Here we will define cheap pet insurance and how to make pet insurance more affordable in Australia.
Key Takeways
Here we will define cheap pet insurance and at the bottom keep reading below so we can show you how you may make pet insurance cheaper. Look out for tips on how to lower the cost of a pet insurance premium. If you are like us, you probably love a deal. But our experiences have led us to understand the age-old saying.
WHAT IS CHEAP PET INSURANCE?
“In life, usually you get what you pay for.”
Years ago, we did offer lower-priced products with less coverage. But we found that this led to tears in the instances when people thought that they were covered for an accident and actually they were not. The main problem we saw was that cheaper insurance products had limited coverage and features.
Before we get into what cheap or low price pet insurance is, let’s take a look at the definition of cheap. According to a quick google search (definition from oxford languages^), cheap is defined as:
“Low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services” or “Of little worth because achieved in a discreditable way requiring little effort”
In general, the term “cheap” refers to something that is priced lower than average or of lower cost or value when compared to other products or services available to consumers.
Cheap products
When we talk about products, “cheap” usually refers to items that are inexpensive, affordable, or budget-friendly. These products may be made with less costly, lower-quality materials or may lack some of the features or benefits of more expensive alternatives. In other cases, a similar product may not be priced as high if the brand name is not well known. An example of this may be a cheap knockoff of one of your favourite brands.
Cheap services
If we refer to services, “cheap” typically refers to services that are priced lower than average or considered a bargain. However, it’s important to note that “cheap” services may not always offer the same level of quality, care, attention to detail, expertise, or reliability as more expensive options. That is very much what we found out when it comes to what we have offered in the past compared to our offerings today.
The low-priced pet insurance options we offered before were not of the same level of quality or reliability. That’s why we don’t offer them anymore.
Now, we do understand that some people may have their own concept of what is cheap, so, let us use the term “low in price” or “low priced” in relation to other similar pet insurance offerings, instead of the word “cheap.”
We no longer have very “low in price” pet insurance offerings.
Why? Because to lower the price, we would have to compromise on the coverage or service we deliver. Remember we do not send calls or customers service offshore. You will only ever communicate with an Australia Pet lover, just like you.
Again, we have done that in the past and found that it didn’t work, as our members were thinking they were covered for conditions that they were not covered for, which led to tears.
So we decided to only offer quality pet insurance with no sub limits, serviced by only Australian staff. We allow our members and policy holders to customise the cover to make it more affordable.
An example of low-priced pet insurance in Australia – accident only cover
In the pet insurance world, accident only cover is considered one of the lowest-priced insurance options.
There are still some low-priced pet insurance products available in the market, and they usually fall into the category of “accident only cover” or “accident only pet insurance”. This can start from as low as around $20-$30 a month for dogs and potentially even less for cats.
In the past, when we did offer accident only covers, we found the problem was the shorter list of the conditions it covered. Which was okay at the point of purchasing but when faced with an unexpected incident and you are in the emergency vet, it’s hard to remember exactly what conditions are covered, and what options you did and didn’t choose.
WHEN IT COMES TO PET INSURANCE, WHAT IS AN ACCIDENT?
It may sound like an accident to you, but is it? When asked about conditions such as ingestion of a foreign object (if a dog or cat has swallowed something they shouldn’t), some people would think that this is an accident, but it may not be for pet insurance.
In many pet insurance policies, you will find that ingestion of a foreign object is considered to be a cause for an illness and is therefore not claimable under accident only covers. This has proven to be a shock to policyholders who may have purchased an accident only cover, believing they are protected for the “accident when my dog ate something it shouldn’t.”
What’s the difference between Accident only cover and Accident and Illness cover? To the general public, we found accident only cover may sound like it covers vet costs if your pet is in an accident, such as being hit by a car or injuries from dog fights or snake bites. Accident and illness cover may sound like it covers accidents as well as sickness such as diabetes or cancer, provided it isn’t a pre-existing condition.
It’s very important to note that what sounds like an accident to general public and what is actually covered as an accident under a pet insurance policy may be different. The only way to be sure is to contact the insurance provider and confirm.
Accident only covers led to tears, so that is why we no longer offer it. We no longer offer low-priced or, in our eyes, “cheap pet insurance” that limits the coverage too much. Our current pet insurance covers both accidents and illnesses and has one list of conditions covered under the policy. This means, even if you chose an annual benefit limit of $5,000 instead of $25,000, the list of conditions covered is exactly the same. It just means the total amount claimable in the 12-month annual period is $5k, not $25k.
