Comparison of the Best Cat Insurance Plans in New Zealand
What's the Best Cat Insurance in New Zealand?
When using our list below to find the best cat insurance plan for you, we recommend checking the following things (all of which we have extracted from policy documents and listed and highlighted in the summaries of each plan below):
- Eligibility: The age your cat must be when taking out a new policy
- Average Monthly Cost: An estimate of the average cost of your monthly premiums before discounts based on a 6 month-old female Domestic Shorthair
- Excess & Co-Payment: The amount you have to pay from a vet bill when making a claim (you pay the excess first and then the co-payment percentage on the rest of the bill)
- Annual Policy Limit: The maximum amount you can claim per year (the average cat vet bill is around $500 although we've seen plenty of bills over $10,000 for major accidents/illnesses)
- What's Covered: The conditions and treatments covered by the policy. Also check 'What's Not Covered'
- Condition Limits: The maximum you can receive per year for specific treatments and conditions
- Stand-down Period: The time you will have to wait before making a claim on any of the conditions listed
- Extras, Add-Ons & Ways to Save: Extra cover included in your plan or available as an add-on and different discounts available for policy holders
Top 5 Cat Insurance Plans in New Zealand Compared
- PD Insurance Deluxe Plan - The most-well rounded full coverage plan for cats
- PD Insurance Accident Plan - The best cheap cat insurance plan for accidents-only
- Petnsur Rhodium Plan - The least restrictive cat insurance plan, great value for money
- Cove Major Plan - High policy limits, wide coverage and many discounts available
- Southern Cross PetCare Plan - The most flexible cat insurance policy available
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for accidental ingestion
- 21 days for poisoning
- 21 days for illness
- 180 days for third party liability
- 180 days for cruciate ligament injury
- 180 days for patella luxation
- 180 days for dental illnesses
- $200 per visit for vet consultations
- $3,800 for hereditary conditions
- $7,500 for cruciate ligament
- $7,500 for patella luxation
- $7,500 for accidental ingestion
- $7,500 per claim limit
- $10,000 for third party liability
- Covers dental
- Covers illness, injury, liability
- High $20,000 policy limit
- Excess payable for every bill
-
Doesn't cover routine care
-
Long stand down periods
Another key factor was the high $20,000 policy limit although the $7,500 per claim limit was certainly the most off-putting thing about this policy. As were the condition limits for accidental ingestion, cruciate, patella and hereditary conditions - even if these are relatively high. PD insurance also boasts one free month of insurance as a sign up offer, faster than average 2 day claims processing and a competitive 5% multi pet discount.
The other thing to watch out for with this plan is the long stand down periods - you can't claim for accidental ingestion, poisoning and illness in the first 21 days, or third party liability, cruciate ligament, patella luxation and dental illnesses in the first 180 days. So effectively you pay for 3 weeks or 6 months without cover for these conditions (ignoring the sign up bonus).
And even though it is comprehensive, this plan also doesn't cover emergency boarding, overseas treatments or routine care and vaccinations. An alternative plan that covers these conditions is AA Pet Insurance's only pet insurance plan although this plan does have more restrictive conditions limits for certain claims.
Another similar plan is Southern Cross's Pet Care Plan which allows you to add dental cover. This plan has a lower policy limit of $15,000 and a co-payment of at least 10%, but has shorter stand down periods and has optional cover for routine care and vaccinations. It also has very few condition limits.
- Illness
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Hereditary conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for poisoning
- 21 days for ingestion
- 180 days for third party liability
- 180 days for cruciate ligament injury
- 180 days for patella luxation
- $200 per visit for vet consultations
- $2,000 for accidental ingestion
- $10,000 for third party liability
- Covers third party liability
- Flexibility to chose excess amount
- Eligibility from 6 weeks to 12 years
- Fast 2-day claims processing
-
Long stand down periods
-
Excess on every claim
PD Insurance also boasts 2 day claims processing, which is a day or two faster than the industry standard. Like most other accident-only pet insurance plans in NZ, PD insurance's Accident Plan covers yearly claims up to $5,000. In terms of costs, there's a variable excess of $100, $150 or $200, which is decided by you when signing up (the bigger your excess the smaller your monthly premiums), and no co-payment. This makes it ideal for bigger vet bills as the most you'll ever pay is determined by your excess. Otherwise, this policy only covers accidental injury and third party liability, so no illness, dental or routine care.
