Pet Insurance Glossary

Benefit Percentage means the percentage of eligible vet costs that we will cover in the event of a claim.

The Annual Limit is the maximum amount we pay for all accepted claims in relation to a Period of Insurance (12 months) and this amount resets when your policy renews. Please take the time to select your Annual Limit carefully, you can request to reduce it at any time but after your policy has started you won't be able to increase it.

The excess is the annual amount that needs to be met before we begin to pay benefits for accepted claims at your chosen benefit percentage. The excess is deducted off accepted vet costs before we apply the benefit percentage to calculate your reimbursement amount.

Your Annual Excess will reset at the start of each Period of Insurance. You can choose to add or increase an annual excess at any time, and you can also choose to reduce it when your policy renews at the end of your Period of Insurance.

Also known as a “condition limit” or “per incident limit”, a sub limit acts as a ceiling limiting claims made on a pet insurance policy per year (period of insurance), for treating certain conditions.

A pet insurance claim is a formal request made by a policyholder for reimbursement or payment of a portion of eligible vet costs. The claims team will assess the claim based on the information available, and if approved, will make payment into your nominated bank account.

A Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) is the document which contains the details and information about a financial product (such as pet insurance), so you can decide if it is the right one for you. It includes information about the products key features, fees, commissions, benefits, risks and the complaints handling procedure.

Petsy's Product Disclosure Statement

Once you activate a new policy, exclusion periods have to end before your coverage kicks in.
Exclusion Period means the period that your pet is not covered, and it starts from your Pet’s First Date of Cover or when you increase your coverage or level of cover. The applicable Exclusion Periods will be shown on your Certificate of Insurance.
Different exclusion periods apply to different conditions.

Exclusion Periods

1. 1 day for Injury (except Specified Conditions)
2. 14 days for Illness (except Specified Conditions)
3. 6 months for Specified Conditions
4. 6 months for Optional Behavioural Problems
5. Optional Dental Illness
   -14 days for pets under 1-year-old or
   - 6 months for pets 1-year-old & over

There is a thirty (30) day cooling-off period which means that if you change your mind and wish to cancel your policy within the first thirty (30) days of the Issue Date, we will refund the premium and policy fee paid less any non-refundable government charges, taxes and levies that we have paid.

You can't exercise this right if you've made a claim under your policy during the cooling-off period.
Even after this cooling-off period ends, we have no lock in contracts which means that you can cancel your policy at any time, even if we have made claims.

A pre-existing condition refers to any kind of illness or health issue that your pet has shown signs or symptoms of, before your exclusion periods are up on your pet insurance.
Pre-existing conditions also include conditions that are bilateral (both sides), related, secondary or as a result of the initial condition.

The definition of a pre-existing condition under the Product Disclosure Statement is as follows:
Pre-existing Condition means an Injury, Illness, Dental Illness, Behavioural Problem or Specified Condition (including Bilateral Condition and other conditions that are related to, secondary to, or results of) that:
1) first occurred or showed symptoms of, or
2) was identified or investigated by a Vet, or
3) You were aware of or a reasonable person in the circumstances could be expected to have known about,
before Your Pet’s First Date of Cover, before a change of coverage became effective, or during any applicable Exclusion Period.

Accident means an incident that is unexpected and unintentional resulting in an Injury.

Illness means a disease or period of sickness affecting body (excluding teeth and gums), or limbs of your pet which is not an Injury or a result of an Injury.

Injury means damage caused to your pet solely, directly and independently of any other cause from an accident. For the avoidance of doubt, Injury does not include gradual deterioration or damage occuring over time.

Specified Conditions means cruciate ligament damage, intervertebral disc disease, hip dysplasia, patella luxation, elbow dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), cherry eye, entropion, ectropion, and Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) and Lumps.

Lumps are not considered a Specified Condition if Your Pet was under one (1) year old on the First Date of Cover or when Your cover increased.

Petsy Pet Insurance has a 6 month Exclusion Period applicable to Specified Conditions.
You can apply for the Exclusion Period to be reduced by arranging a vet to examine your pet with this waiver form and submitting the completed application form within 14 days of the examination date.

Lumps means the protuberance or localised area of swelling or unusual growth that can occur anywhere on the body including tumours, warts, cysts, rowths and abscesses.

A fracture consist of a break and/or crack in the continuity of any bone(s) in the body. The bone(s) may be completely or partially fractured. Bone fractures are often a result of trauma, fall or injuries but can also be a result of illness or a specified condition.
Also known as: Broken bones
E.g. A cat jumped from the balcony and broke its left forelimb.