As mentioned before, we do not and probably will never again offer another product that limits the conditions covered under the policy, just to make it an cheaper option compared to other products in the market.
HOW MUCH CAN PET INSURANCE COST?
If you were looking for cheap pet insurance (according to the definition of cheap we looked at before), we would agree that there are cheaper options out there for pet insurance in Australia. But cheap pet insurance may not always be the best pet insurance choice for you and your family.
Here are some the ranges of pet insurance prices, for policies in 2025:
Pet insurance range for a cat: from $15 per month to $200+ a month.
Pet insurance range for a dog: from $20 per month to over $200+ a month.
But why is there such a difference in pet insurance premiums?
It’s simply because not all pet insurance products are equal. If you were to make the same claim under different pet insurance covers, what you may get back can vary greatly. There are also multiple factors that can influence pet insurance premiums as they are determined based on your pet, as well as your situation,, such as your pet’s breed and where you live. With so many options out there, it can be really confusing and hard to tell the difference between pet insurance offerings. Which makes it even harder to decide which is right for you and your pet.
If you want to know more about pet insurance, please see our ultimate guide on how to compare pet insurance policies.
MAKE PET INSURANCE CHEAPER
How can I lower the cost of pet insurance, or reduce the insurance premium?
The amount you pay for pet insurance each month or year, otherwise known as the insurance premium can be reduced by changing the options, such as annual limit, benefit percentage and annual excess. In general, the more coverage you select, the more expensive your premium will be.
We will quickly break down the main mechanisms that affect the pet insurance premiums. When we mention the term “cheap” or “cheaper” below, we refer to the ability to make the premium less than a more expensive alternative.
Look out for tips on how to lower the cost of a pet insurance premium.
Annual Limit
In the market, the total amount you may be reimbursed during a 12 month period can range from $3,000 to over $20,000. The higher the annual limit, the higher the premium, and the lower the annual limit, the cheaper pet insurance premiums will be.
Petsy offers some of the lowest and, conversely, highest annual limits in the market with no sub-limits. Remember, $10k with sub-limits is not the same as $10k without sub-limits.
Our coverage options are entirely up to you to choose from, and we have $5k, $10k, and $25k options available.
Benefit Percentage
Usually, you can choose how much of the vet costs you want to be covered. This is known as the “benefit percentage” in pet insurance.
In the market, the total amount you can select to be reimbursed on vet bills will usually range from 70% to 100% (just check the caveats and fine print on those who claim to offer 100% back).
The higher the benefit percentage, the higher the premium, and the lower the benefit percentage, the cheaper pet insurance premiums will be.
We offer two options, 80% and 90%.
Annual Excess
In the market, the available excess ranges from $0 to over $500.
With Petsy the lower the annual excess, the higher the premium, and the higher the annual excess, the cheaper pet insurance premiums will be.
It is important to note that not all excess available in the market are the same. The three main types are per claim excess, per condition excess and annual excess and they are very different.
A per claim excess would be applied (ie. you need to pay this amount out of your own pocket) for every claim you submit.
A per condition excess would be applied for every different condition that your furry friend develops and you make a claim.
An annual excess is only applied once for the year, regardless of how many claims you made, or how many conditions you furry friend had.
At Petsy we offer a number of annual excess options they are: $0, $150, $200, $300 and $500
Optional Extra Benefits
Many insurance providers offer the opportunity to add-on extra benefits, such as behavioural conditions, physiotherapy or emergency boarding. Each insurance provider will offer different extra benefits, so make sure to consider what extended cover you would like your pet to have.
The more optional extras you choose, the more expensive your pet insurance premium will be, and the less optional extras, the cheaper you can make your pet insurance premium.
Dental Coverage
Adding dental coverage will increase the amount you pay for pet insurance. Choosing to not include dental coverage will reduce the pet insurance premiums.
Not many pet insurance providers have dental coverage as an option. If they do there are usually sub-limits.
Petsy is proud to be one of the few providers that offer dental coverage and as always there are no sub-limits.
Vet Consultations
Not many pet insurance providers will allow you to remove vet consultations from your coverage. In fact, when it comes to vet consultations, many have the caveat of a sub-limit on vet consultations. If you decide to remove vet consultations, this will make your pet insurance cheaper.
