RACQ Pet Insurance Review

RACQ (Royal Automotive Club of Queensland) is well-known for its car and home insurance, and now it covers pets too. One of the perks of taking out pet cover is that you’ll also become an RACQ member, which comes with benefits such as discounts on gift cards for several popular store brands.

This insurance offers cover for injury and illness, with an optional package for routine checkups. There is only one type of pet insurance available, which makes it easy to compare.

What we like

Let’s look at what’s covered under the RACQ pet insurance, and some of the benefits.

• Illness or injury: RACQ will cover 80% of vet costs (less any excess) up to the annual limit of $12,000. If a vet determines your pet needs to be put down, RACQ will cover 80% of the cost.
• Emergency boarding: Up to $1000 for emergency boarding if you are unexpectedly hospitalised for five or more consecutive days and cannot find a petsitter.
• Travel: The insurance covers your pet if you travel to New Zealand or Norfolk Island.
• Routine treatments: You have the option of adding the Tender Loving Care (TLC) package, which gives you up to $100 per year (with no excess) towards treatments like teeth cleaning, micro-chipping, heartworm prevention medication, vaccinations, and health checkups.
• Discounts for multiple pets: If you insure more than one pet, you may be eligible for a multi-pet discount.

General exclusions

Your pet won’t be covered for:

• Accessories such as clothing, bedding, collars, or leads.
• House calls and after-hours treatment if the vet deems it not worthy of emergency care (but you will be covered for the standard vet fee)
• Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic and physiotherapy, and laser therapy outside of those covered by the optional TLC package.
• Experimental treatments or therapies.
• Illness, injury, or treatment related to a behavioural issue such as anxiety, depression, or phobias.
• Expenses to board or transport your pet (except under the emergency boarding cover)
• Expenses that arise while using your pet for commercial purposes such as breeding or racing.
• Dogs listed as a dangerous dog breed by a governing authority.
• Illness or injury due to mistreatment or lack of care. 
• Grooming costs.
• Standard or prescription food and supplements.
• Lost pay if you need to care for your pet.
• Illness or injury that arises from not keeping your pet fully vaccinated.
• Pre-existing conditions.

Please read the PDS to see the full list of exclusions.

A few things to consider

• RACQ is currently only available to residents of Queensland and Western Australia.
• There is a 21-day waiting period after you’ve taken out the cover.
• This insurance comes with a $12,000 annual benefit cap (the maximum amount you can claim each year), which could be more than enough for most, but some policies go as high as $25,000.
• You can save up to 5% off each eligible policy if you take out three or more qualifying RACQ Insurance policies.

How do you make a claim?

You’ll need to lodge a claim either online or over the phone. Make sure you have any receipts, invoices, or relevant documents handy. RACQ will follow up with your vet and any other specialists involved and let you know the outcome of the assessment. If your claim is approved, RACQ will deduct any excesses and make a claim payment. 

_{All the information in this article was correct at the time of writing and may change over time. If you’re considering this product, be sure to review the Product Disclosure Statement so that you understand any terms, conditions and exclusions.}