The pet insurance quote checklist

What to have ready

• Species, breed, and date of birth
• Any conditions diagnosed or treated, however minor or long ago
• Current medications and prescription diets
• Your vet practice details
• Whether you want accident-only or accident and illness cover
• Whether routine or wellness care matters to you

The four settings to line up

Change any one of these and the premium moves. Two plans at different prices are usually just set differently.

• Reimbursement rate — the share of a covered bill the plan pays
• Deductible — the amount, and whether it's annual or per condition
• Annual limit — the cap on what the plan pays in a policy year, or unlimited
• Waiting periods — often different for accidents, illnesses, and named conditions

The exclusions that decide claims

This is where plans genuinely differ, and where most disappointment originates. Ask each of these explicitly.

• How is a pre-existing condition defined? Does a resolved one still count?
• Are hereditary and congenital conditions covered, excluded, or covered after a wait?
• If one side of a bilateral condition pre-dates cover, is the other excluded?
• Is dental illness covered, or only dental accident?
• Will a condition diagnosed this year still be covered next policy year?
• Are prescription diets, behavioural treatment, and alternative therapies included?

Before you enrol

• Request your pet's full medical history and keep a copy
• Confirm when coverage actually starts
• Ask how premiums change as your pet ages
• Check whether you can use any licensed vet
• Confirm the claim submission deadline after treatment