waiting periods apply for a particular policy.
Yes, age limits do generally apply for cat insurance. Most insurance providers will not insure cats younger than 8 or 9 weeks, or older than 9 years. Although, some insurance providers will insure older cats, if they were signed up to an insurance policy before they turned 9.
So in other words, if you get insurance for your kitty when they’re young and keep paying it each year, you might just be able to still have insurance cover for them when they’re a bit older and wiser. Just keep in mind that the insurance premium may go up, as your cat ages.
Vaccinations are not generally included in most standard, cat insurance policies. A number of cat insurance providers will offer routine/preventative care as an optional extra. Routine care can provide some cover for things like desexing, microchipping, teeth cleaning, vaccinations and prescription diets. Although just keep in mind that any optional extras you add on to your policy, will up the overall premium price.
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Your selected pet insurance