Like other accident-only pet insurances, this plan covers vet bills arising from a single event causing unforeseen (not gradual) physical injury. This cover includes the costs for things like prescribed medication, radiology, pathology, operating theatre costs, hospitalisation and non-elective euthanasia.
One thing to note however is that the stand down periods for this plan are 21 days for ingestion and poisoning, 180 days for third party liability and 180 days for cruciate ligament and patella luxation. There is no stand down period on other accident-only plans like Southern Cross's AcciPet Plan for accidental ingestion and only 90 days for cruciate ligament injuries. So, if this seems like a long time to you then pick a different plan. Southern Cross's AcciPet Plan also has a more flexible excess option, although it also includes a co-pay.
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 7 days for accidental injury
- 21 days for medical treatments
- None
- $300 co-payment only
- No condition limits
- Injury, illness and hereditary cover
- Short stand down periods
-
Relatively low policy limit
-
Not for pets over 8 years old
Better yet, there are no condition limits with this plan, so the full $6,000 can go towards one or many different claims throughout a given policy year. The other major highlights of this plan are that hereditary conditions will be covered so long as they aren't present in the pet's first 3 years of life and that there are relatively short stand down periods for this plan - 7 days for accidental injury and 21 days for medical treatments.
And it's worth mentioning the very competitive sign up offer too - six weeks of no obligation free insurance with cover for up to $2,000 is worth nabbing even if you decide that you don't need pet insurance.
If we have to criticize the Rhodium Plan a bit we could say that the policy limit is pretty low and that it doesn't offer much extra cover e.g. third party liability or emergency boarding, but to be fair it's not really built for this with a lower level of cover than the policies like Cove's Major Plan or SPCA's Big Stuff Cover.
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Occupational treatments
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for illness
- 6 months for cruciate ligament injury
- 6 months for intervertebral disc disease
- $1,500 for emergency boarding
- Covers parasite treatments
- High $25,000 policy limit
- 20%+ in discounts available
- Only a condition limit for emergency boarding
-
Pets cannot be older than 5 years
-
Excess AND co-payment
Why? Because it has the highest policy limit available in New Zealand, it covers all expected claims but also parasite treatments, hereditary conditions and emergency boarding and because there's plenty of discounts to take advantage of if you pay annually not monthly and if you buy multiple insurances (pet or car) through Cove.
It's not all good though. Perhaps the most limiting thing about the Major Plan is that you can only take it out if your pet is between 8 weeks and 5 years old. There's not many pet insurances in New Zealand that are so restrictive in this respect. Another, is that you will have to pay a $1,000 excess and 10% co-payment for every claim. Essentially, that makes this plan worthless for smaller vet bills under $1,000 (if there even were such a thing).
Still, with one of the cheapest monthly premiums this all comes out in the wash and is a very affordable option. Another thing to note is that there's a relatively standard 21 day waiting period on illnesses and 6 month waiting period for cruciate ligament and patella luxation injuries.
The reason we also rate other plans like Southern Cross's Pet Care Plan and PD Insurance's Deluxe Plan high are because Southern Cross has more flexibility with monthly premiums and cover because you can choose your excess, policy limit and add-ons and because PD Insurance is more generous with no co-payment for similar, albeit slightly lesser, levels of cover.
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Vet consultations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for illness cover
- 90 days for cruciate ligament injury
- 90 days for patella luxation
- 90 days for extra dental care
- $2,500 or $5,000 for cruciate ligament
- Flexible cover (add dental, routine care and consultation fees)
- Flexible policy limits (only pay for the cover you want)
- Up to 10% in discounts for eligible customers
- Flexible excess and co-payment options
-
Doesn't cover third party liability
-
Somewhat low $15,000 maximum policy limit
This may seem less desirable than having a full coverage plan but ultimately it gives you the flexibility to choose the cover that you want. Additionally, you can set your own policy limit of either $2,500, $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 - which is pretty unique and much appreciated if you want to save on monthly premiums by covering only smaller vet bills.
Like Southern Cross's accident-only AcciPet Plan, their PetCare Plan also has a flexible excesses of $100, $250 or $500 and 10%, 20% or 30% co-payment options. This policy also excels because it has no condition limits (except for cruciate ligament injuries).
