General
What is MediPet’s pet insurance cover all about?
Specialised non-life insurance cover for large, unforeseen dog & cat vet bills. We cover those unexpected, significant expenses you could not otherwise afford, giving you peace-of-mind that you will be able to give your pets the best vet care when they need it. We offer a full range of plans, from accident cover to basic, limited cover, pre-existing condition cover, & last but not least, the most uniquely, comprehensive cover in South Africa.
What is MediPet?
MediPet is South Africa’s leading pet insurance broker. Our small Cape Town-based team of over 28 animal specialists partner individually & directly with members daily, representing their pets’ needs directly to the underwriters. We really do care, & take our member happiness personally. Our team has stayed with us forever, & we keep growing, to better serve our increasing members. One of our unique benefits is our in-house vet team who are able to apply their extensive professional expertise to better motivate & understand your claims, partner with your vet, & ensure our cover continues to meet the needs of real pets – not houses or cars. As the only pet-specialised insurance broker, we intuitively understand & care about the health of your animals. Our team has been trusted by owners, & recommended by vets for more than 16 years.
What makes MediPet special?
There are several reasons vets & members choose us:
- We welcome all breeds, & cover common-breed conditions as well as hereditary & congenital conditions that others don’t, without additional waiting periods
- There’s no such thing as different premiums for different breeds, sizes or “so-called” body scores
- Our offer of pre-existing condition cover on our LitePlus plan is unique in SA
- Ongoing add-on cover for pets that develop chronic medical conditions lasting more than 3 months every year
- Our Benefit Booster add-on assists with cover for conditions not covered in your plan (e.g. pre-existing conditions), & adds or increases benefits. This add-on is particularly beneficial for those expensive surgeries you cannot afford to pay for upfront
- We offer illness cover to pets of all ages
- We don’t have sub-limits on any of our plans e.g. medication limit, x-ray limit, illness limit
- In-house vet expertise allows us to successfully refund over 96% of member claims*
- The MediPet team is compassionate, our cover is genuine, & our communication is transparent
- 99% of our members choose to stay with us every month**
Sources:
*Ave between Mar ’23 & Feb ’24
**Ave between Jan ’23 & Feb ’24.
Are your premiums higher than other pet insurance options?
MediPet offers 5 different plans to suit everyone’s budget. What you pay for is what you get – if you’re being offered lower premiums elsewhere, it is always because the cover is less, so check for annual max comparisons or sub-limits. If our premiums seem higher than others, it is simply not for the same cover being offered for less elsewhere. It is sometimes hard to understand all the terms & conditions, & easy to miss hidden fine print. So do please call us to help you understand why our cover is the most comprehensive. We love a good chat. Our Lite plan is the most affordable accident, & illness cover – comparable to alternative insurer’s plans in cover, premium & limits. Our LitePlus plan is unmatched in that it covers all ages, accidents, & illnesses with pre-existing condition cover! No cover matches the comprehensive Essential & Ultimate360 plans, with holistic wellness, behaviour benefits & more.
What are underwriters?
These are the administrators behind your insurance – they take on the risk today of your pet having a future accident or illness. They offer you funds upfront you may not otherwise have access to for big costs. They do the behind-the-scenes work necessary for all insurance, as they set your premiums, add any special exclusions or endorsements (if necessary based on your individual pet history & wellness), & they accept or decline your cover. We work with them daily, represent you, & importantly, process your claims, motivating on your behalf for refunds.
Who underwrites your pet insurance cover?
MediPet is underwritten by Renasa Insurance Company Limited. Established in 1998 by the international Reliance National Group, & following its restructure in 2004, Renasa has developed into an A-rated non-life insurer.
What is MediPet’s role, as broker?
We represent your needs to the underwriter, & vice versa, using our unique vet expertise helping with assessing your pet’s history, & making recommendations. Our relationships with most vet practices in South Africa helps greatly as we are able to communicate & work directly with your vet when necessary on your behalf, ensuring pets come first.
Do you offer any discounts?
- Yes, we offer our families a 10% discounted premium on additional pets added to their Essential & Ultimate360 cover
- Families with 4 or more pets on Essential & Ultimate360 plans have the 10% multi-pet discount applied to all the pets in the family, not only to additional pets
- We also offer a 10% No-Claim discount to Essential & Ultimate360 plan pets that have been claim-free for the previous 24 months from renewal date
- All Lite, LitePlus, Essential & Ultimate360 members may select a Premium Saver option for 7.5-15% discount on their premiums
Can I cancel my cover at any time?
