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Substantial $12,000 Annual Policy Limit
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80%* Back on Eligible Vet Bills
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Tick Paralysis & Snake Attacks
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Bilateral Conditions
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Orthopaedic Cover
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Accidental Injury and Illness Cover
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Choice of Vet
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Cruciate Ligament Conditions
Compare all benefits, features and claim limits
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. For full details, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
*80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess and subject to policy limits (terms, conditions and exclusions apply).
What's protected by Pet Insurance?
If your dog or puppy gets sick or injured, we’ll reimburse you 80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess and subject to policy limits (terms, conditions and exclusions apply).
If your cat or kitten gets sick or injured, we’ll reimburse you 80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess and subject to policy limits (terms, conditions and exclusions apply).
Benefits Included in Pet Insurance
We can reimburse 80%* of your eligible vet bills from any registered vet or veterinary practice in the country.
If your furry family members get sick or injured, ensure their veterinary treatments are handled by a vet you know and trust.
We offer orthopaedic cover for conditions of your pet's bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, joints and ligaments.
This includes hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease, patella luxation and elbow dysplasia.
Orthopaedic conditions are subject to a $4,000 policy limit.
We'll reimburse 80%* of your pet’s eligible vet bills for cruciate ligament conditions, including related conditions that might arise later.
For example, if we cover a cruciate ligament condition in your pet's knee, we can also cover osteoarthritis that may develop later in the same knee using the same benefit.
Cruciate ligament conditions are subject to a 6-month waiting period and a $2,600 policy limit.
You'll be reimbursed for 80%* of your eligible vet bills to treat a disease, sickness or infection and help your dog or cat feel like themselves again.
Illnesses are subject to a waiting period.
Pet owners might want to think about certain wildlife scenarios when considering pet insurance in Australia.
Our policies can reimburse 80%* of eligible vet bills if your dog or cat is bitten or strangled by a snake.
Snake attacks are subject to a $1,000 policy limit.
If your pet gets physically harmed or injured in an accident, we'll reimburse 80%* of your eligible vet bills to get them back on their feet.
Accidental injuries are subject to a 2-day waiting period.
With our generous annual benefit limit, you can make multiple Pet Insurance claims up to an overall limit, depending on your level of cover.
Subject to limits and sub-limits.
We'll provide benefits for your pet if they get bitten by a paralysis tick.
Pet parents must follow regular and ongoing tick paralysis preventative treatments as recommended by a vet to make eligible claims.
Tick paralysis is subject to a 30-day waiting period and a $1,000 policy limit.
We'll provide benefits for your pet for bilateral conditions, or conditions that can happen on both sides of your pet's body. These could include conditions affecting the eyes or legs.
We consider any bilateral condition as a single condition. If we reimburse 80%* of your eligible vet bills for a condition on one side of your pet's body, we'll do the same for the condition on the other side.
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. For full details, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
*80% of eligible vet expenses, less any applicable excess and subject to policy limits (terms, conditions and exclusions apply).
Get a Quote Online and Save 15%^
If you get a quote and buy a new Pet Insurance policy online, we'll give you a 15%^ discount on your first year's premium.
What's covered by Essential Pet Insurance?
While you focus on your pet's health, Budget Direct Pet Insurance can provide accidental injury or illness cover for costs including:
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Vet expenses
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Orthopaedic conditions
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Cruciate ligament conditions
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Tick paralysis
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Snake attacks
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Bilateral conditions (if eligible for cover)
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Accidental injuries
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Illnesses (excluding pandemic or epidemic illnesses)
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Guide dogs and assistance animals
What's not covered by Essential Pet Insurance?
Budget Direct Pet Insurance won't cover you and your pet for every circumstance. There are exclusions, including:
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Pre-existing conditions
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Dangerous pets
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Behavioural conditions
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Brachycephalic conditions (if evident during the first 12 months of the pet’s life)
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Complications from not desexing or other excluded conditions
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Parasites
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Undiagnosed conditions or inconclusive diagnoses
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Unvaccinated pets
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Routine Care options
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full details on what's covered by Budget Direct Pet Insurance.
How does pet insurance work?
Pet Insurance is like health insurance for your pets. Here's how Budget Direct Pet Insurance works:
Get a quote and buy a Pet Insurance policy. Pay your fortnightly, monthly or yearly premium to maintain your pet’s cover.
After the applicable waiting period, if your pet suffers a sickness or accidental injury, take your dog or cat to a vet of your choice.
The vet examines your pet, performs any necessary tests and treats the condition.
You'll pay the veterinary treatment costs in full.
Then, you'll submit your Pet Insurance claim.
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 (terms, conditions and exclusions apply)
If your furry friend suffers from an accidental injury or illness and you need to make a claim, we're here to help.
With Budget Direct, you can conveniently make a claim online at any time of the day or night, 365 days a year. Or you can call us from Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm AEST at 1800 931 664 and we’ll be happy to help.
Find Out More
The information on this page is a summary only. For more details about Budget Direct Pet Insurance, including the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
Essential Pet Insurance FAQs
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 or received treatment for:
- Before your policy started
- During any applicable waiting period.
We will not exclude cover where a pre-existing condition has been fully cured, except for recurring or related conditions, bilateral conditions or complications associated or resulting from any pre-existing condition. 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.
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.
Waiting periods start on the day the policy starts. Here is an example of the waiting periods and cover start dates based on a policy start date of 29/11/2023.
Condition |
Waiting Period |
Cover Start Date |
|---|---|---|
Accidental injuries |
2 days |
01/12/2023 |
Illnesses |
30 days |
29/12/2023 |
Tick paralysis |
30 days |
29/12/2023 |
Cruciate ligament conditions |
6 months |
29/05/2024 |
Any condition that occurs during the applicable waiting period will be considered a pre-existing condition and excluded from cover.
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 pet’s waiting periods can be waived when they join Budget Direct.
Yes, you will pay your selected 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 diabetes treatment 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 claimed (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 (in other words, the next time you make a claim for a related illness or injury, you’ll be required to pay the excess).
Yes, there are certain dogs we do not insure.
They include breeds or cross-breeds that are banned or restricted by your state or territory government, including:
American Pit Bull Terrier
Pit Bull Terrier
Japanese Tosa
Dogo Argentino
Fila Brasileiro
Perro de Presa Canario (or Presa Canario)
Yes, our Routine Care add-on options offered with our Plus and Comprehensive Pet Insurance policies can contribute towards:
Health checks
Vaccinations
Dental check-ups and/or scale and polish
Flea, tick and worming treatments
Blood or urine testing (not in relation to an accidental injury or illness)
Alternative or complementary therapy like acupuncture (not in relation to an accidental injury or illness)
Some veterinary practice networks offer ‘wellness plans’ that can complement your pet’s insurance.