Overall, our experts agree that Southern Cross's PetCare plan is one of the best pet insurances in New Zealand because it is a flexible insurance policy covering both accidents, illness and even more if you choose the add-ons.
You may want to pick another pet insurance if you want a higher policy limit - like PD Insurance's Deluxe Plan ($20,000 policy limit) or SPCA's Big Stuff Cover ($25,000 policy limit). PD insurance also covers third party liability (when your pet injures someone or damages something) while Southern Cross's PetCare plan doesn't.
It is also important to note that this policy can only be taken out if your pet is between 8 weeks and 6 years old. PD Pet Insurance offers a similar policy for pets up to 9 years old.
All Other Cat Insurance Plans in New Zealand Compared
- Cove Major + Minor Plan - Like Cove's Major Plan but with an even higher policy limit and smaller excess but a bigger co-payment
- Southern Cross AcciPet Plan - A flexible accident-only cat insurance plan where you can choose your excess and co-payment
- AA Accidental Injuries + Illness Plan - The most comprehensive cat insurance plan in New Zealand covering (almost) everything
- SPCA Big Stuff Cover - A comprehensive policy that can even cover pre-existing conditions with high limits and no maximum age
- Petnsur Surgery Plus - A cheaper cat insurance policy if you only want cover for unexpected surgery bills and their related costs
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Occupational treatments
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for illness
- 6 months for cruciate ligament injury
- 6 months for intervertebral disc disease
- $1,500 for emergency boarding
- Very high policy limit ($25,000)
- Options to add Dental/Everyday Cover
- Wide coverage including parasite and hereditary conditions
- Reasonable stand-down periods
-
Cover may change as pet ages
-
Low maximum age for new policies (5 years)
-
Low limits on add-ons
That's because the Major + Minor Plan covers all the same claims (Accidental injury, illness, hereditary conditions, parasite treatments, emergency boarding) as the Major Plan with the same stand down periods (21 days for illness, 6 months for cruciate ligament and intervertebral disc disease) and condition limits ($1,500 for emergency boarding).
The only real differences between this plan and the Major plan are the potentially higher costs at the vet (a variable excess and 20% co-payment instead of a fixed $1,000 excess and 10% co-payment) and the fact that you can add Dental and Everyday Stuff Cover. Although these have yearly limits of $500 and and $100 per condition respectively as well as a 6 month waiting period for both.
The other major thing is that the policy wording on Cove's insurances states that they may reduce cover for your pet as it gets older, which is certainly a bit worrying even if you can easily switch to a more comprehensive insurance like PD Insurance's Deluxe Plan at any time before your pet turns 9.
All of these extra conditions put Cove's Major + Minor Plan firmly in the top half of our ranking of NZ pet insurances.
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 21 days for accidental ingestion
- 21 days for poisoning
- 21 days for illness
- 180 days for third party liability
- 180 days cruciate ligament injury
- 180 days for patella luxation
- $200 per visit for vet consultations
- $2,000 for cruciate ligament
- $2,000 for patella luxation
- $2,000 for accidental ingestion
- $2,300 for hereditary conditions
- $5,000 per claim limit
- $10,000 for third party liability
- Covers illness, accident & liability
- Flexibility to chose premiums and excess amount
- Fast claims processing
- Mid-level plan that won't break the bank
-
No routine or dental care covered
-
At least $100 excess for every claim
Notably the Classic Plan doesn't cover dental illness and falls short of competitors like Southern Cross in that it provides no optional cover for routine care and day-to-day treatments like vaccinations. It also has some restrictive but not obscene claim/condition limits for certain conditions.
It does however only have an excess of between $100 and $200 (decided by you) while Southern Cross's PetCare Plan also has a co-payment. Other things to note are that you get $150 towards fees when switching to any PD Insurance plan as well as one free month of insurance when buying online. The industry standard 5% multi pet discount is also available on all PD plans.
And finally because PD insurance has a longer than average stand down period you'll have to be insured for 21 days before making claims for illness and accidental ingestion and 180 days for third party liability and patella/cruciate ligament injuries. Southern Cross, on the other hand, has no stand down period on accidents and only 90 days for patella/cruciate ligament injuries with their PetCare Plan.