Yes, you can cancel your cover at any time. If you choose to cancel within the first 14 days (this is called the “cooling-off period”), you will be given a full refund of premium(s) paid. After this period lapses, a calendar month notice is required. Annual payment members will be refunded their premiums paid in advance pro-rata.
Can I upgrade or downgrade my cover:
You may request an upgrade or downgrade to your cover once per policy year, at your renewal. This will be granted at the underwriter’s discretion.
Claims
Does a vet need to sign my claim form?
A unique benefit at MediPet is that your vet does not need to sign your claim form. Pre-approvals are also not required. In fact, we can pay your vet upfront, & directly, should they agree.
Are there waiting periods?
Underwriters take on the future financial risk of something significant and costly occurring down the road based on present, healthy circumstances. Waiting periods are important & standard across the insurance industry to protect against conditions that already occurred prior to cover (if you do not have pre-existing condition cover). They assist in preventing fraud, reduce unfair risk, & thereby keep premiums fair & affordable for everyone. The good news is that there are no waiting periods for any claims related to an accident across all our plans.
What are the waiting periods?
- Accident plan has no waiting periods
- All claims related to accidents across all plans are, of course, covered immediately
- There is a 30-day no-claims period on Lite, LitePlus, Essential & Ultimate360 plans
- This is followed by a 30-day 50% shared co-payment period on Essential & Ultimate360 plans
- There is a 6-month waiting period on Essential & Ultimate360 plans for knee & hip, elbow & shoulder, eye, respiratory system, & spinal treatments. Pets under 4 months of age may be considered for part or full cover of the above treatments, on a case-by-case basis
- Prescription food, dental care benefits & sterilisation on Ultimate360 plan have a 4-month waiting period
- The cremation contribution on Ultimate360 plan has a 6-month waiting period
- All day-to-day routine care add-on claims have a 30-day waiting period
- Benefit Booster has a 30-day waiting period
What is a pre-existing condition, & how are they covered?
Anything that occurs before taking out cover is deemed “pre-existing” & excluded from general cover for all plans, unless joining the LitePlus plan. Our Benefit Booster does offer additional cover on all plans, as well as for an excluded or pre-existing condition – this add-on is available on all plans.
Do I need pre-approval for treatments?
Pre-approval is not required for our cover of treatments or claims, & we will never pre-approve over the phone. Should you wish to gain pre-approval, for your peace-of-mind, we will provide this at your request in writing.
Must I pay the vet upfront?
Most of our members prefer to pay their vet themselves first, & then be refunded after claiming, but you can arrange for us to pay your vet directly &/or upfront for your claim. This will be the total amount less the relevant excess, & can take up to 4 workings days. We do not require pre-authorisations, & your vet does not need to sign any of your claim forms.
How do I claim?
Claim forms are completed & submitted online here.
It is important that you submit forms as soon as possible after treatment, as claims that are dated 60 or more days after treatment date are no longer claimable.
How much can I claim in total per year?
With Essential your annual max is R60 000 per pet per year, & Ultimate360 plan has an annual max of R72 000 per year. Lite & LitePlus plans have an annual max of R40 000 per year, & Accident plan allows for accident claims of up to R25 000 per year.
How are claims refunded?
Refunds are paid directly to you using the bank account details that you provide to us. Alternatively, refunds can be paid directly to your vet, if pre-arranged with us & your vet.
When will I receive my refund?
We strive to process claims within an average of 7-10 working days. If your claim form is incomplete or illegible, &/or there are missing supporting documents, we will need to contact you, causing delays. All claim-related questions must be sent directly to our team at claimsupdates@medipet.co.za, & do let us know if your banking details have changed before submitting a claim, by emailing siyanda@medipet.co.za.
What is a claim excess?
Claim excesses are standard in insurance. This is either a percent or a minimum amount that you agree to contribute towards the cost of your full claim.
Why do I have to pay an excess?
Applying excesses, the first part of your claim that you are responsible for, is standard practice to help keep monthly premiums fair & affordable for all.
What are the claim excesses?
- Excess for Accident plan claims is 15%, minimum of R150 excess per claim
- Excess for Lite & LitePlus plan claims are 25%, minimum of R300 excess per claim
- Hospital excess for Essential & Ultimate360 plan claims is 25%, minimum of R350 excess per claim
- Day-2-Day excess for Essential & Ultimate360 plans is R300 excess per claim
- Dental claim excess on Ultimate360 plan is 25%, minimum of R500 excess per claim
- Holistic wellness claims, supplements, & emergency boarding fees have an excess of 18%
- There is no excess on behavioural therapy & missing pet advertising claims, as well as sterilisation benefit, cremation benefit & prescription food
- There is no excess on routine care claims
Does MediPet offer an “excess buster”?
