Pet insurance with no waiting period: what's actually available
Pet insurance with no waiting period exists only for some accidents and for routine care. Every accident and illness policy we reviewed has an illness waiting period of 14 to 30 days, while the RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs cover listed accidental injuries from day one, and routine care benefits often have no wait at all.
A waiting period is the time after your policy starts during which you cannot claim for certain conditions, and anything that shows signs during it is usually treated as pre-existing, not just delayed. A dog that starts limping in week three is not simply waiting for cover to begin; the condition may be excluded for the life of that policy.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
General advice only. It doesn't consider your circumstances. Read the PDS and TMD before you decide.
Waiting periods in current PDSs
The table below is read directly from each product's Product Disclosure Statement. It is a snapshot to show the range, not a ranking.
| Product (PDS date) | Accidental injury | Illness | Cruciate ligament | Day-one cover? | Other notable periods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSPCA Pet Insurance (30 June 2025) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived after a vet exam | Yes, for listed accidental injuries | Routine care: none |
| Bupa Pet Insurance (18 April 2024) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived | Yes, for listed accidental injuries | Major dental: 6 months |
| Medibank Pet Insurance (10 December 2024) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived | Yes, for listed accidental injuries | Specified dental conditions: 6 months |
| Budget Direct Pet Insurance (22 July 2024) | 2 days | 30 days | 6 months | No | Tick paralysis 30 days; snake bite 2 days |
| Buddy, Everyday and Pet Insurance Australia (2025-26 PDSs) | 2 days | 30 days | 6 months | No | Behavioural conditions: 30 days |
| Knose (15 November 2024) | 1 day | 14 days | 6 months | No | 6 months for listed orthopaedic and hereditary conditions, including hip and elbow dysplasia, IVDD and patellar luxation |
| Fetch (PDS v1.1) | 2 days | 30 days | 90 days | Only if you skip waiting periods through Fetch's in-app health check | 90 days also for hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, BOAS, IVDD and FLUTD |
Is there pet insurance with no waiting period?
For accidents, sometimes. The RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs have no waiting period for accidental injuries on their listed set, and routine care benefits often have none. Fetch lets you skip its waiting periods by completing an in-app health check, although anything that showed signs before cover started is still excluded. For illness, every accident and illness PDS we reviewed has a waiting period, from 14 days (Knose) to 30 days (most others).
Be careful with products advertised as immediate cover. They usually mean accidents only. An injury not on an insurer's listed set of accidental injuries may be assessed under the illness section, with the illness waiting period, and the RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs assess conditions caused by ticks as illnesses.
Shortest pet insurance waiting periods, by insurer
The same PDSs, sorted from the shortest accident waiting period to the longest, then by illness waiting period. A shorter wait is one term among many, so read it alongside the limits and exclusions.
| Product (PDS date) | Accidental injury | Illness | Cruciate ligament |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSPCA Pet Insurance (30 June 2025) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived |
| Bupa Pet Insurance (18 April 2024) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived |
| Medibank Pet Insurance (10 December 2024) | None, for listed accidental injuries | 30 days | 6 months, can be waived |
| Knose (15 November 2024) | 1 day | 14 days | 6 months |
| Fetch (PDS v1.1) | 2 days, or skipped after an in-app health check | 30 days, or skipped after the check | 90 days |
| Budget Direct Pet Insurance (22 July 2024) | 2 days | 30 days | 6 months |
| Buddy, Everyday and Pet Insurance Australia (2025-26 PDSs) | 2 days | 30 days | 6 months |
Dog and cat insurance with no waiting period
Searching for dog insurance or cat insurance with no waiting period turns up the same answer as for pet insurance generally, with a few species-specific waits to check.
- Most products cover dogs and cats under the same PDS, with waiting periods set by the type of condition rather than the species.
- No policy we read covers illness from day one, unless the insurer lets you skip the wait, as Fetch does after an in-app health check.
- For dogs, the cruciate ligament wait matters most: 6 months in most PDSs and 90 days in Fetch's. See dog insurance.