- Illness
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Vet consultations
- Alternative treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Hereditary conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Parasite treatments
- Occupational treatments
- Emergency boarding
- Overseas treatments
- 90 days for cruciate ligament injury
- 90 days for patella luxation
- $2,500 for cruciate ligament
- No upper age limit
- Flexible excess and co-payment
- No claim limit (except cruciate ligament injuries)
- Up to 10% in discounts for eligible customers
-
Doesn't cover third party liability
-
Doesn't cover illness, dental or routine care
This policy has a flexible excess ($100 to $500) and co-payment (10% to 30%) and it covers up to $5,000 of vet bills per year. A $5,000 policy limit is standard for an accident-only pet insurance plan in New Zealand but this plan stands out as most other plans have a fixed excess and/or co-payment meaning you can't chose how much you want to pay in monthly premiums or when you have to make a claim. When you select the maximum excess and co-payment, this plan is also the cheapest pet insurance in New Zealand.
We've also picked Southern Cross's AcciPet Plan as one of the best accident only pet insurance options because puppies and kittens get a generous 6 weeks of free insurance when signing up and because it has an optional Consult Care Extra option giving you up to $1,000 with a 20% co-pay for regular, emergency and specialist vet consultation fees and alternative treatments.
Alternative plans to consider include Southern Cross Pet Insurance's PetCare Plan which is structured similarly but also covers illness, hereditary conditions, and has options for dental cover and routine care. Or PD Insurance's Accident Plan (our favourite accident-only pet insurance) which has a similar excess of $100 to $200, no co-payment but also covers third party liability (if your pet causes damage to property, or injury to other pets or people) and is cheaper when a similar co-payment/excess is selected.
- Third party liability
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Breeding conditions
- Occupational treatments
- 14 days for illness
- 6 months for cruciate ligament injury
- 6 months for dental
- $300 for vet consultations
- $600 for dental illnesses
- $1,500 for emergency boarding
- $3,200 for cruciate ligament conditions
- $4,000 for intervertebral disc disease
- Covers many claim types
- Flexible excess/policy limit
- Maximum age for new policies is 9 years
- Routine care add-on
-
Several condition limits
-
No multi-pet discount
New policies can be taken out for puppies and kittens aged 8 weeks until your pet's 9th birthday and with flexible policy limits and excesses as well as a routine care add-on this plan is really designed for all types of pets/owners.
A smaller downside of the plan is that the maximum policy limit is only $15,000, which is not ideal if you're trying to cover yourself for one or more very sizable vet bills. A bigger downside is that AA also has a 20% co-payment which when combined with the excess you have to pay still means you'll be liable to pay a decent-sized portion of your pet's treatment costs. But the biggest downside is almost certainly the condition limits on this policy ranging from $300 for consultation fees and $600 for dental illnesses to $3,200 for cruciate ligament conditions and $4,000 for intervertebral disc disease.
Still, with wide ranging cover, a free VetChat membership for online consultations and even the ability to waive the pre-existing condition exclusion if your pet is 18 months symptom free, this is a plan many Kiwis chose. Especially considering the competitive pricing of their monthly premiums. For a higher policy limit consider Cove's Major Plan or SPCA's Big Stuff Cover otherwise PD Insurance's Deluxe Plan has decent condition limits and no co-payment.
- Third party liability
- Dental
- Routine care
- Vaccinations
- Alternative treatments
- Hereditary conditions
- Breeding conditions
- Occupational treatments
- 21 days for illness
- 6 months for cruciate ligament injury (waived with a vet's note)
- $1,500 for emergency boarding
- Very high policy limit ($25,000)
- Pre-existing conditions waived with vet's note
- No condition limits (except for emergency boarding)
- Policy holders support work of SPCA
-
$1,000 deductible AND 20% co-payment
-
Not suitable for smaller bills
The most notable is the removal of all condition limits (except the $1,500 limit for emergency boarding claims). The other big one is that as well as a 20% co-payment, this plan now includes a $1,000 excess per claim. That means that you have to pay for the first $1,000 of each vet bill yourself, essentially making this plan only suitable for mid-size and major vet bills. Your monthly premiums are also reduced to reflect this cost which also makes the plan somewhat more affordable (average $57.56 vs $95.00 for The Works Cover)
Still, with a $25,000 policy limit for all injury, illness, parasite, overseas treatments (in Australia and Norfolk Island) and even pre-existing conditions (when waived with a vet's note) this policy is suitable for owners who want to ensure a comprehensive and high level of cover should any bigger vet bills arise.