Disease due to swallowing, inhaling, injection or absorption through the skin of various toxic compounds such as chemicals, gases, drugs and radiation. Ingestion of chocolate is toxic to dogs and would be considered poisoning.
Also known as: Toxicity
E.g. A dog swallows bleach from the laundry.

Consists of the immune system overreacting against a substance recognised as foreign to the body. The signs and symptoms vary largely depending on the type of allergy and individual patients which could impact the immune-system, skin, cardiorespiratory system and/or gastrointestinal system of your pet.
E.g. A dog has an acute anaphylactic reaction to a bee

Relates to any condition that occurred from the altercation between two or more animals. In dogs, fighting wounds can result in deep soft tissue punctures and devitalised skin. Whereas in cats, puncture wounds are not always evident but can result in infection and abscesses.
Also known as: Wound from an attack
E.g. A dog is attacked by another dog in an off-leash park.

Consist of ingestion of an object that could result in issues due to various reasons such as obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Although most foreign body ingestion will not result in disease some can be fatal and are true emergency scenarios.
Also known as: Your pet swallowed or ate something they should not swallow.
E.g: A dog eating a sock or a cat eating part of its toys.
In some instances where a pet repeatedly ingests non-food based objects an underlying behavioural problem may be present.

Broad category of medical conditions related to diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract and accessory organs of digestion such as the liver and pancreas. The signs and symptoms are various but most commonly includes vomiting and diarrhoea.
Also known as: Upset tummy.
E.g. A dog ate all the leftovers and is now feeling unwell with diarrhoea.

Cancer or neoplasia relates to the body’s own cells growing and multiplying in an uncontrolled fashion. These abnormal cells can form abnormal masses called tumours. If not diagnosed early, cancer cells can divide substantially and spread to vital organs disrupting normal body function.
Also known as: Cancer treatment, cancer care, tumour, lump.
E.g. A dog has a fast-growing mass on his back which is later diagnosed as a Mast cell tumour.

Grass seed originates from long grass and can get caught on your pet’s fur. On occasion, seeds can get embedded in the paws, skin, eyes, nose and/or ears and result in infection and disease. Unfortunately, the body is not able to break down the seed and your animal may require surgical removal.
Also known as: Awns
E.g. A dog is limping and has a swollen paw due to an embedded grass seed.

Tick bites by the paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus can cause rapid ascending paralysis due to the release of neurotoxins found in the tick’s saliva. If untreated animals can die quickly from respiratory arrest. This disease is common on the East coast of Australia, but thankfully is the risk is reduced with regular tick prevention and daily tick searches.
Also known as: Ticks, Ixodes holocyclus
E.g. After coming back from a weekend on the coast, your dog is not behaving normally, is shaky, has an unsteady walk and their bark sounds abnormal.

Relates to disease affecting the ear canal which is most often due to infectious causes and/or an underlying allergy. However, parasites, foreign body, immune disease, trauma, neoplasia, congenital abnormalities are other causes that can result in ear diseases. Eye disease can have multiple causes such as infectious (e.g. viral and bacterial), trauma, congenital, endocrine (diabetes melitus), and degenerative causes.
Also known as: Infections
E.g. A cat infected by Feline Herpes Virus with red and weepy eyes or a dog with a scratch in his eyes from running in long grass.

Relate to a wide range of diseases that affect the skin of your pet(s). Depending on the cause of the skin condition, the symptoms will vary broadly. Most common clinical manifestations are itchiness, rashes, loss of hair, change in the pigmentation of your animal skins.
Also known as: Contact allergies; bacterial infections; fungal infections, and parasite allergies
E.g. A cat with loss of hairs around her tail and lower back that seems very itchy.

This condition most commonly affects dogs and is similar to the human ACL (Anterior Cruciate ligament) of the knee. It is a band of tissue that stabilises the inside of the knee and attachment between the femur and tibia of your animal. Most commonly, the cruciate ligament ruptures due to trauma or degeneration.
Also known as: Knee disease.
E.g. A dog yelped while chasing its ball at the park, he has been limping since then.

Both conditions are related to the abnormal development or growth of the Hip and Elbow joints resulting in disease. Hip dysplasia relates to dysfunction of the joint between the pelvis and femur resulting in pain, lameness, arthritis and limited mobility. Similarly, Elbow dysplasia relates to abnormal development of the joint between the humerus, ulnar and radius (elbow).
Also known as: Elbow and hips lameness.
E.g. A young, large and rapidly growing German Shepherd dog is lame on his forelimbs.