“Excess busters” always need to be balanced out by a range of sub-limits to account for the increased risk without members’ contribution to claims. We at MediPet, do not limit our cover with the use of excessive sub-limits. For this reason, we do not offer so-called “busters” as we believe in genuine, transparent, comprehensive cover. We do however, offer our Lite, LitePlus, Essential & Ultimate360 plan members two Premium Saver add-ons: a structured excess helps our members save not just on their excess, but also affords them a discount on their premiums. For more information, read here: Premium Saver .
Is there a cut-off period after which I cannot make a claim?
Yes, we must receive your completed claim form with all relevant invoices within 60 days of the treatment date.
Cover
Is routine care covered?
All members can add everyday routine, preventative care to their general cover, with either of our 3 options: Routine Supreme, Routine In-Between & Routine Lean. These value-added benefits contribute either R3 300, R2 200 or R1 100 per year towards routine, preventative care for R195, R130 or R65 per month (or R2 340, R1 560 or R780 per year) & you could save up to R960 a year. This benefit can be used for vaccinations, any tick/flea & deworming treatment, microchipping, sterilisation, grooming, nail-clipping, training & puppy socialisation classes. The benefit can be added to your existing cover, or increased in value, at any time, no matter what plan you choose, with a 30-day waiting period.
Can I cancel my routine care add-on at any time?
These routine care add-ons are annual benefits available to you upfront, although you only contribute monthly. Therefore, if you decide to cancel this add-on during the policy year, after having claims paid out to you in advance of the year ending, you will be debited with your last premium for the remainder of the premiums due for the remainder of the policy year.
Why is dental care, a benefit of Ultimate360 plan, important for pets?
Poor dental hygiene can cause long-term pain & discomfort. Most owners are unaware because animals will not always cry out in pain – they just tolerate it. Dental disease in an older animal can cause illnesses which the owner may mistakenly attribute to “getting old”. If there are infections in the mouth it can allow bacteria into the body via the blood stream, & cause illness elsewhere. Kidney, heart, lung, & liver infections can all be caused by poor oral health. Some experts agree, by the age of 2, as many as 80% of dogs*, & 85% of cats 3 years & older already have some form of dental disease**.
Sources:
* www.hillspet.co.za Jul ’23
** www.webmd.com Feb ’24
How do I pick my plan?
Accident plan covers only the most basic of accident insurance – falls, car accidents, snake bites, accidental poisonings etc. It’s best to view Accident plan as your last resort, should your budget not afford illness cover.
Lite & LitePlus plans are unique to South Africa in offering illness cover for all ages – & LitePlus additionally covers pre-existing conditions.
Essential plan offers comprehensive cover for younger pets. Ultimate360 plan is our top, most comprehensive cover with additional benefits such as dental care, prescription food, sterilisation, & cremation contribution.
All our plans have an optional routine care add-on available for everyday, preventative costs. No matter the plan you select, all members have the same teams partnering with them to provide the same best service, & trust in our transparency, vet-expertise, passion & compassionate care.
What’s the difference between the Day-2-Day benefit, routine care, & hospital cover?
Comprehensive plan members on Essential & Ultimate360 have a benefit with a low excess for those smaller claims when your pet isn’t admitted for hospitalisation. This caters to claims for those quick, in & out, day-to-day treatments done in the consult room – costs that typically fall outside of unforeseen, significant accident & illness insurance. Our 3 routine care add-ons provide contributions & savings towards everyday, preventative care including vaccinations, tick/flea & deworming, microchipping & sterilisation, grooming & nail-clipping, training & puppy socialisation. The Hospital cover is Essential & Ultimate360 plan member’s general insurance within your annual max for when your pet is admitted to hospital.
How is MediPet Lite & LitePlus cover “limited”?
Lite & LitePlus plans allows you up to 4 vet visits per year, & up to a maximum of R13 760 per claim, with an annual maximum cover of R40 000.
Can I choose claims for MediPet Lite & LitePlus plans?
You can choose your 4 claims per year including consultations, procedures, surgeries, medication or any illness treatment. Benefit Booster add-on can always supplement a pet’s needs, if necessary.
Can I claim 4 times for R13 760 each?