The Big Stuff Cover Plan doesn't get a higher rating from us because it excludes dental, third party liability and routine care among other things. And because of the deductible and co-payment this policy won't help that much with your smaller vet bills. A better option is Cove's Major Plan which covers the same conditions (except overseas treatments) but only has a 10% co-payment and $1,000 excess plus up to 20% in discounts when you take out multiple policies and pay annually.
The significant difference in the prices you see above for seemingly similar cat insurance plans can primarily be explained by the fact that cat vet bills, on average, are not that large (especially compared to dog insurance) which means that if you have a large excess or co-payment, the insurance company will likely not have to pay so much and therefore your premiums will be quite affordable. For example, for PD insurance's Deluxe Plan, we selected the $200 excess and the average cost was $51.48 compared to a similiar plan, Southern Cross's PetCare Plan which was only $26.53 but we selected a $500 excess and 20% co-payment.
Who Offers Multi-cat Insurance?
The cat insurances in New Zealand with multi-cat, multi-pet or multi-policy discounts are:
- Cove Pet Insurance - 10% Multi-policy Discount
- SPCA Pet Insurance - 10% Multi-pet Discount
- Petcover - 10% Multi-pet Discount (3+ pets)
- PD Insurance - 5% Multi-pet Discount
- Southern Cross Pet Insurance - 5% Multi-pet Discount
- Tower Pet Insurance - 5% Multi-pet Discount
Several cat insurance companies in New Zealand have other discounts available too. For example, Cove also offers 10% off when paying annually instead of monthly while Southern Cross has a 2.5% discount for paying annually and a 2.5% discount for Southern Cross Health Society members.
Who Offers Cat Dental Insurance?
- AA Pet Insurance Accidental Injuries + Illness - Up to $600 per year
- PD Insurance Deluxe Plan - Up to $500 per year
- Cove Pet Insurance Major + Minor Plan - Optional add-on for up to $500 per year
- Tower Pet Insurance Essential Plan - Optional add-on for up to $350 per year
- Tower Pet Insurance Comprehensive Plan - Optional add-on for up to $350 per year
- Southern Cross Pet Insurance PetCare Plan - Optional add-on for up to $300 per year
Does Cat Insurance Cover Vet Consultations?
Know that with Southern Cross, you will have to pay for an add-on to get cover for vet visits, otherwise vet cover is included with all other insurers. Also note that vet consultations often have limits eg. a maximum consultation fee per visit or year.
Plan | Annual Cover Limit |
---|---|
AA Pet Insurance Accidental Injuries + Illness | $300 |
Cove Pet Insurance Accident Only Plan | $5,000 |
Cove Pet Insurance Major Plan | $25,000 |
Cove Pet Insurance Major + Minor Plan | $25,000 |
PD Insurance Accident Plan | $200 per visit |
PD Insurance Classic Plan | $200 per visit |
PD Insurance Deluxe Plan | $200 per visit |
Petcover Safety-net Plan (Catastrophe 1 / Catastrophe 2) | $400 |
Petcover Mid-range Plan (Core / Vital / Key) | $400 |
Petcover Superior Plan (Entry / Mid-point / Superior) | $9,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 |
Petnsur Rhodium Plan | $6,000 |
Petnsur Silver / Gold / Platinum Plans | $4,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 |
Petnsur Titanium Plan | $5,000 |
Southern Cross Pet Insurance AcciPet Plan * Optional Add On | $1,000 |
Southern Cross Pet Insurance PetCare Plan * Optional Add On | $1,000 |
SPCA Pet Insurance Everyday Cover | $300 |
SPCA Pet Insurance The Works Cover | $500 |
SPCA Pet Insurance Big Stuff Cover | $25,000 |
Tower Pet Insurance Accident Only Plan | $5,000 |
Tower Pet Insurance Essential Plan | $7,000 |
Tower Pet Insurance Comprehensive Plan | $15,000 |
How Much Does Cat Insurance Cost?
This wide-ranging difference is impacted by several factors including the age and breed of your cat, the level of cover you opt for, your costs (i.e. your excess and co-payment) and the annual policy limit (the maximum amount that you can claim every year).
Below we compare quotes for every cat insurance policy in New Zealand along with the excess, co-payment and policy limit for each quote so you can get an idea of which plans suit your budget and how different factors impact the cost of your pet insurance.
