How to Save on Pet Insurance

As a pet parent, you may be asking yourself - is the cost of pet insurance actually worth it?

But, there are some ways you can save to make that decision easier.

With Budget Direct Pet Insurance, you can minimise costs and still receive an ample amount of coverage for eligible vet expenses, helping you to save and providing peace of mind.

Here is a list of other ways you can save on your pet insurance.

Choosing a pet's breed (or cross-breed) that's less prone to specific health concerns can often lead to cheaper pet insurance premiums.

According to data from Finder, pet insurance premiums for a hardy dog breed, such as a 1 year old Border Collie, cost $1156 annually. This is significantly less than premiums for a designer dog breed, such as a French Bulldog, which costs $2690 annually. [1]

On the other hand, veterinary care for big dog breeds can cost more to treat. And depending on your pet's health and pet's age, you may have to pay more for medicines, treatment, and surgery.

This is usually reflected in your insurance premium, meaning it may also cost more to insure your pet.

Whether your pet's suffered a physical injury, or accidentally ingested toxic food or plants, it's normally during your pet's younger years when you'll be making emergency trips to a registered vet. And these types of trips can often leave pet owners with large vet bills.

The ideal time to take out pet insurance is when your pet is young and they have fewer pre-existing injuries or illnesses. Any new conditions your pet faces while they are young will not be excluded as a pre-existing condition, as long as you renew and/or avoid breaks in your pet insurance cover.

This means premiums are likely to be cheaper when you have a younger pet because they are less likely to have serious health issues.

Raising your pet insurance excess can likely decrease your policy's premium.

The amount of excess is what you pay when you make a pet insurance claim, as well as the percentage of vet expenses that you (as a pet owner) will need to pay towards the claim. At Budget Direct, we reimburse 80%* of eligible vet expenses, from any registered vet or veterinary practice in the country.

If you're buying pet insurance primarily for large, unexpected vet bills, then having a higher excess may be beneficial.

With Budget Direct Pet Insurance, you can choose a $100 or $200 excess where applicable. 

*80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess and subject to policy limits (terms, conditions and exclusions apply).

Paying annually instead of by monthly instalments can help you pay a lower premium and avoid instalment processing fees. 

While this option may not be suitable for everyone, it may be worth it to those who can afford a one-off payment for pet insurance providers each year.

Self-insurance, also known as setting money aside for your pet in a savings account, can be a good option for pet owners wanting to cover smaller vet expenses.

However, self-insurance may not account for the cost of more serious veterinary treatments and provide the same level of protection as pet insurers.

The cost of pet insurance may all be worth it when you consider how much you'll spend on vet bills over your pet's life.

Budget Direct Pet Insurance provides cover for:

• Tick paralysis
• Snake attack
• Orthopaedic conditions
• Cruciate ligament conditions
• Up to two instances of repeated preventable activity

This means that you won't need to worry about having to cover the entire surgery bill, as Budget Direct will reimburse 80%^ of eligible vet expenses.

^T&Cs, Limits, Sub-limits, applicable waiting periods, and exclusions apply.

Comparing different pet insurance products can be the difference between spending and saving more on an area of cover that your pet needs the most.

Budget Direct has three levels of cover, including:

• Essential cover
• Comprehensive cover
• Plus cover

Using the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), you can understand the differences and similarities between the different types of cover.

You can also compare the key details of your potential pet insurance policy, including:

• The period of cover
• Which pet is covered
• Your annual benefit limits and sub-limits
• Your excess
• Your waiting periods

You can also increase your level of cover during the current policy period (as long as we haven't paid a claim already).

• Substantial $12,000 Annual Policy Limit
• 80%* Back on Eligible Vet Bills
• Tick Paralysis^
• Snake Attacks^
• Bilateral Conditions
• Orthopaedic Cover
• Accidental Injury and Illness Cover
• Choice of Vet
• Cruciate Ligament Conditions^

Essential Pet Insurance

^T&Cs, Limits, Sub-limits, applicable waiting periods, and exclusions apply.

• Routine Care Options
• Generous $15,000 Annual Policy Limit
• 80%* Back on Eligible Vet Bills
• Tick Paralysis^
• Bilateral Conditions
• Orthopaedic Cover
• Accidental Injury and Illness Cover
• Choice of Vet
• Cruciate Ligament Conditions^
• Snake Attacks^

Comprehensive Pet Insurance

^T&Cs, Limits, Sub-limits, applicable waiting periods, and exclusions apply.

• Routine Care Options
• $25,000 Annual Policy Limit
• 80%* Back on Eligible Vet Bills
• Tick Paralysis^
• Bilateral Conditions
• Orthopaedic Cover
• Accidental Injury and Illness Cover
• Choice of Vet
• Cruciate Ligament Conditions^
• Snake Attacks^

Plus Pet Insurance

Compare all Pet Insurance Policies