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Dog-lighter Dog insurance

Dog insurance is a great way for pets to receive the care they deserve if an accident or illness requires emergency care.

After working with the Australian Veterinary Profession (AVA) and vets across Australia for over 25 years, too often we’ve heard stories about pets not receiving the care they need due to large vet bills for emergency care. And that’s why we’ve worked together with the AVA to build the only vet endorsed dog insurance in Australia for your pet.

Our policies are loaded with the flexibility to help you choose the combination that’s best for your dog. See how you can customise your policy by choosing your level of cover, excess when making a claim and even add on dental cover below.


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Why choose Vets Choice pet insurance for my dog

Designed by vets

Most pet insurance in Australia is the same with different branding, our pet insurance is designed with the help of hundreds of vets and is completely underwritten in-house.

Flexible options

We have two main policy types to cover the major events like accidents and injuries but we also have additional options like added dental and dental routine care, or extra cruciate ligament so you can choose what's best for your pet. 

Cover for life

Lifetime cover for your dog for the entire time they are insured with Vets Choice

Third-party cover

Third-party liability cover standard for all Vets Choice dog insurance policies - Read more about third-party pet insurance

 

Select a cover that suits you and your dog

1. Pre-existing conditions are excluded. Exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply.

 

 

Want to compare dog insurance?

Knowing what dog insurance is right for you and your pet can be difficult. There are a lot of things to consider. Like the choice of excess, and what excess even means... Does the policy cover everything things like cancer, and dental? 
We answer some of these questions to help you when you're comparing more than just price.

Visit our pet insurance comparison

 

 

 

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About Vets Choice

Since the beginning, Vets Choice was developed with the AVA to ensure pet owners have access to pet insurance that’s created by vets for pets. Every aspect of our policies are informed and shaped by the input of hundreds of Australian vets, to make sure our policies cover the accidents and illnesses that real pets face.

Read more about Vets Choice

 

Dog breed information

Even though dogs all originated from the same genealogy after thousands of years of evolution, they have become very different among the breeds. We have information on over 200 dog breeds including physical features, psychological traits, health information and their ability to be trained.

View over 200 dog breed pages

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Insuring your adopted pet

Choosing to adopt a pet is a big decision, one that will change not only your life, but that of the animal that you choose. By adopting, you’re giving an animal a new chance at a happy and healthy life, with a family that loves them. Endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and partnered with the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Vets Choice insurance for pets wants to ensure that your life with your rescue animal is safe and happy. That’s why we want to make sure your adopted pet is covered too, keeping them protected now and in the future.

What Information We Need

Age and Breed
Vet History

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What conditions won't be covered

Waiting Periods
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

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Hear from our customers

Pet insurance is one of those things you pay for but do not want to use. But when you do have to use it you want to make sure it's the right one. Hear from some of our customers who now know they chose sensibly with Vets Choice.

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Ide the Cavoodle

“I’ve never had such a good experience with an insurance company. Such a good experience during such a difficult time”.  
– Sandra, owner of Ide in NSW. 

 

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Vegas

"Ella from Vets Choice was super helpful; She really took the time to explain everything in detail, simplified the language and gave step by step guidance"
Vegas' owner, Sarah from WA.

 

Frequently Asked Questions


Vets Choice currently only provides cover for cats and dogs.

Dogs and cats between the ages of 8 weeks and 8 years. With guaranteed lifetime cover for pets as long you join before they reach their 9th birthday and the policy remains active.

Your vet will be able to provide you with an estimate of age after a physical examination, which will be accepted by Vets Choice as your pet's age, we don’t need your pet's date of birth, just how old they are in years.

Yes, we offer a 5% discount where there is more than one pet listed on a policy.

We will treat most hereditary and congenital defects for your pet if you or your vet were not aware of, or could not reasonably have known of, at the time of your cover commencing under this policy. Exclusions are listed here.

No. Medical records are not required at the time of taking our pet insurance. You will however be required to provide your pets medical history to support a claim.

No. Pre-existing conditions and waiting periods apply. These are listed here.

This is an accident and specified illness policy and was specifically designed to keep the cost of pet insurance down for pet owners. As such routine care, vaccinations and check-ups etc. are not covered. For more details about what is and isn’t covered by this policy check here.

Yes. For scheduled procedures, it is possible at our discretion to arrange for the claim to be pre-approved. You will need to provide a detailed quote from your vet. This means that you pay your excess only, and we will settle the bill with your vet for costs covered by the policy up to the amount quoted by the vet. We will work with you throughout to assist and provide guidance.

