Notice: This text’s statistics come from third-party sources and don’t symbolize the opinions of this web site.
When a pet falls in poor health, it’s extremely distressing and the therapy prices is usually a substantial monetary pressure. The price of pharmaceutical merchandise is on the rise, and, because of this, so are vet charges. For that reason, some pet mother and father resolve to spend money on a pet insurance coverage plan to assist ease the potential burden.
Analysis exhibits that Australians are main pet lovers, making Australia one of many international locations with the best charges of pet possession on this planet, however what number of Australians even have a pet insurance coverage plan? On this put up, we’ll share the stats on pet insurance coverage and pet possession in Australia to see the way it all hyperlinks up and what conclusions we are able to make about pet insurance coverage developments.
How Many Australian Pet Homeowners Have Pet Insurance coverage – 12 Statistics
- A survey confirmed that 40.7% of Australians with vet payments as much as $10,000 had a pet insurance coverage plan.
- 73% of these with insurance coverage have been reimbursed greater than 50%.
- 66% of Australians with out pet insurance coverage really feel that pet insurance coverage is simply too costly.
- As of February 2022, 15% of pet homeowners took their pet to the vet not less than as soon as.
- A 2019 pet possession survey confirmed that $744.5 million was spent nationally on pet insurance coverage.
- A 2018 examine by Roy Morgan confirmed that employed individuals make up 4% of pet insurance coverage holders.
- Pet Insurance coverage Australia has insured over 100,000 canines and cats because the yr 2010.
- There are virtually 29 million pets in Australia.
- Canines are the most typical pet in Australia (40%).
- A 2019 survey confirmed that nearly two-thirds of Australian households have a pet.
- The RSPCA receives roughly 55,000–60,000 animal mistreatment experiences yearly.
- Australians are estimated to have spent $13 billion on pet care and merchandise in 2019.
Pet Insurance coverage in Australia
1. A 2021 survey confirmed that 40.7% of Australians with vet payments as much as $10,000 had a pet insurance coverage plan.
(Finances Direct)

The outcomes present that round 60% of Australians with vet payments as much as $10,000 should not have a pet insurance coverage plan in place, leaving 40.7% that do. The identical survey confirmed that roughly 50% of those that responded stated they might be joyful to pay the $10,000 to avoid wasting their oldest/solely pet’s life.
2. 73% of these with insurance coverage have been reimbursed greater than 50%.
(Finances Direct)
The survey performed by Finances Direct revealed that round 73% of these with pet insurance coverage have been reimbursed not less than 50% and as much as 80%.
3. 66% of Australians with out pet insurance coverage really feel that pet insurance coverage is simply too costly.
(Finances Direct)

The price of pet insurance coverage seems to be a significant factor in some pet homeowners selecting to not have a pet insurance coverage plan. Of these surveyed, a bigger proportion of youthful respondents felt this manner. Nonetheless, it was largely youthful respondents who reported that they might pay $10,000 if it meant saving their pet’s life.
4. As of February 2022, 15% of pet homeowners took their pet to the vet not less than as soon as.
(Statista)
23% of these surveyed said that they’d not taken their pet to a vet within the final 12 months. 2% had taken their pet to a vet not less than 5 occasions.
5. A 2019 pet possession survey confirmed that $744.5 million was spent nationally on pet insurance coverage.
(Animal Medicines Australia)

The information lined canines and cats and revealed that the price of pet insurance coverage rose by 56% in 3 years.
6. A 2018 examine by Roy Morgan confirmed that employed individuals make up 77.4% of pet insurance coverage holders.
(Roy Morgan)
The findings by Roy Morgan confirmed that in 2018, greater than 600,000 pet homeowners had a pet insurance coverage plan. Of these, 77.4% have been employed. Ladies made up 59.8% of this quantity.
7. Pet Insurance coverage Australia has insured over 100,000 canines and cats because the yr 2010.
(Pet Insurance coverage Australia)

Award-winning pet insurance coverage supplier Pet Insurance coverage Australia has insured greater than 100,000 pets since 2010. The supplier has received the Mozo Distinctive Worth award on a number of events in addition to the Canstar Outstand Worth Pet Insurance coverage award.
Pet Possession in Australia
8. There are virtually 29 million pets in Australia.
(Animal Medicines Australia)
In keeping with the survey, roughly 5.1 million of those pets are canines and three.8 million are cats. There are additionally an estimated 11.3 million fish, 5.6 million birds, 614,000 small mammals, and 1.8 million pets categorized as “different”.
9. Canines are the most typical pet in Australia (40%)
(RSPCA Pet Insurance coverage)