- For cats, check the urinary and dental waits: Fetch applies 90 days to FLUTD, and Knose 6 months to dental illness for cats aged 1 or more. See cat insurance.
Why waiting periods exist
Waiting periods stop people buying cover once a pet is already unwell, which would push up premiums for everyone else. The long cruciate and orthopaedic periods reflect that these conditions can develop gradually before a sudden rupture or diagnosis. Moneysmart advises checking the PDS for the specific waiting periods that apply to different treatments. If your pet needs treatment during a waiting period, the bill is yours: see the options if you can't afford a vet bill.
Can a waiting period be waived?
Some waiting periods can be shortened or removed. Ask the insurer before you buy, and get any waiver in writing.
- Cruciate ligament: the RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs allow the 6-month period to be waived after your vet examines your pet and completes the insurer's Cruciate Ligament Exam Form, if the evidence meets the insurer's criteria. Medibank needs the form within 14 calendar days of the exam.
- Orthopaedic and hereditary conditions: Knose allows its 6-month period to be reduced on application.
- Fetch: its waiting periods can be skipped through an in-app check that your pet appears healthy.
- Switching insurers: some insurers reduce or waive waiting periods if you move from another policy with no gap in cover, but this is set by each insurer and is not universal.
Switching insurers and waiting periods
Moneysmart warns that anything previously claimed for will be considered pre-existing by a new insurer. Switching also restarts waiting periods unless the new insurer agrees otherwise, so a pet that develops a problem in the new policy's first month may be caught twice: excluded by the new insurer, and no longer covered by the old one. If you do switch, keep the old policy running until the new one's waiting periods have passed where you can. The pre-existing conditions guide explains what carries over.
General advice only. This information doesn't take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether the product is right for you and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before you decide. We don't compare every product in the market, and we may earn a commission if you take up a product through our links.
What to watch for
- Signs of illness during a waiting period usually make the condition pre-existing, not just delayed.
- Immediate cover usually means accidents only.
- Cruciate and orthopaedic waiting periods are commonly 6 months.
- Waiting periods restart when you switch insurers unless the new insurer agrees otherwise.
- Check whether an injury is on the insurer's listed accidental injuries, or assessed as an illness.
Common questions
What pet insurance pays immediately?
None pays for illness straight away. For accidents, the RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs have no waiting period for listed accidental injuries, and Fetch lets you skip its waiting periods after an in-app health check. Anything that showed signs before cover started is still excluded.
How long do you have to wait to use pet insurance?
In current Australian PDSs, commonly no waiting period to 2 days for listed accidental injuries, 14 to 30 days for illness, and 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions. Routine care benefits often have no waiting period.
Can you get pet insurance and use it straight away?
For accidental injuries on the insurer's listed set, sometimes: the RSPCA, Bupa and Medibank PDSs have no accident waiting period. Illness claims have a waiting period in every policy we reviewed, unless the insurer lets you skip it, as Fetch does after a health check.
Which pet insurance has the shortest waiting period?
Among the PDSs we reviewed, Knose had the shortest illness waiting period at 14 days, and Fetch the shortest cruciate period at 90 days. Terms change when PDSs are re-issued, so check the current document.
Can I get my pet insurance waiting period waived?
Some insurers waive the cruciate waiting period after a vet examination, Fetch lets you skip waiting periods after an in-app health check, and some insurers reduce waiting periods if you switch from another policy without a gap. Ask the insurer and get it in writing.
Does pet insurance in Australia cover desexing?
Not under accident and illness cover, because desexing is elective. Some routine care benefits contribute towards it up to their annual limit, and the RSPCA and Budget Direct PDSs have no waiting period on routine care. Our puppy and kitten insurance guide covers first-year costs.
How much should I pay for pet insurance for my dog?
There's no right figure, and we don't publish averages, because premiums depend on breed, age, postcode and the cover you choose. Compare quotes on the same cover level, benefit percentage, annual limit and excess. The dog insurance cost guide explains what moves the premium.