There’s affordable cat and dog insurance for every pet in Australia. Veterinary bills can be costly, and by purchasing pet insurance, your furbaby can receive the treatment they need, often allowing them to live longer. If you’re ready to get pet insurance but are unsure what plan is best for you, read through our reviews to compare cat and dog pet insurance options.

Australia’s Woolworths pet insurance features four different levels of cover for cats and dogs crafted to meet the diverse needs of every cat and dog parent. Like Medibank, it has earned industry awards for outstanding value and customer service, placing it among the top providers like Medbank. If you sign up for Woolworths Everyday pet insurance, your benefit percentage is 80%, regardless of your chosen plan. 

When it comes time to use your cover, you can opt for GapOnly.® pay and also have the option to add Routine Care for an additional $50 annually. You also get to choose how you want to pay your premiums-fortnightly, monthly, and annual payment options.

Woolworths offers a comparative tool to make choosing pet insurance much more manageable. Their website says 98% of their claims are paid within five days or less. Like Medibank’s Pet Max Premium coverage plan, Woolworths Everyday comprehensive Plus Cover pet insurance includes a $30,000 annual claim limit.

GapOnly.®

It also includes GapOnly.®, which simplifies the claims process and allows a claim to be processed in minutes. This means that at the time of treatment, policyholders only have to pay the gap, which is the difference between what the insurance pays and the veterinary bill. GapOnly.® payment is beneficial because the customer does not have to pay the cost upfront and wait to be reimbursed by the insurer.

Who is Woolworths Everyday Pet Insurance?

Woolworths is a giant supermarket chain that recently entered the pet insurance market. According to the Everyday Pet Insurance website, they have paid out over 96% of claims within 5 days or less, including $85 million of benefits paid to their policyholders. The only downside is that Routine Care is not automatically included, and there’s no multi-pet discount.

Woolworths pet insurance covers cats and dogs exclusively, and no other types of animals or reptiles are included. Additional perks to Everyday pet insurance include:

• 10% discount at Woolworths stores every time you shop as an Everyday insurance customer
• 30% off pet meds with PetScripts, a leading online pet pharmacy.
• 24/7 emergency claims assistance
• GapOnly® allows for faster claim processing via on-the-spot claims, a request for a GapOnly® claim after treatment, or a pre-approval for your pet’s proposed treatment.
• Quality coverage is backed by PetSure, Hollard, and Nib, which has specialized in global travel insurance for over twenty years.
• $30,000 annual policy limit with the Comprehensive Plan
• Woolworths has partnered with PetRescue and will help you find your new best friend.
• Lifetime Coverage from 8 weeks old and up.

Woolworths Everyday Comprehensive Plus Plan Review

Woolworths Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus pet insurance is a value-focused pet insurance plan with many features that make it a top-tier company. It offers three excess limits: $0, $100, or $500. Unlike many other pet insurance companies, Woolworths does not provide Routine Care. 

You can choose this add-on by paying $50 for yearly pet vaccinations and health checks. There is also an additional $50 annual charge for routine yearly Care, which includes spaying and neutering, obedience training, and microchipping. Woolworths offers four plan options for cats and dogs with savings of up to $600 a year on groceries.

4 Levels of Coverage

Woolworths helps protect your pet with four levels of coverage if they suffer from an accidental injury or illness. If your cat or dog suddenly becomes ill, you’ll pay the total veterinary costs upfront and then get reimbursed after you submit a claim. However, if you take out GapOnly.®, you’ll have to pay the portion that’s not covered. 

You also get complimentary access to Vet Assist, an online service that connects you with a veterinarian 24/7. With Woolworths, you can choose a plan that covers a range of scenarios, ensuring your pet receives the care they need.

• Four Plan Options: Woolworths offers four options for cats and dogs: Basic, Standard, Comprehensive, and Comprehensive Plus. Routine Care is an optional add-on with the Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus Cover.
• Reimbursement rate: 80% with all plans
• Dental Cover– Add-on cover with Routine Care
• Basic Cover is $5,000. Max annual benefit limit, excess choose from $0 or $200.
• Standard Cover:$10,000 Max annual benefit limit; choose from $0 or $100.
• Comprehensive Cover:$24,000 annual benefit limit; choose from $0 or $100.
• Comprehensive Plus Cover: The annual benefit limit is $30,000; you can choose from $0, $100, or $500.
• Minimum Age for new cover: 8 weeks old
• Maximum Age: for new cover: 8 years old

Accidental Injury Coverage

There is no waiting period for specified accidental injuries except for cruciate ligament conditions, which have a 6-month waiting period.

Woolworths pet insurance for cats and dogs includes protection for accidental injuries such as:

• Car accidents
• Bone fractures
• Bite wounds
• Burns or electrocution
• Lacerations or abrasions

Illness Coverage

Illness cover includes treatment for an unexpected issue requiring a vet trip. This consists of some more common dog health issues that aren’t a pre-existing condition or a general exclusion. There’s a 30-day wait period for illness coverage.

Illness coverage usually includes treatment for ingesting a foreign object, snake bite treatment, and ear infections. Some other illness coverage includes:

• Poisoning
• Cancer treatment
• Outer and inner ear treatments
• Hyperthyroidism
• Diabetes

With Woolworth’s cat and dog pet insurance, dental is not covered, and you can add Routine Care, which offers a $50 benefit toward a choice of treatments, one of which is dental illness. 

When comparing comprehensive pet insurance plans in Australia, it’s key to understand what type of health care your pet needs. 

Pre-Existing Conditions

Woolworth’s Comprehensive Plan and Comprehensive Plus Cover protect you from mishaps like accidental injuries and illness coverage. The downside is that, like most pet insurance, they do not cover pre-existing conditions. 

According to their website, as of 2022, pre-existing conditions are now assessed depending on whether they are temporary or chronic. 

“A temporary pre-existing condition is a pet health condition that usually resolves with treatment and is automatically removed as an exclusion from your policy if your pet hasn’t shown signs of that condition for 18 months or more before your claim treatment date.” A chronic pre-existing condition is a pet health condition that requires ongoing Care or is more prolonged. This usually includes:

• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Endocrine diseases
• Intervertebral disc disease
• Cruciate ligament conditions
• Patellar luxation
• Any other chronic conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can Cats be Covered For Optional Non-Insurance Routine Care Benefits?

According to Everyday’s pet insurance website, you can add Comprehensive or Comprehensive Plus coverage and the non-insurance benefit for routine care. 

2. What is GapOnly®?

GapOnly® simplifies pet insurance whereby participating veterinarians submit your claim, which will be processed in minutes. Not only does this enable you to pay the gap payment only(the difference between the vet bill and your insurance benefit), but it helps you afford high veterinary costs that you may not be able to afford right away. This allows your pet to get the care they need when they need it without delaying treatment.

3. Are Pre-Existing Conditions Covered?
4.  

Woolworths’ Everyday Pet Insurance constantly updates how pre-existing conditions are handled in all its policies. As of 1 December 2020, pre-existing conditions are now assessed depending on whether they are temporary or chronic, helping pet parents claim for more eligible conditions.