Degenerative disease that affects the spinal cord of your animal and most often relates to the herniation of an intervertebral disc. It is often age related and over-represented in some breeds such as Dachshunds.
Also known as: Spinal disorder
E.g. A Dachshund is suddenly having difficulty using his back legs.

If your animal is suddenly suffering from an illness or injury and requires immediate medical intervention and treatments. This can be at any time on any day.
E.g. Your cat fell from the balcony and is now bleeding from its nose and mouth.

If your animal is required to stay in hospital for continuous care, treatment and monitoring by veterinary professionals.
E.g. Your dog was diagnosed with tick paralysis and will need to stay in hospital for monitoring of disease progression and continuous treatments such as IV fluids.

This surgery may be recommended for patients with severe hip disease affecting the acetabulum (hip joint socket) and femoral head. This type of surgery may involve replacing the whole hip joint by a prosthetic implant.

Medical imaging which enables your veterinarian to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease within your animal’s body. Several types of diagnostic radiology exams exist and are required depending on the type of symptoms and disease your animal is experiencing.
E.g. Your dog ate a sock and is now vomiting and not himself, an x-ray may help your veterinarian to see if there is an intestinal blockage and where it is located.

Medical tool that enables the visualisation of tissues and structures within your animal’s body. The images obtained depending on the density of the structures present are most useful for dense tissues such as bones. However, the level of details obtained through X-rays are limited.
E.g. Your dog was hit by a car and is now lame and non-weight bearing on his forelimbs.

CT scan provides a 3D image that offers much higher levels of details of the body structures. It enables your veterinarian to better evaluate bones, soft tissues and blood vessels all at the same time. A CT scan takes more time than a regular X-ray and also costs more.
E.g. Your cat has been having seizures due to a mass located in its brain.

MRIs are another type of medical imaging technique that takes cross-sectional images of your animal’s body that offers high quality 3D images. They are often the modality of choice for soft tissue injuries and diseases such as back pain.
E.g. A dog is presenting for hindlimb paralysis which appeared spontaneously without any cause of trauma.

Your veterinarian may prescribe your pet with medications for the treatment and prevention of a condition your animal is suffering from. In some instances your veterinarian may write you a script so you can purchase medication from a chemist.

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses medications that are anti-cancer. It uses powerful chemicals that intend to slow down or kill rapidly dividing cells in your animal’s body such as cancer cells. It may be used on its own or in combination with other medications.
Also known as: Anti-cancer medications.
E.g. Your pet was diagnosed with bone cancer and is now receiving chemotherapy once a month in the aim of prolonging your pet’s life.

Vaccine preventable diseases relate to known infectious diseases caused by either bacteria and/or viruses where the risk can be reduced by the use of vaccines.

These diseases include in dogs;

1. Canine distemper virus (CDV)
2. Canine adenovirus (CAV)
3. Canine parvovirus (CPV-2)
4. Parainfluenza virus (PI)
5. Bordetella bronchiseptica (Bb) and
6. Leptospira interrogans.

In Cats these diseases are:

1. Feline Parvovirus (FPV)
2. Feline calicivirus (FCV)
3. Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1)
4. Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)
5. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and
6. Chlamydia felis

In the instance that you are hospitalised for more than 4 consecutives days and no one else is able to look after your pet it may be necessary for your animal to be boarded at a licensed kennel or cattery.

If your animal has been directly involved in a motor vehicle accident which resulted in injuries and required veterinary attention.

Canine cough, also known as kennel cough, is an infectious disease that affects the respiratory system. This condition is the result of several highly infectious diseases which can be easily spread wherever dogs congregate and socialise such as dog shows, boarding kennels, and obedience classes.

Canine cough may persist for several weeks and has the potential to progress into a more serious and life-threatening infection if pneumonia and chronic bronchitis develop.

Symptoms of canine cough

1. dry, hacking cough
2. gagging or vomiting after excitement or
3. ingestion of food
4. eye and nasal discharge
5. sneezing and snorting
6. fever and lethargy

The repetitive dry cough normally develops three to ten days after exposure.
Like most of the diseases we vaccinate for, canine cough is not as common as it used to be. A vaccine is now available which allows the vet to administer the vaccine into a dog’s nose using an applicator instead of a needle. Intranasal vaccines like this can help prevent infections occurring.
Once a puppy has their initial course of vaccinations, kennel cough can be boosted annually by either the intranasal vaccine or an injectable dose. This is normally combined with distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus vaccinations.