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Knose Pet Insurance Review 2024: An Expert Guide

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By Nicole Cosgrove

Knose Pet Insurance Review

Knose Pet Insurance is a premier pet insurance company for Australian pet owners. Limited to companion animals, such as cats and dogs kept as pets only, Knose offers simplified plan options and clear coverage to ensure you’re making the right choice for your pet.

Though there are some exclusions, Knose offers peace of mind in the event of an accident or injury for your pet. Chronic conditions, hereditary conditions, and some routine care are covered with a high annual limit, as well as optional additional coverage.

Our Verdict

We give Knose Pet Insurance a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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Knose Pet Insurance Review

Pros
  • Easy process
  • Prompt payments
  • Affordable
  • Coverage for hereditary and chronic conditions
  • Full cost of emergency consults
  • High maximum benefit
  • High percentage paid
  • Pre-existing conditions waived for certain conditions after a curative period
Cons
  • Premiums will increase
  • Some exclusions
  • No coverage for banned breeds or working dogs like guard dogs, racing dogs, or hunting dogs

About Knose Pet Insurance

Knose Pet Insurance is a pet insurance and pet care plan with customizable options. The company is underwritten by the Australian branch of the Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd. Knose’s mission is to ensure pets get the great care they deserve and that they’re protected if something goes wrong.

The insurance company offers flexible coverage for accidental injury and illness. It makes insurance simple with annual benefit limits of $7,500, $12,500, and $25,000 and a desired benefit percentage of 70%, 80%, or 90% to cover a portion of vet costs. There are annual excess amounts and extra benefits for dental illness, behavioral problems, and alternative treatments.

Owners also have access to the Pet Health Hotline for questions and concerns 24/7. This is a valuable service to help pet owners determine if a situation requires a vet and care for their pets after hours.


Pricing & Plans (Updated in 2024)

Base Policy

The base policy for Knose Pet Insurance covers accidents and illnesses for dogs and cats. You can choose your percentage of cover and your annual limit. All eligible vet bills and treatments are covered up to your annual limit without any additional excesses. There’s a same-day cover for accidents.

Accidental injuries may include burns and electrocution, a motor vehicle accident, allergic reactions to bites, or broken bones. The waiting period is one day for accidental injuries. Illnesses include all qualifying illnesses up to the benefit percentage you’ve selected. Policies cover your pet while traveling in New Zealand or Norfolk Island for less than 60 days and emergency boarding for 30 days if you’re unexpectedly hospitalized for four days or more.

Customizations

There are optional customizations for your policy, including:

  • Annual Excess Options: You can choose annual excess options for $200, $100, or $0. This goes into effect if you exceed your annual limit for accident or illness.
  • Optional Extra Benefits: You can add optional extra benefits for dental illness like periodontal disease, behavioral problems like pacing and destructive chewing, and alternative treatments like acupuncture and hydrotherapy. The waiting period ranges from 14 days for optional dental illness for pets under one year to six months for pets one year and over or coverage for optional behavioral problems or specific conditions.

Knose Price Comparison for Dogs

Border Collie Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Male or Female Male Female
Age 4 4
Location WA WA
Reimbursement Level 70% 70%
Annual Deductible $0 $0
Annual Max $12,500 $12,500
Price per month $65.86 $74.59
Breed Name Under 1 5 Years Old
Border Collie $989.04 $1,341.84
Labrador $1,354.20 $1,841.28
Staffordshire Bull Terrier $1,245.96 $1,766.16

Deductibles & Claims

Knose insurance has no deductible. Before submitting a claim, you must call and ask if a condition or treatment will be covered. Even if customer care says the condition may not be covered, you’re still encouraged to submit a claim for assessment.

Lodging a claim is quick and easy. You can choose a paperless claim or a vet claim online to provide the invoice and all supporting documentation. For a first-time claim, you will need to provide your pet’s full medical history.

If approved, the benefit payable will be calculated up to the annual limit of your policy. In most cases, the claim is settled to the policyholder, not the vet’s office itself. Typically, settlement is processed on the business day after communicating the outcome.


What Does Knose Pet Insurance Cover?

Knose Pet Insurance covers many common illnesses and accidents, including emergency consults, vet consults, tick paralysis, cruciate ligament injury, skin conditions, burns, electrocution, snake bites, bone fractures, allergies, patella luxations, parasites, and essential euthanasia. Hereditary and chronic conditions are also covered.

