Pet Insurance Estimator
Estimate the monthly and annual cost of insuring your dog or cat.
How Pet Insurance Premiums Work
The biggest single driver of pet insurance cost is your pet’s age. Premiums roughly double between age 1 and age 7 for dogs, and accelerate further after age 10. Breed size is the next biggest factor — large dogs have shorter lifespans and more orthopaedic claims.
Typical claim costs
- Emergency surgery: $2,000–$8,000
- Cancer treatment: $5,000–$15,000
- Cruciate ligament repair (large dogs): $4,000–$7,000
- Multi-day hospitalisation: $3,000–$10,000
This is why a $5,000 annual limit can be exhausted in a single incident. A $10,000–$15,000 limit is recommended for most owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most policies cover unexpected vet bills for accidents and illnesses — surgery, hospitalisation, diagnostics, and medication. Routine care and pre-existing conditions are usually excluded.
Accident-only is cheap but does not cover cancer or diabetes. Accident + illness is the most common middle option. Comprehensive adds wellness and costs roughly 2× accident + illness.
Older pets have a much higher claim rate. Insuring while your pet is young usually locks in better rates and avoids pre-existing-condition exclusions.
Yes. Larger dog breeds have shorter lifespans and more orthopaedic claims. Pure breeds with hereditary conditions often have surcharges.
It is the maximum the insurer will pay out per policy year. $5,000 is the common minimum; $10,000–$15,000 is recommended given how expensive emergency surgery can be.