Compare Comprehensive Pet Insurance
Quotes for comprehensive pet cover from $21 per month*
*As at 23/6/26 for 2-month-old desexed domestic shorthaired cat, Brisbane, $200 excess, $15,000 annual limit, 90% benefit percentage. Price is indicative only.
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A guide to comprehensive pet insurance
Updated 08 Sep 2026
What is comprehensive pet insurance?
A comprehensive pet insurance policy provides the highest level of cover for your pet and includes benefits for accidents, specified illnesses and optional routine care expenses. This type of policy can cover up to 90% of eligible vet bills, and some select policies may even cover up to the total cost (except for the policy excess). Comprehensive pet insurance policies will cost more in premiums but come with more features, which could help reduce your out-of-pocket expenses if your pet is ill or injured.
How much does comprehensive pet insurance cost?
According to the Compare the Market comparison tool as at June 2026, insuring a 2-month-old desexed Cavoodle living in Brisbane City 4000, with a $15,000 annual limit and 90% benefit percentage, will cost $55.81 a month on average. Whereas an older dog, such as a 6-year-old desexed French Bulldog, also living in Brisbane City 4000 with a $15,000 annual limit and a 90% benefit percentage will cost $279.88 a month on average.
The cost of a comprehensive pet insurance policy will depend on a variety of factors such as the age, breed and location of your pet.
Dogs will often be more expensive to insure than cats, due to the difference in external risks and genetic conditions between the two animals.
Expert tips for comprehensive pet insurance
Compare the Market’s pet insurance exert, Adrian Taylor, has a few helpful tips for Australian pet owners considering comprehensive pet insurance for their furry friends.
Adrian Taylor
Chief Executive – General Insurance
Adjust your policy to suit your budget
Your pet insurer may let you choose your policy’s excess. If you choose a higher excess, your premiums may be reduced – and vice versa. You can opt for the arrangement that works best for you but make sure you can still afford the payments you’ll need to make.
Understand what you’re covered for
Comprehensive is the highest level of pet insurance, but coverage can still differ between policies and insurers. Read your policy documents to know exactly what and how much you’re covered for.
Compare your options regularly
It’s a good idea to compare comprehensive pet insurance at least once every 12 months (when your policy is due for renewal) to make sure you’re still on a great deal for your pet’s needs. Some discounts and benefits may expire after the first year of your policy, and other offers have since arrived on the market. Just be mindful that any illnesses or injuries claimed for on your current policy before switching may translate into a possible pre-existing condition exclusion on the new policy. Always check the policy documents before signing up.
What does comprehensive pet insurance cover?
A comprehensive pet insurance policy will cover both accidents and illnesses, as well as treatment, ongoing care and surgery costs, with higher reimbursement levels across a broad range of conditions, in Australia.
If you’re wondering what does comprehensive pet insurance cover, depending on your insurer, you may receive cover for:
- accidental injuries and illnesses
- hospitalisation
- surgery
- X-rays
- cancer
- skin conditions
- diabetes
- worming
- tick paralysis
- emergency boarding
- essential euthanasia.
Some illnesses can cost thousands of dollars to treat, which is why comprehensive pet insurance may come in handy for your dog or cat.
For further information on policies and a complete list of inclusions and exclusions, read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). You should also read the Target Market Determination (TMD) to check whether a policy is suited to your needs.
What isn’t covered by comprehensive pet insurance?
Comprehensive pet insurance will not cover pre-existing conditions, routine or preventative care (unless added as an extra). It also excludes costs outside of the policy limits or items listed as exclusions such as elective procedures or breeding-related expenses. Comprehensive policies are designed to cover unexpected medical events, so exclusions ensure claims relate to sudden injury or illness rather than predictable, non-essential costs or maintenance.
Here are some common exclusions to be aware of:
- pre-existing conditions (diagnosed before the policy start date or during waiting periods)
- non-specified illnesses
- preventative care
- diseases preventable by vaccination
- breeding, pregnancy and obstetrics
- behavioural problems
- elective treatments and procedures
- banned breeds (such as the American Pit Bull Terrier and Dogo Argentino).
Just like other types of pet insurance, it’s important to check the PDS of any comprehensive policy before making it part of your pet care routine.
What is routine care (optional extra)?
Routine care as an optional extra on top of your comprehensive policy is an extension that helps cover preventative non-emergency vet costs, such as vaccinations or microchipping. It is designed to help reduce out-of-pocket costs for regular maintenance treatments, and it will often have its own annual set limits, similar to a “core” pet insurance policy. Depending on your insurance provider, routine care can include cover for:
- routine health check-ups and consultations
- dental care, teeth cleaning and treatment for dental illness
- de-sexing and microchipping
- vaccinations
- flea, tick, and worm control
- alternative therapies (e.g. physiotherapy) or behavioural classes.
How does comprehensive pet insurance work?
Comprehensive pet insurance works by reimbursing a high percentage of eligible vet bills for a wide range of conditions. After you pay the vet upfront for treatment, you can then submit a claim that meets any excess or limits and await a refund.
The reimbursement rate will depend on factors you choose in your comprehensive policy such as the excess, percentage rates and annual limits.
However, it’s increasingly common to skip the claim and get the refund processed instantly while at the vet. New services being adopted by clinics in Australia allow the claim to be processed at the vet, meaning you will only pay the gap (the difference between the vet’s invoice and your policy’s cover percentage and excess).
Does comprehensive pet insurance have sub-limits?
Yes, comprehensive pet insurance plans can have sub-limits for specific conditions, such as hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament conditions, under some policies. These conditions are often common and high-cost ailments, so caps help insurers control repeated and expensive claims while still offering coverage.
However, there are policies available with zero sub-limits, meaning there are no caps on how much you can claim per condition.
What should I consider when comparing comprehensive pet insurance?
You should consider focusing on your claim amount and coverage structure, as these factors will determine your out-of-pocket costs and overall benefits of your comprehensive pet insurance policy. However, there may be a range of options that will vary from insurer to insurer that you should keep in mind, such as waiting periods and age cut-offs.
When looking for the best comprehensive pet insurance policy for your pet, keep the following in mind:
- Age restrictions. Typically, you can insure a pet (with comprehensive cover) once they’re over six weeks old, but plans may have different cut-off age requirements.
- Benefit percentage. Certain insurers may reimburse a higher percentage of your vet bill than others.
- Benefit limits. There are annual limits and caps on how much you can claim for treatments during your policy period.
- Pre-existing conditions are not insurable. If you switch policies, new insurers will generally consider anything previously claimed as a pre-existing condition. However, some insurers may cover cured pre-existing conditions after assessing your pet’s medical history.
- Waiting periods. Check the PDS for waiting periods relating to treatments your pet may need.
- Policy excess. The sum you must pay each time you claim on your pet insurance policy.
- Multi-pet insurance plans. Insurers may offer multi-pet discounts (often up to 5%-10%) for insuring multiple pets.
Meet our pet insurance expert, Adrian Taylor
As a General Insurance expert with over 13 years’ experience in financial services, Adrian Taylor knows that dogs and cats get themselves into all sorts of mischief. One part of Adrian’s work is to help empower consumers to understand how pet insurance can help save them from exorbitant vet bills when their pet gets injured or falls ill.