On Lite & LitePlus plans, your per claim max is R13 760, & while you are able to claim 4 times, the total of all 4 claims together must not exceed your annual maximum of R40 000. So, for example, if you claimed twice already for the claim maximum of R13 760, the total of the two claims will be subtracted from your annual max of R40 000 for the remaining 2 claims for the rest of the year.
Can a member choose when to claim & when not to claim on all plans?
Absolutely yes! This is how insurance works (vs medical aid), & is what we call “smart claiming.” Save your claims for the bigger unforeseen incidents that you cannot afford on your own, & keep your premiums low.
If a member changes options, with a different annual maximum cover amount, having used part of their cover, will this be deducted from the new annual maximum?
Short answer: Yes. Amounts already claimed as well as number of claims (if applicable) carry across when you change plans during a policy year. Motivations will be needed for changes to cover during the policy year, & are always granted subject to underwriter discretion.
When is a medical history required?
A medical history may be requested from vets that have treated your pet, when our in-house vet team have questions about a treatment or claim.
What is an “endorsement”?
This is where underwriters adjust the general cover to add an additional waiting period, or to exclude a possible pre-existing condition if you are not on LitePlus, or where you decline additional cover for a required chronic care support plan (Essential & Ultimate360 plans) for the remainder of the policy year. Benefit Booster is one way of adding to your cover, for example a pre-existing condition.
What don’t you cover?
- Pregnancy
- Elective procedures
- Unprescribed special foods & diets
- Any pre-existing conditions (from before joining), unless a Benefit Booster is added (available on Lite, Essential and Ultimate360) or if LitePlus is selected.
Do you cover hereditary conditions?
MediPet welcomes all shapes & sizes of dogs & cats. We have no breed restrictions & don’t make you wait a year for hereditary condition cover.
Are rescue, re-homed or adopted pets welcome?
Of course! We actively support many shelters & pet rescue organisations in South Africa. Something to note for rescued pets on joining Essential or Ultimate360 plans: If your pet was rescued or adopted in the last 6 months, & is over 18 months old, & you have no vet history, you will have a temporary limit of R3 000 for the first 6 months after joining. (This won’t apply to accident claims).
Does MediPet cover ongoing conditions?
Insurance does not traditionally cover ongoing conditions, but rather “incidents”. If you need ongoing cover for ongoing treatments after 3 (consecutive or non-consecutive) months, we will offer you a chronic care support add-on plan. Should you accept this, it will be added to your general cover at an additional, customised premium. If you don’t adjust your cover to include a chronic care support plan (meaning you decline the addition of a chronic care support plan), mainstream maintenance treatment will be excluded (for example medication, consults, testing required for monitoring the condition) for the remainder of the policy year from your cover on Essential & Ultimate360 plans. Surgery, & any related hospitalisation events are not excluded. You will be able to claim for a further 3 months the following policy year again after your annual renewal. You will, however, still be able to use your Holistic Wellness & supplement benefits in support of the ongoing condition to their full benefit allowance, as these are not affected by chronic condition terms.
Is there a maximum age limit for new applications?
Accident, Lite & LitePlus plans have no maximum age limit for joining. If your dog is between the age of 8 & 9 years, & you wish to apply for Essential or Ultimate360 cover, a full vet history will be required. Cats of all ages are welcome on all plans, but if your cat is 9 years or older, a full vet history will be required for Essential & Ultimate360 plans, & cover offered is subject to this information.
What does lifelong cover mean?
We will cover your pet for life, no matter how old they get, as long as you continue to pay your premiums. They will not be downgraded to lesser cover as they age. Their premiums, however, will increase as they age due to changing medical needs based on life-stage.
Is euthanasia covered?
Euthanasia is covered on all plans so long as the claim meets your individual plan rules.
Can I still apply if my pet’s vaccinations are not up to date?
Yes, but all vaccinatable diseases & related complications will be excluded from cover if these are not kept up-to-date as per your vet’s vaccination protocol.
Can I see any vet?
You can go to any registered vet of your choice in South Africa.
Does my pet have to have a microchip or tattoo?
It is always a good idea to ensure your pet is identifiable to assist you if your pet gets lost & is taken to a vet, possibly with an injury. We do not require this for cover. Our contributions towards routine care add-ons (should you add this preventative care benefit to your plan) can also be used to microchip your pet should you not have already done so.
What about “medical aid rates”?
We will pay approved vet bills (after your excess). The Underwriter does reserve the right to limit treatment in accordance with accepted industry norms & protocols.