KEY POINTS:
- There are three basic levels of pet insurance cover: accident only, accident & illness and comprehensive cover.
- Dental cover is usually restricted to accidents only, although many providers do offer extra dental add-ons for dental ailments, not routine check-ups and teeth cleaning.
- Desexing is usually also excluded from pet insurance cover.
- You can expect to pay from around $20 to over $100 a month to insure a dog. Premiums for cats tend to be at the lower end of the price range, but vary between breeds.
- According to Canstar’s latest Pet Insurance Award research, SPCA Pet Insurance offers the best pet insurance in New Zealand.
According to the latest report from Companion Animals NZ, the charity that maintains the microchip database for pets, around two thirds of Kiwi homes have a pet cat, dog or both. Cats are curled up in 40% of households, while 31% of us are taking our pet dogs for walkies on a daily basis.
And as most pet owners know, while the companionship offered by our furry friends is priceless, pet health issues tend to come with a hefty vet bill. This is why pet insurance is a popular option for many pet owners.
If you’re considering pet insurance, you may have a question or two. So we’ve tackled six common questions about pet insurance:
1. How much is pet insurance?
Pet insurance premiums can cost from around $20 to over $100 per month. Premiums for cats tend to be at the lower end of the price range, and while dogs are generally more expensive to insure, premium prices vary considerably between breeds.
The exact cost of pet insurance depends on a number of factors, including the level of cover you choose, your choice of pet and its age. When it comes to assessing your premiums, an insurance company will consider a pet’s:
- Breed
- Age
- Gender
- Whether it is desexed
As the cost of pet insurance depends on your choice of pet, it’s a good idea to check the cost of insuring any new pet before deciding to adopt.
→Related article: How To Save on Your Pet Insurance?
2. Is pet insurance worth it?
Purchasing pet insurance is a personal decision, one that reflects your budget and the value you place on your pet’s wellbeing.
While it’s reassuring to know that you have cover in place if a beloved animal requires expensive treatments, you may still decide not to go ahead with the therapy if it causes your pet undue pain or suffering.
However, some breeds of cats and dogs are more prone to certain genetic conditions and susceptible to illnesses, so pet insurance could be something worth considering if it could help maintain a healthy life for your pet.
Accidents are also another risk factor, and accident-only policies are a more affordable option that could save your pet’s life if they’re hit by a vehicle or eat something that makes them ill.
Remember that vets are under no obligation to treat your injured animal if they think that you’re unable to pay for treatment.
3. Does pet insurance cover desexing?
Generally, desexing is considered a routine preventative procedure. As such, it isn’t covered by most pet insurance policies.
Some top-of-the line comprehensive pet insurance policies do offer a contribution towards desexing, as do some add-on policy options. However, most cover for desexing only offers limited benefits, and doesn’t cover the cost of the full procedure.
4. What does pet insurance cover?
There are three basic tiers of pet insurance that are common across most pet insurance providers in New Zealand.
Each tier offers a different level of cover. However, policies vary between providers, so it’s important to read a policy’s product disclosure statements (PDS) thoroughly, so you understand fully what it does and doesn’t cover in regards to your pet’s health.
The three levels of cover are:
Accident cover
As the name suggests, an accident-only policy covers harm or injury to your pet caused by accidents and other unexpected events.
However, this type of policy may not pay out after accidents or injuries if you haven’t taken standard preventative measures to ensure your pet’s safety. For example, allowing it access to dangerous foods or not complying with local by-laws and regulations.
Accident and illness cover
Covers accidents and injuries, and also sickness or disease diagnosed by a vet. It covers your dog or cat for minor conditions, such as ear infections, skin conditions and bee stings. Also covered are serious ailments, such as cancer or infectious diseases, and hereditary conditions.
Pre-existing conditions are commonly excluded from this level of cover.
Comprehensive cover
Comprehensive pet insurance covers accidents, injuries, sickness and disease. It may also offer limited cover for routine care treatments, which can include desexing, dental care, vaccinations and behavioural therapy. Routine care is sometimes called wellness or extras cover.
Does pet insurance cover dental care?
Routine dental care procedures, such as cleaning and de-scaling, are not generally covered by standard pet insurance policies. But if you have accident cover and your pet requires dental procedures due to an accident, treatment can be covered.
Dental care can be provided as an add-on, or as part of expensive comprehensive policies. But such cover is usually restricted to medically necessary procedures, like tooth extractions and root canals, and doesn’t extend to routine check-ups and teeth cleaning.
As with all insurance, if you’re unsure about the level of cover offered by a policy, read the PDS and ask the insurer directly if you have any questions.
6. What is the best pet insurance?
According to Canstar’s latest Pet Insurance Award research, SPCA Pet Insurance offers the best pet insurance in New Zealand.
For our award, we surveyed over 500 Kiwi pet insurance customers and asked them to rate their providers across categories including Cost, Cover, Customer Service and Value for Money.
Based on their feedback, SPCA took home our award with a perfect set of customer satisfaction ratings. You can read more about SPCA’s win here.
About the author of this page
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines and newspapers, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery book 5 Minute Murder.
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