Vets Choice offer a benefit level of up to 80% on both our Pro and Elite Cover plans. This means we will pay up to 80% back on eligible claims or vet bills, after you pay your nominated excess, and up to your annual benefit limit and any other applicable sub-limits. For example, if you have an Elite Cover plan with a $500 excess, and your pet undergoes a $10,000 treatment, Vets Choice will cover up to 80% of $9,500, as long as it’s within your annual benefit limit. Please keep in mind that some accidents, illnesses, and dental covers may have sub-limits. This means that we can only pay up to a certain amount as indicated on our product comparison table and Product Disclosure Statements (PDS).

We support and promote positive pet ownership and therefore recommend proactive preventative measures wherever available. This is why our pet insurance policies don’t cover preventable conditions. But, we will cover certain aspects of preventable illnesses, read more about that here.

A pre-existing condition is a temporary or permanent illness or injury that occurred before the pet insurance policy's start date or during the policy's waiting period(s). We have specific rules around what's covered under pre-existing conditions, and you can read more about pre-existing conditions here.

 

Pet care information

Responsible pet ownership begins with proper pet care. When bringing a new pet into the home, it's critical to realise that you're making a lifetime commitment to a furry family member who depends on you for both health and well-being.


Happily, the increased responsibilities that come with having a furry friend are more than offset by the unconditional love and joy that pets bring into our lives. We've compiled a series of articles to help inform and guide you through some of the more unknown territories of pet ownership.

 

4 min read

10 Reasons why pet dental health is important

Pet dental health
ARTICLE BY DR ALICE MARSHALL, REGISTERED VETERINARIAN (NSW VSB)

Dental disease is one of the most common problems diagnosed in our pets and, if left untreated, can cause them significant pain and suffering. 

Here are some great reasons why good dental health is vital to the overall health of our dogs and cats.

1. Dental disease is more common than you think! Australian vets have discovered that four out of five dogs and cats over three years of age exhibit some level of dental disease.

2. Dental disease can cause our companion animal's significant pain and suffering. Dogs and cats are skilled at hiding pain, so you might not realise your pet has a dental problem until it becomes advanced. 

3. Properly cared for teeth can prevent other health problems. Bacteria from infected sore mouths can enter your animal's bloodstream via their inflamed gums and lodge in organs such as their heart or kidneys. This process can cause organ damage and make your pet very sick. 

4. Overcrowding in brachiocephalic (flat-faced breeds) or retained baby (milk) teeth can lead to problems such as gum or lip irritation and predispose to tartar build-up. Adult dogs have 42 teeth, and adult cats have 30 teeth. Ask your vet to check your pet's mouth at your next visit.  

5. When plaque builds up on teeth, it hardens and becomes tartar. Tartar build-up on teeth leads to gum inflammation and infection, called gingivitis.

6. When tartar is left on your pet's teeth, it can cause inflammation and gum infection. The gums may begin to recede from the teeth, leaving the teeth and gums more vulnerable. 

7. Untreated gingivitis can lead to tooth loss and other serious conditions. Symptoms include gums that are swollen, puffy, receding, sometimes tender or that bleed easily. Treatment involves professional cleaning and better preventative care. 

8. Better dental health means better breath - much more desirable for snuggles on the couch or rumbles in the park.  Good oral hygiene, regular in-clinic dental checks and at home or in-clinic cleaning can help prevent or reduce plaque build-up and limit the development of more severe forms of dental disease. 

9. Teeth can wear out! Our pets can be tough on their teeth. Severely worn teeth can also cause pain and suffering. Ask your vet to assess your pet's teeth next time you visit. 

10. Identifying dental health issues early on can help prevent significant and sometimes costly problems in the future. Good dental care now, including brushing or regular cleaning, can help. In other words, working on your dog's dental care now will benefit your wallet and peace of mind in the long run.

Dental health is vital to our dog’s and cat’s wellbeing. August is Veterinary Dental month when many veterinary practices offer free dental health checks – check what your local practice is offering and use it as an opportunity to kick start improving your pet’s dental health.

Vets Choice pet insurance provides dental cover for your pet, check out our dental and dental plus products and see what we cover for your pet.

This article is for general information only. We recommend that you speak to your veterinarian regarding specific advice and help for your pet.