Routine care or optional coverage for alternative therapy, dental procedures, and behavioral issues is available. Pre-existing conditions restrictions may be waived if cured and symptom-free for three to 24 months, depending on the condition.

Coverage Item Covered?
Wellness Exam Optional
Heartworm Yes
Fecal Test Yes
Chronic conditions Yes
Hereditary conditions Yes
Bone fractures Yes

Covered
  • Emergency consults
  • Vet consults
  • Tick paralysis
  • Cruciate ligament injury
  • Skin conditions
  • Swallowing foreign objects
  • Burns
  • Electrocution
  • Snake bites
  • Allergies
  • Bone fractures
  • Patella luxations and elbow dysplasia
  • Parasites
  • Vaccination illness
  • Essential euthanasia
  • Emergency pet boarding
Not Covered
  • Essential euthanasia for pet value
  • Pre-existing conditions (depending)
  • Desexing
  • Preventive and routine exams
  • Some emergency costs
  • Some treatments
  • Nuclear or radioactive materials
  • Acts of war or civil unrest
  • Epidemics, pandemics, or new influenza
  • Banned breeds or some working dogs

Pre-Existing Conditions

Like other pet insurance companies, Knose doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions in most circumstances. There is a waiver if the pre-existing conditions are cured and symptom-free for three to 24 months, they may be covered, depending on the condition. It must be approved as an exclusion after a pre-existing condition assessment as specified by your Certificate of Insurance.


Waiting Periods

Waiting periods apply to the policy and different waiting periods apply to injury, illness, dental illness, behavioral problem, and specified conditions.

Certain conditions have a longer waiting period than others, regardless of the cause. These include cherry eye, cruciate ligament damage, intervertebral disc disease, hip dysplasia, entropion, ectropion, patella luxation, elbow dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, and lumps.

For optional dental illness, the waiting period is 14 days for pets one year and under. For dental illness in pets one year or over, behavioral problems, and specific conditions, the waiting period is six months.


Reviews from Customers

Knose Pet Insurance received mostly positive reviews from clients. Reviewers rated Knose between 4.5 and 5 stars for the value, features, and customer care. They also noted the excellent coverage and easy claim process. Reviewers also noted that their interactions were fast and friendly and that the employees seemed genuinely concerned about pets.

Some reviewers complained about the increase in price that occurred as their pets aged, but that’s a common situation with pet insurance companies. Some pets were still young, however, and having to switch insurance companies would’ve created potential for pre-existing conditions.

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FAQ

What Pets Are Eligible?

Knose covers both dogs and cats that are kept as companions. Breeds that are banned in Australia or pets used for sporting activities like breeding, working, fighting, racing, personal protection, gun sports, law enforcement, and guarding are not eligible. Show dogs, search and rescue dogs, guide dogs, and assistance dogs are eligible.


Are There Age Limits?

Once you have insurance, there’s no age limit. The minimum age is six weeks old and the maximum age for a new policy is eight years and 364 days old.


When Does Cover Start and End?

Cover starts at 23:59 on the day you purchase it. It continued into renewal periods and ends on the effective date of cancellation.


Can I Always Renew My Insurance with Knose Even If I Have Frequent Claims?

If you continue to hold cover and pay your premium when it comes due, you will not be refused a renewal policy based on the number of claims or chronic conditions. The terms and conditions of your cover over time and your policy renewal may reflect changes based on factors that may include a pet’s age, breed, and general increase in treatment costs.

Find The Best Insurance Companies in 2024

Our Verdict

Knose Pet Insurance is a newer insurance option in Australia that keeps pets in mind. The policy is simplified with no deductibles, clear coverage options, and clear percentages to make the purchasing process easy and transparent. You can customize coverage with optional plans for dental disease, behavioral problems, and alternative therapies to ensure your pet is taken care of.

Knose also has a quick and easy claims process and a pet hotline for veterinary questions at any time, day or night. Though there are several exclusions and the premiums may increase, Knose is a good option for owners of companion animals looking for coverage for accidental illness and injuries.

  • Hepper acknowledges that it is not licensed as an insurance agent, and therefore will not offer any advice regarding insurance, nor recommend a particular coverage, policy, or insurance company.

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