Price Comparison of All Cat Insurance Quotes
Plan | Average Monthly Cost | Excess | Co-Payment | Policy Limit |
---|---|---|---|---|
AA Pet Insurance Accidental Injuries + Illness | $23.29 | $500 | 20% | $15,000 |
Cove Pet Insurance Accident Only Plan | $10.35 | $500 | 10% | $5,000 |
Cove Pet Insurance Major Plan | $16.55 | $1,000 | 10% | $25,000 |
Cove Pet Insurance Major + Minor Plan | $20.10 | $500 | 20% | $25,000 |
PD Insurance Accident Plan | $10.85 | $200 | None | $5,000 |
PD Insurance Classic Plan | $36.43 | $200 | None | $10,000 |
PD Insurance Deluxe Plan | $51.48 | $200 | None | $20,000 |
Petcover Safety-net Plan (Economy) | $25.44 | $150 | 20% | $7,000 for some accidental injuries |
Petcover Safety-net Plan (Catastrophe 1 / Catastrophe 2) | $21.75 / $26.23 | $900 | 20% | $5,000 / $10,000 |
Petcover Mid-range Plan (Core / Vital / Key) | $19.24 / $22.32 / $28.32 | $200 | 30% | $5,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 |
Petcover Superior Plans (Entry / Mid-Point / Superior) | $33.06 / $36.86 / $43.72 | $150 | 20% | $9,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 |
Petnsur Surgery / Surgery Plus Plans | $14.36 / $22.64 | None | 10% | $1,500 / $3,000 for surgical treatments |
Petnsur Rhodium Plan | $43.19 | None | $300 | $6,000 |
Petnsur Silver / Gold / Platinum Plans | $38.00 / $47.19 / $74.64 | None | 30% / 25% / 20% | $4,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 |
Petnsur Titanium Plan | $68.10 | None | 20% | $18,000 |
Southern Cross Pet Insurance AcciPet Plan | $6.76 | $500 | 30% | $5,000 |
Southern Cross Pet Insurance PetCare Plan | $26.53 | $500 | 30% | $15,000 |
SPCA Pet Insurance Everyday Cover | $37.93 | None | 30% | $11,000, $2,000 per condition |
SPCA Pet Insurance The Works Cover | $46.23 | None | 20% | $20,000 |
SPCA Pet Insurance Big Stuff Cover | $29.55 | $1,000 | 20% | $25,000 |
Tower Pet Insurance Accident Only Plan | $13.85 | None | 20% | $5,000, $2,000 for non-life threatening injuries |
Tower Pet Insurance Essential Plan | $33.22 | None | 20% | $7,000, $2,000 for non-life threatening injuries |
Tower Pet Insurance Comprehensive Plan | $39.54 | None | 20% | $15,000, $4,000 for non-life threatening injuries |
What Are the Cheapest Cat Insurance Plans in New Zealand?
Accident only cat insurances like this are significantly cheaper ($7 to $14 per month) than full coverage (accident and illness) plans ($16 to $75 per month).
The cheapest full coverage cat insurance plan is Cove's Major Plan at $16.55 a month with a large $1,000 excess, reasonable 10% co-payment and large policy limit of $15,000.
All of the quotes on this page are for a six month-old Domestic Shorthair. Be aware that older cats and cat breeds with more health problems are more expensive to insure. Despite this the cheapest pet insurance plans will almost always still be the cheapest for any breed and age (do consider comparing several quotes to make sure you get the best price though).
Also know that the excess and co-payment of each plan affects the cost of your premiums significantly. For example, we selected a $500 excess and 30% co-payment for Southern Cross's AcciPet Plan and it was $6.76 per month whereas it would've costed almost three times more ($19.75 per month) with a $100 excess and and 10% co-payment.
FAQ About Cat Insurance
We like these plans because they have a small excesses, no co-payments and are comprehensive. However, we also recommend checking out plans like Cove's Major Plan which has fewer condition limits and AA Pet Insurance's only plan which covers extras like overseas treatments, parasite treatments and pre-existing conditions.