There are three main reasons why we allow our policy holders to remove Vet consultations. The first is that we have many Vets, Vet nurses and other staff who work in vet clinics and they usually get a large discount on vet consult charges. The second is that we have a number of elderly, disability and concession card holder who also get a discount on vet consults. The third is that our pet insurance pairs well with a wellness plan that will already pay for vet consults
STILL CONFUSED ABOUT HOW TO GET CHEAP PET INSURANCE IN AUSTRALIA IN 2025?
Finding affordable pet insurance doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The key to finding cheap pet insurance in Australia is understanding that prices vary vastly based on your pet insurance provider, breed, pet’s age, coverage level, annual excess, optional add-ons, location, and complexity of treatment. Many pet owners make the mistake of choosing the first quote they see, but comparing quotes from multiple pet insurance providers can save you hundreds of dollars annually.
The most effective way to find cheap pet insurance is to get personalised quotes tailored to your specific pet’s details. Generic pricing guides only tell part of the story; your actual premium depends on your pet’s breed, age, location, and Optional add-ons.
By comparing quotes from multiple pet insurance providers, you can identify the cheapest and best option available for your pet. As mentioned time and time again in this guide, if the premium is too cheap for your pet, then beware of sub-limits, as many pet insurance providers are notorious for having hidden sub-limits on the specific conditions that get you in the time of need. This is one of the reasons why petsy has no sublimits on any conditions. If your pet doesn’t have a pre-existing condition, it will be covered with Petsy.
To make it easier for you, we have made a table for the top 12 most searched dog and cat breeds in Australia, according to recent breed popularity data on Australian Dog Lover.
Cheap Dog Insurance Quotes Australia in 2025 – Compare Prices Instantly
Dog insurance quotes can start from anywhere around $20-25 per month for basic coverage. According to a recent study on Finder, dog insurance costs anywhere around $42-138 monthly, and it can vary vastly depending on your dog’s breed, age, location, and coverage level factors.
But don’t worry, we have prepared a comprehensive table for the top 12 most searched dog breeds in Australia with the monthly quote prices on Petsy.
| Pet Breed ( Dogs ) | 5K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess | 10K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess ) | 25K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess ) | 25K Annual Limit ( 80% with 200 annual excess ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavoodle | $27.55 | $33.07 | $40.36 | $59.39 |
| Golden Retriever | $42.10 | $50.53 | $61.12 | $88.11 |
| French Bulldog | $60.39 | $71.48 | $86.14 | $128.06 |
| Miniature Dachshund | $33.80 | $40.57 | $49.51 | $71.72 |
| Border Collie | $30.67 | $36.81 | $44.92 | $65.53 |
| Labrador Retriever | $43.19 | $51.84 | $62.57 | $90.27 |
| German Shepherd | $40.12 | $48.15 | $58.47 | $84.19 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | $41.09 | $49.31 | $59.77 | $86.11 |
| Maltese Cross | $28.37 | $34.04 | $41.55 | $60.99 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | $34.48 | $41.39 | $50.51 | $73.07 |
| African Boerboel | $64.90 | $76.89 | $92.75 | $138.81 |
| Great Dane | $64.90 | $76.89 | $92.75 | $138.81 |
Note: These quoted prices were taken on 30th May 2025 and are subject to change. The quote prices are based on the specific location in Australia, 1 year pet age, pet desexed – yes, optional add-ons – no, vet consultation – no. To get the most accurate data for your pet in less than 15 seconds, please visit our quote tool here.
Cheap Cat Insurance Quotes Australia 2025 – Lowest Prices
Cat insurance quotes can start from anywhere around $15-20 per month for basic coverage. According to a recent study on Finder, cat insurance costs anywhere around $30-80 monthly, and it can vary vastly depending on your cat’s breed, age, location, and coverage level factors.
But don’t worry, we have prepared a comprehensive table for the top 12 most searched cat breeds in Australia with the monthly quote prices on Petsy.
| Pet Breed ( Cats ) | 5K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess ) | 10K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess ) | 25K Annual Limit ( 80% with 500 annual excess ) | 25K Annual Limit ( 80% with 200 annual excess ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic ShortHair | $21.23 | $22.06 | $26.92 | $39.86 |
| Ragdoll | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Domestic Medium Hair | $21.23 | $22.06 | $26.92 | $39.86 |
| Domestic Tabby | $21.23 | $22.06 | $26.92 | $39.86 |
| British Shorthair | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Domestic Longhair | $21.23 | $22.06 | $26.92 | $39.86 |
| Burmese | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Persian | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Siamese | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Maine Coon | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Abyssinian | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
| Australian Mist | $23.61 | $28.33 | $34.58 | $51.21 |
Note: These quoted prices were taken on 30th May 2025 and are subject to change. The quote prices are based on the specific location in Australia, 1 year pet age, pet desexed – yes, optional add-ons – no, vet consultation – no. To get the most accurate data for your pet in less than 15 seconds, please visit our quote tool here.
