Dr Duncan HoustonWritten by a practising veterinarian

Pet Insurance Comparison Calculator

Enter the real numbers from any quotes you're weighing up and compare them side by side: break-even, typical-year cost, worst-case protection and long-term cost.

This is a maths tool, not advice. It doesn't collect, store, price or recommend any insurer. Every figure is calculated only from the numbers you type in. Names you enter are your own labels. Read each policy's full documents before deciding — see the notes at the bottom.

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Your scenario

What does a year at the vet usually cost?

Your side-by-side comparison is worked out from these numbers and the quotes you enter next.

Currency

Premiums shown as

Typical year vet costs

Claimable costs in a normal year.

Bad year / emergency

One big claimable event (e.g. surgery).

The policies

The policies you're comparing

Enter each quote as it is written on the policy. Up to four can be compared at once.

Long-term view

How far ahead should we look?

Premiums and vet fees both rise over time, so a multi-year view can reorder the cheapest policy.

Compare over

Premium rises / year

Premiums climb as pets age.

Vet costs rise / year

Your result

Side-by-side breakdown

Nothing here is a recommendation — it is your own figures, arranged so the trade-offs are visible.

The highlight simply flags the lowest cost (or highest payout) in each row, calculated from the figures you entered. It isn't a recommendation. The lowest premium and the lowest bad-year cost are often different policies — that trade-off is what comparing is for.

If a bad year hits — what you'd still pay

With a $8,000 emergency, this is your total out-of-pocket for the year (premiums + excess + your share). Shorter bars = less you'd pay out-of-pocket.

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JavaScript is required. Every figure on this page is worked out in your browser from the numbers you type in, so the comparison cannot be shown without it.

Important — please read. This calculator is provided for general educational information only. It is not financial advice, insurance advice, veterinary advice, or a recommendation to buy, hold, switch or cancel any insurance product. It does not take account of your personal financial situation, needs or objectives.

How this tool works

What these numbers can’t see — check before you sign

Before you decide: the figures above compare price and payout maths only. What often decides a claim is the fine print this tool can't read — whether a condition is treated as pre-existing, whether a waiting period has cleared, a per-condition sub-limit, or bilateral rules covering a second hip or second cruciate. Use the numbers to narrow things down, then read each policy's documents against the checklist above. This tool doesn't recommend any policy; the right choice depends on your pet and your own circumstances.

Dr Duncan Houston is a registered veterinarian, not a licensed financial adviser or insurance broker. ASK A VET™ does not collect, store, endorse, rank or sell insurance products, and receives no data about the policies you compare. All results are generated in your browser from the values you enter and are estimates only.

Real policies differ in ways this tool cannot model — including exclusions, waiting periods, pre-existing and bilateral condition rules, per-condition and annual sub-limits, benefit schedules, age loadings, and claim assessment. Premiums, terms and availability change over time and vary by pet, breed, age and location. Always read the full policy documents (such as the Product Disclosure Statement, Certificate of Insurance or equivalent in your country) and consider obtaining advice from a licensed professional before making a decision.

To the extent permitted by law, ASK A VET™ and Dr Duncan Houston accept no liability for any decision made in reliance on this tool.

Ask A Vet’s plans are set out side by side. Compare the plans

About the author

Dr Duncan Houston · BVSc, Veterinarian

Emergency careGeneral practiceMobile vet careFounder, ASK A VET™

Dr Duncan Houston is an Australian veterinarian with experience in emergency, general-practice and mobile veterinary care. He is the founder of ASK A VET™. This guide is educational and is not a substitute for hands-on veterinary care.