Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance Review

Alongside a terribly cute name, Bow Wow Meow offers a wide range of pet insurance options for dogs and cats, including basic accidental injury cover, two levels of accident and illness cover, and indoor cat cover. We have no active partnership right now with Bow Wow Meow, but compare a range of quotes from a other insurers.

Who is Bow Wow Meow?

Bow Wow Meow is an Australian-owned business based out of Bondi Junction, NSW. They got their start providing personalised pet ID tags in 1995, then expanded into the world of pet insurance in 2008.

Since its launch, Bow Wow Meow has provided pet insurance to more than 160,000 pet owners – many of whom seem genuinely happy with the service they receive. With a current rating of 4.3 stars on Product Review, Bow Wow Meow has taken home Product Review awards for its pet insurance every year from 2018-2024.

Similarly, TrustPilot has Bow Wow Meow pet insurance at 4.7 out of 5 stars for its plans across almost every category on their site.

What sets Bow Wow Meow apart from its competitors? As the company itself says, “We are not some big, faceless insurance company, we are a team of Aussie pet lovers.”

In saying that, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance is underwritten by Australia’s largest pet insurer, The Hollard Insurance Company, making it just as secure as any of its competitors. In addition, it is arranged and administered by PetSure, Australia’s leading Pet Insurance Underwriting Management Agency.

Here are some highlights:

• Bow Wow Meow pet insurance pays out more than $2 million in claims each month
• It has insured more than 130,000 Aussie pets
• 95% of claims are paid within 5 days
• It offers features such as an easy-to-use online portal and GapOnly® on-the-spot claiming
• It prides itself on being run by ‘pet people’, with a focus on caring and attentive service

Bow Wow Meow Pet Cover

Providing cover for dogs and cats, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance offers a wide range of cover options, with no excess to pay across the board.

Dog & Cat Pet Insurance

Accident Plus

• Covers specified accidental injuries and a limited range of specified illnesses
• Annual benefit limit of $10,000
• Claim 80% back on eligible vet bills
• Offered to pets 8 weeks and older

Accident & Illness Peace of Mind

• Covers specified accidental injuries and illness
• Annual benefit limit of $15,000
• Choice of 60%, 70% or 80% back on eligible vet bills
• Offered to pets 8 weeks to 9 years

Accident & Illness Ultimate Care

• Covers specified accidental injuries and illness, plus dental
• Annual benefit limit of $20,000
• Claim 80% back on eligible vet bills
• Dental cover up to $1,000 per policy period
• Alternative therapy cover up to $1,000 per policy period
• Offered to pets 8 weeks to 9 years

Indoor Cat Cover

• Covers stated conditions (including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more, plus limited accidental injuries, which include poisoning and ingestion of foreign objects)
• Annual benefit limit of $5,000
• Claim 80% back on eligible vet bills
• Offered to cats 8 weeks to 9 years

What We Love

• Happy Customers: While some pet insurance products are regularly featured on consumer rating sites such as Product Review, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance currently holds an overall rating of 4.3 stars, based on 2,855 independent customer reviews. Its Peace of Mind and Ultimate Care plans each have a rating of 4.6 stars, while its Accident Only plan has a rating of 4.5 stars (as of 2/24/2024).
• Intro Offers: Like many pet insurance providers, Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance provides intro offers to attract new pet owners to sign up. While these offers change over time, you could expect to get a percentage off your premiums in the first year or one or two months of free cover for young pets. To find the latest offers on pet insurance before you apply, be sure to check out our pet insurance promo codes and coupons page.
• Multi-Pet Discount: Want to insure multiple pets? With Bow Wow Meow pet insurance, you can benefit from a 10% multi-pet discount, helping you save month-to-month.
• Reimbursement Rate: Depending on the plan you choose, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance can provide up to 80% back on eligible vet bills, with options to change your benefit percentage. While there are pet insurance products offering up to 100% back on vet bills, these can come with higher premiums. Be sure to compare your options to find out which works best for you.
• No Excess: Helping you save on upfront costs, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance doesn’t charge an excess on any of its plans. This not only makes visiting the vet easier on your wallet, but it also means that you can claim for even the smallest eligible vet expenses.
• Easy Claims: Bow Wow Meow pet insurance prides itself on its easy claims process, which can be accessed via its new, improved pet portal. Using this portal, pet owners can make claims, track their progress, and manage their policies. If there are any issues with a claim, the company’s claims team follows up with the vet rather than the pet owner, helping to make the claims process smoother and easier.
• GapOnly®: With Bow Wow Meow pet insurance, you have the option to have your claim processed on the spot using GapOnly®. This handy feature calculates your claim while you’re still at the vet, so you pay only the gap.
• Generous Limits: With tiered cover levels available, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance lets you choose how much coverage you need, with generous annual limits of up to $20,000 available. Generous inclusions are also on offer, for example, hip joint surgery cover of up to $7,600 per hip (exclusive to Bow Wow Meow).
• Lifetime Cover: As long as you continue to renew your policy and there are no breaks, lapses, or changes in the level of cover after your pet reaches the age of nine, you can enjoy lifetime cover. Cover will be subject to the terms and conditions of each renewing policy.
• Routine Care Cover: If you opt for an Accident & Illness plan, you have the option to add Routine Care Cover to your policy. This comes at an added cost, offering limited benefits on items such as vaccinations and regular vet check-ups.
• Extras: As a Bow Wow Meow pet insurance policyholder, you can enjoy access to extras such as a free ID tag every year and a pet health card for your wallet.
• Overseas Pet Travel: If you are travelling with your pet within New Zealand or Norfolk Island, you can benefit from cover on vet expenses and treatment.
• Giving Back: Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance is a Platinum Sponsor of the Australian Animal Poisons Helpline, a registered animal charity that provides a free poisons advice service to pet owners across Australia and New Zealand. It is also a Bronze Sponsor of WIRES Wildlife Rescue Australia, working to support the invaluable work they do in rescuing and protecting our native animals.

What To Consider

• Sub-Limits: Alongside overall annual benefit limits, you should be aware of any sub-limits that may apply to your chosen level of cover. With Bow Wow Meow pet insurance, there are sub-limits in place for cruciate ligament treatment, starting at $2,600 for Accident Only and Peace of Mind plans and $3,200 for the Ultimate Care plan. Similarly, there are sub-limits of $1,200, $2,000, and $3,000 for tick paralysis.
• Waiting Periods: Every pet insurance policy has waiting periods in place. It’s up to you to check what waiting period exclusions may apply to you as you compare your options. With Bow Wow Meow pet insurance, there is no waiting period for accidental injuries or Routine Care, however, there is a 30-day waiting period for stated illnesses and a 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions and dental illness (on the Ultimate Care plan).
• Pre-Existing Conditions: All pet insurance providers refuse to cover pre-existing conditions. Bow Wow Meow pet insurance is no different, however, it may offer cover for pre-existing conditions that have shown no symptoms over the previous 18 months. This is why it is key to insure your pet early on
• Exclusions: Exclusions are also worth checking as you compare pet insurance. Like many other policies, Bow Wow Meow pet insurance plans exclude cover for breeding and obstetrics, desexing, food and diet, behavioural problems, grooming, and elective treatments and procedures, such as tail docking, debarking, and dew claw removal.

_{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.}