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@Dogsfevr - I understand you. Yes, you are right. I'm not sure if it's all, but certainly any I've seen, pet insurers will not cover for illnesses that are essentially deemed avoidable. Insurers look at it pretty simply, if you follow what the vets instructions are with vaccinations then you are covered for pretty much everything else outside of that. If your vet tells you that your dog doesn't need a specific vaccination and then your dog gets that illness, then your vet is usually liable. Vets have insurance to cover themselves if they give the wrong advice or make a mistake with a procedure, so you should then follow action with the vet, or discuss this with the insurer.

Hi @sheltiesrule I do work for an Australian pet insurer, if you have any specific questions I might be able to help (without selling anything). From an insiders view, its like health insurance. Depending on which insurer and which level of cover is what you get. And you generally only get value out of it when something bad happens. I couldn't even insure my own dog with the company because he was over 9 years old, it's just like us humans getting old, they know you're going to cost them money so they either don't insure you, or charge you a fairly high amount. But, just like health insurance, you're taking calculated risks, you could pay thousands over the decade or more that your dog enjoys, and hopefully you don't have to use the insurance, and therefore it was "a waste". Or you could be one of the less fortunate owners who have to endure hardship when their dog gets sick, in which case you'd be glad you had pet insurance. For me, I prefer the peace of mind having it, and just factor that into my monthly expenses. What you have to realise upfront is that the older your dog gets the more you will pay for the insurance, they all do it. Also, be mindful of waiting periods. Most are really good and have 30 days or less, but for certain things like cruciate ligament damage, most insurers have a 6 month waiting period, so even if you have insurance, you have to be careful for 6 months.

Hi All, I do work for an Australian pet insurance company. (one not reviewed by Choice) So I can answer from an inside view on whatever concerns or criticisms you have. Not here to promote, just to understand. Admittedly pet insurance is not perfect, and the industry has some ways to go, interested to hear any feedback that can be passed through to make things better.

Hi All, Just to continue on from the reply of @Dogsfevr [To be upfront I work for an Australian pet insurance company] It is important to know whether you are covered for "routine care" vaccinations - meaning the insurer will pay up to a certain amount for things like check-ups and vaccinations, but vaccinations are not usually separately covered, so the full amount that most insurers will cover will be up to the limit of what your policy covers in Routine Care. They will not always cover all vaccinations as they are not all generally considered "necessary". As an example, the company I work for do not cover for vaccinations at all. But they will cover your pet if the vaccinations they did have fail and the dog/cat still contract the disease. Having the original series of vaccinations don't last forever, and boosters will always be necessary as directed by your vet. So far we haven't heard of any cases of puppies falling ill from vaccinations or not having vaccinations for that matter, but please don't take that as a sign it won't happen. Hope this helps.