Petcover covers the treatment costs for veterinary fees attributed to accidents, injuries or illnesses which may happen to your pet, provided the condition did not occur prior to cover. After the cover has commenced, cover for injuries and accidents starts immediately on sign up (providing the injury did not occur prior to cover commencement); illness cover begins after the 21 day waiting period.
We would like you to submit your claim as soon as your pet has been treated by your vet. However, you are required to submit a claim within 12 months of your vets invoice date for the relevant accident, injury or illness treatment.
Petcover can pay your vet directly as long as the following criteria is met:
- The treating veterinarian/clinic is happy to accept payment this way.
- Petcover is happy to pay the particular treating veterinarian/clinic this way.
We are unable to direct any treating veterinarian/clinic to accept direct payment on your behalf. Your treating veterinarian/clinic must complete and sign the Direct Payment Section on the claim form to begin this process.
Petcover will inform both the treating veterinarian/clinic and the policyholder if Petcover does not accept to pay the particular vet direct.
As per our PDS “If We receive a request to pay the claim settlement direct to a Veterinary practice, We reserve the right to decline this request.”
As a responsible pet insurer and advocate of responsible pet ownership, Petcover wouldn’t do anything to discourage our customers from getting their dog or cat treated when they are unwell or injured. It is for this reason that we do not have a ‘no claims discount’, as it may encourage people not to seek vet treatment for fear of losing their potential ‘no claims discount’.
Petcover does not cover preventative, routine or elective treatments. These treatments are expected and can be budgeted for. We provide insurance for unexpected injuries and illnesses. This is similar to how your car insurance generally does not cover routine service, tyre care or registration fees.
If you choose not to vaccinate your pet, that is your choice, but if the pet was to then get an illness for which a vaccine is available, you would not be able to claim for the costs of the treatment, as you have not taken all necessary precautions. If your pet is not vaccinated, it will not affect your claiming for an unrelated illness.
Yes, Petcover will cover your pet anywhere within Australia and for up to 90 days for all journeys in the period of insurance. This includes the duration of your holiday or business trip and any travel, in and between Australia and an agreed country and return journey home.
Whether you have a cat or dog insurance policy, you must take reasonable precautions to maintain your pet’s health throughout the policy year and to prevent any illness, injury or loss. Therefore you must arrange and pay for your pet to have an annual dental examination and general check-up (including vaccinations) and follow any veterinary advice given by a vet in order to prevent oral disease. By continuing with these regular check-ups, this shows us that you have played your part in caring for your dog or cat, so we can play ours. If you fail to have a dental check and follow any veterinary advice given at the time it may affect a claim for a dental related condition.
Yes, Petcover will cover physiotherapy when referred and endorsed by your vet and it is deemed necessary to treat an injury and/or illness. Other alternative treatments and therapies covered are Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, Chiropractic Manipulation, Osteopathy and Hydrotherapy for up to 10 sessions in total per period of insurance, up to the annual maximum benefit of your selected plan if they are to treat an injury or illness.
Petcover has Lifetime insurance for the life of your pet, provided the cover is renewed each year without a break. The number of times you can claim for the same illness is unlimited; enabling you to give your animal the very best in veterinary care regardless of how much it costs. However, the amount for which you can claim in any one year is capped on an annual basis to the maximum benefit amount stated in your policy and a fixed excess will apply to any claims made. On Petcover Lifetime pet insurance, the excess is payable per unrelated condition (illness), per policy year. Remember, with a genuine Lifetime plan, you get what you pay for – a comprehensive pet insurance policy that will cover your pet’s conditions for life!
No, insurance is for the unknown and unforeseen; no insurance company will provide cover for something that has already occurred prior to taking out cover. Any accident, injury or illness which has already happened or is showing clinical signs prior to commencement of cover, is classed as “pre-existing”. Any illness that occurs in the first 21 days of cover (Waiting Period), or any Pre-Existing Conditions are not covered. If your pet was injured or ill at any time before the commencement of your insurance, we will not cover any costs relating to that injury or illness. This applies regardless of whether or not we place any exclusions for the injury or illness in your Certificate of Insurance.
Providing that the cancer is not a pre-existing condition, or an exclusion on your policy, we will cover the costs of the treatment of cancer such as chemotherapy. We do not cover the costs of transplant surgery or stem cell treatments.
Yes, Petcover will cover the costs of hereditary and congenital disorders, providing the pet had not shown clinical signs of the condition prior to cover commencing or within the 21 day waiting period and it is not excluded in your policy documentation or certificate of Insurance.
We will cover illnesses for which a vaccine is available (i.e. kennel cough, parvo virus, herpes virus or lepto), providing your pet has been vaccinated and that the vaccination is current.
Petcover dog policies cover Third Party Liability damage up to $1million, $2million or $5million depending on your selected plan. Third Party Liability covers any injury or damage caused by an insured dog, that the owner may be liable for.
