What does pet insurance cover?
Accidents and illnesses
Budget Direct Pet Insurance covers both illnesses and accidental injuries.
Claim back eligible vet costs
Reimbursement of up to 80% of eligible vet expenses, less any excess and subject to limits.
Generous limit
Make multiple pet-insurance claims, up to an overall limit of $12,000 per period of cover (sub-limits may apply).
Choice of vet
Take your pet to any qualified and registered vet in Australia.
Easy claims
Enjoy a fast, stress-free claims service from a team of pet insurance experts.
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. For full details, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
Choose your cover
If your dog or puppy gets sick or injured, Budget Direct dog insurance can help you financially by reimbursing up to 80% of your eligible vet expenses (subject to the relevant limits and excess).
If your cat or kitten gets sick or injured, Budget Direct cat insurance can help you financially by reimbursing up to 80% of your eligible vet expenses (subject to the relevant limits and excess).
What makes us different
Terms and conditions
# Up to a benefit sub-limit of $4,000 per period of cover; the sub-limit for cruciate ligament conditions is $2,600 per period of cover. Excludes pre-existing conditions and related or bilateral conditions associated with a pre-existing condition. Waiting periods apply in the first year of cover.
How does pet insurance work?
Budget Direct Pet Insurance works like this:
- You buy a pet insurance policy and pay a monthly or yearly premium to maintain your pet’s cover.
- If your pet suffers a sickness or injury, you take it to a veterinarian.
- The vet examines your pet, performs any necessary tests and treats the condition.
- After treatment, you pay the vet’s invoice in full.
- Submit your claim here.
- Upon acceptance of your claim we'll pay 80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess, up to the relevant remaining annual limit or sub-limit.
Find out more
The information on this page is a summary only. For all the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.
Frequently asked questions
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Budget Direct Pet Insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.
A pre-existing condition is any illness or injury that your pet showed any signs or symptoms of:
- before your policy started
- during any applicable waiting period.
We do however cover pre-existing conditions that have been fully cured. Fully cured means your pet has been free of any signs or symptoms, or has gone without treatment for a condition, or both, for at least 12 months as evidenced by the pet’s medical notes or veterinary history.
Is there a waiting period for pet insurance?
Yes – after buying Budget Direct Pet Insurance for the first time, policyholders must serve a waiting period before they’re allowed to make certain types of claims.
The waiting periods — also known as no-claim periods — are as follows:
- Accidental injury: 2 days
- Illness: 30 days
- Tick paralysis: 30 days
- Cruciate ligament conditions: 6 months.
Any condition that occurs during the applicable waiting period will be considered a pre-existing condition.
Policyholders do not have to serve any waiting periods after their pet’s policy renews.
If your pet is currently insured with another insurer - call us on 1800 931 664 to see if your pets waiting periods can be waived when they join Budget Direct.
Are there any limits to how much I can claim?
Yes — you can claim up to a maximum of $12,000 per 12-month period of cover for all your eligible vet bills.
Annual benefit sub-limits apply to certain conditions, namely:
- Orthopaedic conditions: $4,000
- Cruciate ligament conditions: $2,600
- Tick paralysis: $1,500
- Snake attacks: $1,200.
These limits are shown on your Policy Schedule.
Each time you renew your annual policy, the overall limit and sub-limits will be reset. (They do not accumulate across policy periods.)
If I make a claim, will I have to pay an excess?
Yes — you will pay a $100 excess once for each unrelated condition during any one period of cover. For further treatments for a related condition during the same period of cover there is no excess.
For example, if your dog needs treatment for diabetes twice during the 12-month policy period, you’ll be required to pay the excess for the first claim for that condition, but not the second.
Similarly, if your dog develops a condition that’s related to one you’ve already made a claim for (e.g. diabetic retinopathy stemming from diabetes), you won’t have to pay another excess.
Each time you renew your annual policy, the excess will be reset (i.e. the next time you make a claim for a related illness or injury, you’ll be required to pay the excess).
What is not covered by pet insurance?
There are certain things Budget Direct Pet Insurance does not cover (called ‘exclusions’).
The following list shows some of these exclusions:
- pre-existing conditions
- routine or preventative care
- desexing
- dental treatments (unless the condition is due to an accidental injury)
- breeding and obstetrics
- elective treatment (including cosmetic surgery)
- working dogs ; we do insure assistance dogs, such as guide dogs
- vaccinations
- treatment during the waiting period.
For the full list of exclusions, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.