Here are all the cat insurance discounts available in New Zealand:
- AA Pet Insurance: 5% discount for AA members
- Cove Pet Insurance: Puppies get up to $100 off for 3 months + 10% multi-policy discount + 10% discount when paying annually + up to $100 when you refer a friend
- PD Insurance: Buy online, get 1 month free + 5% multi-pet discount + $150 per pet when switching to PD Insurance
- Petcover: 10% multi-pet discount (3+ pets)
- Petnsur: Six weeks of free insurance (no obligation)
- Southern Cross Pet Insurance: Puppies get 6 weeks of free insurance worth $2,000 + 5% multi-pet discount + 2.5% Southern Cross Health Society member discount + 2.5% direct debit discount when paying annually
- SPCA Pet Insurance: 10% multi-pet discount
- Tower Pet Insurance: 5% multi-pet discount
This increase is generally not that significant but if you're interested to know how much your cat insurance might cost when your cat is older then you can apply for a quote for your cat but with an older age just to see the cost.
Your co-payment is the percentage of your vet bills (after the excess is paid) that you will have to pay.
For example a $5,000 vet bill with a $1,000 excess and 20% co-payment will cost you $1,000 + 20% of $4,000, or $1,800.
Your policy limit is the maximum amount your insurance policy will cover for all eligible conditions/treatments each year.
Why Should You Trust Comparesis?
They are currently three people who work on Comparesies - Mason, Louis and Thibault. Together we have over fifteen years of experience in the technology and comparison industries. We started this project because we were sick of seeing only websites with corporate motives and shallow, biased content showing up on Google Search results for queries where every day Kiwis wanted helpful, honest answers.
We are always looking to improve Comparesies so if you have any questions, comments or opinions you would like to share with us don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
Our Cat Insurance Review Policies
Cover
What conditions and treatments the policy covers and doesn't cover. Almost all plans cover accidental injury, many cover illnesses but what about dental, pre-existing conditions, and vet consultations? The most comprehensive cat insurance plan is AA Pet Insurance's.Costs
What is the average monthly cost of the insurance premium? How small is the excess and co-payment, and are they flexible? The cheapest cat insurance plan in New Zealand is Southern Cross's AcciPet Plan.Policy Limits & Other Conditions
What is the maximum amount you can claim each year? How about for specific conditions like dental, cruciate ligament injuries and patella luxation? Cove's Major and Major + Minor policies only have a $1,500 condition limit for emergency boarding and they have an annual policy limit of $25,000.Eligibility
What is the minimum and maximum age your cat can be when taking out a new policy? SPCA's Big Stuff Cover and Everyday Cover plans have no upper age limit and a minimum age of 8 weeks.Stand Down Periods
How long do you have to wait before you can make a claim on certain conditions? Tower's Essential and Comprehensive cat insurance plans only have stand down periods on illnesses (14 days) and dental (90 days).Extras and Add-ons
What unique extras are covered and what extras can you add-on to the the policy if you want additional cover? SPCA has add-ons for vet consultations and dental with their PetCare Plan while PetCover's Superior Plans include several extras like cover for emergency repatriation, quarantine/loss of documents, lost pet, advertising/reward, holiday cancellation, and death.Discounts and Ways to Save
What cat insurance discounts are available? Cove has a $100 off for your first three months sign up bonus for kittens as well as a 10% multi-policy discount, 10% discount for paying annually and up to $100 for referring a friend.Reputation and Customer Service
How well known is the insurer, who underwrites their policies and what is their online reputation from real users like? We only list trustworthy cat insurance providers, many of which are household names like Tower, AA and Southern Cross.![Team member Mason profile picture](https://comparesies-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/assets/img/users/mason-kelliher-2/Mason_2024-01-26-172840_vwfb.png?w=200&h=200&q=60&auto=format&fit=clip&dm=1719998191&s=738265e127cb5300dc89629187c48207)
Mason was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to US and then Sweden. Despite looking so youthful, he worked as a senior website manager for 5 years before founding Comparesies. Mason's expertise in insurance is the most valuable asset for our users. Today he is the primary author/editor on Comparesies.
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Louis has worked in the comparison industry for 5 years in Sweden after founding another company in France. His industry experience, and strong communication skills have been invaluable in building the bridge between our community and our content. Louis is our ideas man and is responsible for sourcing user and specialist opinions.
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Thibault has an engineering background from both France and Sweden. Comparesies is his second company after successfully founding a tech scaleup. His experience is vast within insurances and customer satisfaction. Thibault is responsible for maintaining the website and sharing his knowledge through page editing.