In keeping with RSPCA Pet Insurance coverage, canines make up 40% of Australian pets and cats make up 27%.
10. A 2019 survey confirmed that nearly two-thirds of Australian households have a pet.
(Animal Medicines Australia)
These outcomes present what big animal lovers Australians are. The outcomes additionally confirmed that 90% of Australians have had a pet in some unspecified time in the future of their lives.
Pet Care and Prices in Australia
11. The RSPCA receives roughly 55,000–60,000 animal mistreatment experiences yearly.
(NIH – Nationwide Library of Medication)

Sadly, it seems that a large variety of animals are topic to mistreatment, cruelty, and neglect in Australia, with greater than 55,000 incidences being reported to the RSPCA yearly. Neglect contains the failure to hunt veterinary consideration for an animal in want.
12. Australians are estimated to have spent $13 billion on pet care and merchandise in 2019.
(RSPCA)
The cash went on meals, healthcare merchandise, normal merchandise and equipment, and veterinary providers. 30% was spent on “different”, uncategorized services and products.
Often Requested Questions About Pet Insurance coverage
What Kinds of Pet Insurance coverage Plans Are There?
Essentially the most normal pet insurance coverage plan is accident and sickness protection. Situations lined in these plans are specified by every insurance coverage supplier’s particular person insurance policies, so it’s extremely advisable to test these rigorously.
Examples of situations or conditions sometimes lined accidentally and sickness protection plans embrace automotive accidents, snake bites, a wide range of pores and skin situations, eye and ear situations and gastrointestinal situations, most cancers, and surgical procedure. These plans don’t sometimes cowl routine care like vaccinations.
Pre-existing situations are usually not sometimes lined, although some suppliers do permit for non permanent pre-existing situations. To reiterate, what’s lined could differ relying in your supplier and the plan you select.
Some pet insurance coverage suppliers additionally provide wellness plans for routine care as an add-on or standalone plan.

Does Pet Insurance coverage Cowl Routine Care like Microchipping and Vaccinations?
Complete accident and sickness insurance coverage sometimes don’t cowl routine care like microchipping, vaccinations, deworming, and annual vet checkups. Nonetheless, many insurance coverage suppliers provide wellness or routine care plans that do cowl these items.
How A lot Does Pet Insurance coverage Price?
This varies relying on the kind of pet you will have and relies on components like breed, age, and medical historical past. In keeping with Cash Good, pet insurance coverage sometimes prices between $20 and $60 monthly in Australia. It’s normally costlier to insure a canine than a cat.

What Is a Ready Interval?
A ready interval is the size of time between when your pet insurance coverage coverage begins and the time the coverage truly takes impact and you’ll declare the advantages.
Can I Nonetheless Go to My Common Vet?
It appears so. In keeping with the RSPCA’s pet insurance coverage coverage, you’ll be able to go to any registered vet in Australia that you simply like. Please test your pet insurance coverage supplier’s particular person coverage on this simply to make certain.

Is It Price It to Get Pet Insurance coverage?
This is dependent upon whether or not or not you are feeling you’ll be capable to comfortably afford potential vet payments down the road. Paying for insurance coverage over the course of your pet’s life will be pricey—there are not any two methods about it—however for some, the peace of thoughts is value it.
Even when your pet appears joyful and wholesome, it’s not possible to foretell what could occur down the road, so pet insurance coverage is a form of “cushion”, if you’ll, for surprising and sudden sicknesses, accidents, and ongoing remedies. For that reason, pet insurance coverage undoubtedly value not less than contemplating.
What Do I Do If I Can’t Afford Vet Charges?
In the event you don’t have pet insurance coverage and may’t cowl vet payments, please let your vet find out about your scenario and they can work out a cost plan for you, like paying in installments. Some vets do accommodate this sort of request.
In Australia, there’s a service referred to as VetPay, which is designed to assist individuals pay for veterinary remedies over a time period fairly than multi function go.
You can additionally attempt getting a second opinion from a special vet who might be able to deal with your pet at a cheaper price or give you another therapy plan.
Conclusion
To recap, in response to a survey of pet homeowners in Australia with vet payments, round 40% had insurance coverage and 60% didn’t. Analysis from 2018 revealed that over 600,000 pet homeowners in Australia have pet insurance coverage.
When you think about what number of Australians have a pet of their family—two-thirds of households to be exact—the variety of individuals with pet insurance coverage appears fairly low. The price of pet insurance coverage seems to be a significant factor in why some pet homeowners select to not spend money on a plan, and research have proven that females usually tend to get pet insurance coverage than males.
We additionally seen that age was an influencing issue, with extra younger individuals responding that they might pay giant sums of cash upfront for lifesaving therapy.
To conclude, should you’re contemplating getting pet insurance coverage, we suggest testing a number of completely different suppliers to see what they provide. Plans are different to go well with a wide range of budgets, so it’s definitely value chatting with an organization consultant to search out out which sort of plan would work finest for you.
Featured Picture Credit score: Bogdan Sonjachnyj, Shutterstock