Updated 2026-10-24 · Prices in AUD · Recall feed checked daily
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Pet insurance in Australia, compared honestly

4 insurers, 6 head-to-head comparisons and a best-plan pick for 32 breeds — built on our own Australian vet-cost index rather than on commission.

Dog insurance in AustraliaUpdated 2026-10-24
Insurers

Who covers dogs in Australia

Bow Wow Meow

Accident and illness with routine care

Up to 80% back on eligible vet bills, optional routine-care add-on, GapOnly at many clinics.

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RSPCA Pet Insurance

Charity-backed comprehensive cover

Accident, illness and comprehensive tiers; part of every premium supports the RSPCA.

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Petplan Australia

Ongoing conditions

Covered For Life plans that keep covering ongoing conditions year after year.

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Knose

Customisable limits

Flexible annual limits and excess options; claims paid direct to your bank in days.

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Disclosure: some links are referral links. They never change your price. We list insurers we would consider ourselves, not whoever pays most.

Head to head

6 comparisons

By breed

Best plan for your breed

Australian Shepherd
risk 1.00× · modelled from A$59/mo
Beagle
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$59/mo
Bernese Mountain Dog
risk 1.80× · modelled from A$110/mo
Border Collie
risk 0.90× · modelled from A$55/mo
Boxer
risk 1.50× · modelled from A$90/mo
Cane Corso
risk 1.50× · modelled from A$95/mo
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
risk 1.50× · modelled from A$80/mo
Chihuahua
risk 1.00× · modelled from A$49/mo
Cocker Spaniel
risk 1.30× · modelled from A$70/mo
Dachshund
risk 1.40× · modelled from A$70/mo
Doberman
risk 1.50× · modelled from A$90/mo
English Bulldog
risk 1.70× · modelled from A$100/mo
French Bulldog
risk 1.60× · modelled from A$90/mo
German Shepherd
risk 1.35× · modelled from A$85/mo
Golden Retriever
risk 1.35× · modelled from A$80/mo
Goldendoodle / Labradoodle
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$70/mo
Great Dane
risk 1.70× · modelled from A$115/mo
Havanese
risk 0.90× · modelled from A$52/mo
Labrador Retriever
risk 1.25× · modelled from A$75/mo
Mixed breed (large)
risk 1.00× · modelled from A$60/mo
Mixed breed (medium)
risk 0.90× · modelled from A$52/mo
Mixed breed (small)
risk 0.80× · modelled from A$46/mo
Pit Bull / Staffordshire
risk 1.30× · modelled from A$75/mo
Pomeranian
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$57/mo
Poodle (Standard)
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$65/mo
Poodle (Toy/Mini)
risk 0.90× · modelled from A$49/mo
Pug
risk 1.40× · modelled from A$75/mo
Rottweiler
risk 1.50× · modelled from A$95/mo
Shiba Inu
risk 1.00× · modelled from A$59/mo
Shih Tzu
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$55/mo
Siberian Husky
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$65/mo
Yorkshire Terrier
risk 1.10× · modelled from A$55/mo
The claim maths

What a serious year looks like

Big claimWorst-case billYou pay at 80%You pay at 90%
ACL / Cruciate Repair (TPLO)A$7,600A$1,900A$1,190
Foreign Body Surgery (swallowed object)A$5,700A$1,520A$1,000
Cancer Treatment (chemo course)A$14,250A$3,230A$1,850
Dental Cleaning with ExtractionsA$3,325A$1,045A$760

Assumes a A$475 annual deductible, one claim year, AUD. Every insurer prices and excludes differently — check the policy wording.

FAQ

Pet insurance basics

How much is pet insurance in Australia?

Modelled premiums (estimates, not quotes) for a healthy puppy typically run A$46–A$150 a month depending on breed, age and postcode.

Is pet insurance worth it?

It depends on what you could absorb in cash. The worst single bill we model in Australia is A$7,600. If that would go on credit, insurance is doing real work; if you keep that in savings, self-insuring is defensible.

What does pet insurance never cover?

Pre-existing conditions, anything inside the waiting period, and usually routine or elective care unless you buy a wellness add-on.

How do you rank insurers?

On fit rather than commission: breed risk from our cost index against each insurer's own published positioning. We do not hold anyone's rate cards and we say so on every page.