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No pet parent likes to see their fur-baby unwell. When it happens, it’s distressing. You really don’t need the extra worry about how you’ll help them back to health. That’s why it’s reassuring to know PetSure is constantly improving our products to increase the benefits you may get for them. It’s important to us that we meet your changing needs, while staying clinically relevant as the veterinary industry evolves.
Over the past few years, we’ve responded to feedback from pet owners and vets with a few tweaks and some bigger innovations to what we offer. Here’s just a few:
- We’ve removed the requirement for you to submit claims within 90 days of treatment.
- Did you know we’ve extended our emergency pet boarding coverage so people in family violence situations can get temporary care for their pets while they find a new place to live?
- There’s even been changes to how we cover pre-existing conditions.
Once upon a time, if your pet showed signs of any health condition (diagnosed or otherwise) before you took out pet insurance, treatment for that problem or disease could never be covered. Now, if that health condition is resolved with no signs for 18 months, it can! If you’d like to find out whether your pet’s condition is included, just download and complete the waiver application from your pet insurance provider’s website, or your pet portal. We’ll respond within 10 days. Otherwise, this update is applied when you submit your claim. It’s a relief to know that not all pre-existing conditions are equal.
Another policy feature that PetSure has introduced is claim pre-approval where you can call your pet insurance provider and check what’s covered before your pet is treated. We’ll access your vet’s clinical notes and an itemised estimate of the costs and get back to you within 48 hours with your benefit amount.
If your vet offers GapOnly, it’s even easier. You ask them – either when you’re making the appointment or during the consultation – to request on-the-spot pre-approval from your pet insurance provider. Within just 20 minutes of us getting the request, they’ll receive confirmation of what your costs will be.
Some insurance providers and vets with GapOnlyTM allow pet parents to claim on the spot whilst still at the vet and only pay the difference between the vet’s invoice and what’s covered under your policy. No need to spend anxious weeks worrying about the out-of-pocket cost of treatment for your pet.
Changes to PetSure products may not only benefit pets and their parents, but also veterinarians. Veterinary costs keep rising, and it’s not hard to understand why. Technology is always changing, there’s better diagnostics, and treatment options are growing. According to PetSure’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Dani Hoolahan, “Many pet parents are not familiar with the costs associated with exceptional quality care and unfortunately, in many cases, the cost of veterinary care can exceed what a pet parent is able to comfortably afford.”
As the needs of pet parents evolve, PetSure will continue to work closely with vets, and our product and pricing team to listen, keep on top of industry changes and innovate with our products. Whether we’re relaxing the rules on pre-existing conditions, improving your comfort by offering pre-approvals, or giving you the ability to have claims settled on the spot, we aim to do our best to benefit you and your lifelong companion.
Here’s a summary of recent improvements we’ve made to our products to assist with the cost of pet health care:
| Policy Feature | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Car and Travel Sickness | Travel and transport sickness not covered | Claimable under comprehensive policies |
| Total Hip Replacements | Not covered | Claimable under some comprehensive policies |
| GapOnly on the spot claims | Claims available by eClaim, Pet Portal or paper form | Claim options augmented by on-the-spot in-clinic GapOnly service |
| Feline infectious peritonitis | Not covered | Claimable under comprehensive policies |
| De-sexing procedures that are medically necessary to treat inflammation or cancer | Not covered | Claimable under comprehensive policies |
| Claim submission period | Limited to 90 days | No time limit to submit claims |
| Emergency Boarding | Coverage for emergencies such as policyholder hospitalisation | Coverage extended to those in family violence situations |
| Adverse reactions to preventive care treatments | Not covered | Claimable under comprehensive policies |
| Ingestion of Foreign Object | Limited to one event per year | No limit for these conditions on comprehensive policies |
| Parasitic Conditions | Conditions caused by parasites excluded | Cover provided for most parasitic conditions on comprehensive policies |
| Pre-Existing Conditions | Pre-existing Conditions were excluded for the life of the pet | Temporary Pre-existing conditions will no longer be excluded if there have been no signs or symptoms for an 18-month period |
| Claim pre-approval | Available on request | Now available for all customers seeking clarity on their claim benefits. |
Pet insurance can help by covering a portion of the eligible vet bill if the unexpected happens. Because it is difficult to predict the costs of veterinary care, it can help to have measures in place to help prepare for the unexpected. Check out our partner network and explore our policy tools to find a pet insurance policy.
Not all conditions or items are covered by Pet Insurance. Refer to the applicable Product Disclosure Statement for information about coverage and exclusions.