SUMMARY
So, while Cheap Pet Insurance can be a tempting option, it’s important to understand what it really means. While some may define “cheap” as a lower-priced option, it’s essential to remember that not all pet insurance products are created equal. Before purchasing a pet insurance policy, it’s crucial to evaluate the level of coverage offered and assess whether it meets your individual needs and is right for you and your furry friend
It’s also important to note that certain pet insurance providers may have different definitions of what constitutes an accident or an illness. Thus, it’s essential to contact the insurance provider and confirm what is covered under the policy.
To reduce the cost of pet insurance premiums, pet owners can consider adjusting the options, such as the annual limit, annual excess, and reimbursement percentage. However, it’s vital to remember that lower-priced options may come with limitations or exclusions that could lead to unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
Ultimately, the goal of pet insurance is to provide financial protection for unexpected vet bills. At Petsy, we offer one customisable product with no sub-limits and flexible annual limits that provide coverage at what we see as reasonable price, backed with a high level of customer service (it’s currently one of the highest rated, if not the highest rated!).
We recently introduced a $500 annual excess option that can reduce the premium by more than 40% in some cases.
We hope that by understanding what “cheap” pet insurance really means and evaluating the coverage options available, pet owners can make informed decisions and select a pet insurance policy that is right for them and their furry companions.
If you would like more info on Pet Insurance for Cats or Pet Insurance for Dogs you can call us anytime on 1300 952 790.
FAQs on Cheap Pet Insurance
How to get cheaper pet insurance?
Here are some Tips to reduce the cost of your pet insurance premium:
- Choose a higher excess: Opting for a higher excess can lower your monthly premium.
- Ensure your pet early: Younger pets are generally healthier and cheaper to insure.
- Skip non-essential extras: Avoid add-ons like dental or wellness cover unless necessary.
- Compare plans: Not all policies offer equal value; look at benefits vs cost.
- Bundle policies: If available, combine with other insurance for discounts.
- Pay annually: Some providers offer a discount for annual payments over monthly ones.
According to an article on Paw Plan, ensuring your pet is younger, typically before the age of 1 year, can lead to fewer pre-existing conditions, exclusions, and lower premiums.
What is the best level of pet insurance?
A 2024 survey by Finder found that 60% of pet owners with pet insurance believe that their pet insurance is more than worth the cost.
The best level of pet insurance is one that balances affordability with comprehensive coverage, typically including accidents, illnesses, vet consultation and routine care. Many providers let you choose Optional add-ons, but these need to be totally based on whether you want those for your pet’s needs or not, as it can drive the cost of the premium up.
What happens if you don't have pet insurance?
According to a 2024 study by Fur King found that 76% of pet owners in Australia worry about affording veterinary bills, yet 69% of pets remain uninsured. This disparity often leads to difficult decisions, such as delaying necessary treatments or, in extreme cases, considering euthanasia due to increased financial burden.
Without pet insurance, you may face unexpected vet bills that could reach thousands as emergency visits can easily go up to $8000. This may limit your ability to afford treatment or force difficult choices.
What makes pet insurance cheaper?
There are certain factors to your pet insurance, which can make it cheaper or pricier, such as:
- Pet breed
- Pet age
- Location
- Annual Excess
- Add-ons
A recent survey by PetSure and Finder highlights how certain pet breeds are more prone to health risks and how this could be one of the deciding factors for increasing premium costs.
What age is best to get pet insurance?
The best age to get your pet insured is usually before your pet turns 1 year old. Many pet insurance providers often incentivise this by providing extra benefits if the pet’s age is below 1 year.
Petsy offers a special bonus of up to 10% on the annual premium if the pet’s age is below 1 year.
According to a study on Petsure how certain breeds and higher age can lead to increased premiums. Also, another article on Paw Plan sheds light on the importance of getting your pet insured young and how it can lead to lower lifelong costs and premiums.
