What Petcover does

Petcover Group is a privately held specialty pet insurance administrator founded in Australia approximately 40 years ago (c. 1985) by Doug and Gwen Ford, operating today across Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The group underwrites no risk on its own balance sheet; instead it administers pet insurance policies on behalf of carrier partners (Sovereign Insurance Australia Pty Ltd in AU/NZ and Fortegra Belgium Insurance Company NV in AT/DE) under AFSL No. 507143 (Petcover Aust Pty Ltd), FSP614229 (Petcover NZ Limited) and EU intermediary registration GISA 32484052 / FN 514361p (Petcover EU Agentur GmbH). It serves more than 400,000 customers worldwide through country-specific online quote engines (e.g., quotep-catdog-au.petcovergroup.com, quotep-catdog.at.petcovergroup.com), an in-house call centre, a network of 4,000+ registered breeders plus veterinarians, charities, pet businesses and insurance brokers, and a portfolio of retained UK/ROI sub-brands (British Pet Insurance, ExoticDirect, Brooks Braithwaite, CoverMy, Julie Andrews Horse Insurance).

The product portfolio covers dogs, cats, horses, and over 200 exotic species (including reptiles, birds, turtles/tortoises and small mammals), with a 9-tier configurable plan matrix (Superior, Mid-range Vital/Key/Core, Safety-net Economy/Catastrophe 1/Catastrophe 2), co-payment and excess customisation, an "Umbrella for Life" lifetime continuous cover feature, and a Pay-Direct-to-Vet claims settlement mechanism. The platform exposes dedicated partner login portals (vets, breeders, charities, pet businesses) and embedded marketplace integrations (e.g., Horsezone live pricing in Australia) but does not offer a public API, SDK, or developer tooling. A separate Petcover Professional arm sells B2B combined commercial insurance packages (property, liability, professional indemnity, marine cargo, motor, workers' compensation) to veterinary practices, kennels, groomers, dog walkers, training schools, pet shops, breeders and farriers.

Revenue is generated from recurring monthly and annual insurance premiums on consumer policies, B2B commercial insurance premiums via Petcover Professional, multi-pet household premiums (3+ pets discount), and the conversion of 4-/6-week freemium introductory cover distributed through breeder, vet, charity and pet-business channels. Reported operational metrics include a 93% claim payout rate (June 2023 to March 2024) and 9 of 10 claims paid within 5 days in Australia, with verified Feefo customer ratings of 4.3/5 (AU, 118 reviews) and 4.4/5 (NZ, 88 reviews). Group structure was materially shaped by the 2021 merger with Petplan Australasia and the 2024 entry into the German market, where the portfolio has since been extended to 200+ animal species.

Name

Petcover

Legal name

Petcover Aust Pty Ltd

Website

https://petcovergroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Petcover Group is a privately held Australian-founded pet insurance administrator operating in Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, the UK and Ireland, selling subscription policies for dogs, cats, horses and 200+ exotic species to consumers and B2B pet businesses via D2C, call-centre and channel partner distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Insurance

NAICS

Other Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (524128), Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (52412), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Insurance Carriers, Nec (6399), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Insurance (FSAJAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Property Insurance (Homeowners, Renters & Commercial Property) (FSAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Pet insurance
• Veterinary coverage
• Exotic pet insurance
• Horse insurance
• Pet business insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Tullamarine

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Pet insurance premiums (consumer): Recurring monthly or annual premiums collected from individual pet owners across dog, cat, horse and exotic pet policy lines in Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany and the UK. Premiums vary by species, breed, age, cover level and excess/co-payment selection. Petcover is described as the policy administrator acting on behalf of the insurer (e.g., Sovereign Insurance Australia Pty Ltd in AU/NZ, Fortegra Belgium Insurance Company NV in AT/DE).
2. Pet business insurance premiums (B2B): Specialist commercial insurance packages sold to pet-related businesses (veterinary practices, kennels, catteries, groomers, dog walkers, training schools, pet shops, breeders, farriers), covering property, business interruption, theft, liability, professional indemnity, marine cargo, motor, workers' compensation and more.
3. Multi-pet household premiums: Multi-pet discount applies when 3 or more eligible pets are insured on the same policy, generating incremental subscription revenue per additional pet while reducing churn within households.
4. Freemium introductory cover conversion: 4 or 6 weeks of free introductory cover distributed through breeder, vet, charity and pet-business partners to drive new policy conversion. Partners earn Coles Myer gift vouchers or charity donations as referral incentives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Petcover underwrites and distributes pet insurance policies covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, third-party liability, and mortality for dogs, cats, horses, and exotic pets across Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, and the UK. It also offers a B2B Petcover Professional line providing tailored insurance to pet-related businesses such as breeders, groomers, trainers, pet-sitters, and veterinarians, plus a breeder introductory free-cover policy for new puppy and kitten buyers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Petcover Australia: Australian pet insurance brand offering dog, cat, horse, exotic pet, and pet business insurance through Petcover Aust Pty Ltd.
• Petcover New Zealand
• Petcover Austria
• Petcover Germany
• British Pet Insurance
• ExoticDirect
• Brooks Braithwaite
• CoverMy
• Julie Andrews Horse Insurance

Products and services

• Dog Insurance (Australia) Pet insurance product for dog owners in Australia covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, and optional third-party liability. Sold to individual consumers via direct online channels and partner referrals.
• Cat Insurance (Australia) Pet insurance product for cat owners in Australia covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, and related risks. Sold to individual consumers via direct online channels and partner referrals.
• Horse Insurance (Australia) Specialist horse insurance offered in Australia covering veterinary fees, mortality, and related equine risks for individual horse owners.
• Exotic Pet Insurance (Australia) Specialist insurance for non-traditional companion animals (reptiles, birds, small mammals, and other exotic pets) offered in Australia. Sold to individual owners who cannot obtain cover from generalist insurers.
• Dog and Cat Insurance (New Zealand) Pet insurance for dog and cat owners in New Zealand covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, and related risks. Sold to individual consumers via direct online channels.
• Pet Insurance (Austria) Pet insurance product for Austrian consumers covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, and related risks for companion animals.
• Dog Liability Insurance (Austria) Third-party liability cover for dog owners in Austria, addressing the legally required Hundehaftpflicht cover that is standard in the Austrian market.
• Pet Insurance (Germany) Pet insurance product for German consumers covering veterinary fees, illness, accident, and related risks for companion animals.
• Dog Liability Insurance (Germany) Third-party liability cover for dog owners in Germany, addressing the Hundehaftpflicht requirement that is standard in many German federal states.
• Petcover Professional (B2B Pet Business Insurance) B2B insurance service line providing tailored commercial cover to pet-related businesses including breeders, groomers, trainers, pet-sitters, and veterinary practices. Combines liability, professional indemnity, and animal-in-care cover in packages tailored to each business type.
• Breeder Introductory Policy Free introductory pet insurance cover provided to new puppy and kitten buyers via partnered breeders, designed as a customer acquisition funnel into Petcover's longer-term consumer policies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of claims paid out between Jun 2023 and Mar 2024 (AU)
• +8 more outcomes

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• HorsezonecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2026Petcover Australia and Horsezone formed a partnership to provide horse insurance and simplify buying, selling and insuring horses in Australia. Horsezone users access Petcover's comprehensive insurance options with live pricing estimates based on key horse details. Announced 2026-03-03.
• CenvetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPetcover Australia and Cenvet partnered to deliver practical, real-world protection for veterinary practices. Announced via Petcover's news/blog hub.
• United Vet Group (UVG)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPetcover Australia and United Vet Group (UVG) partnered to strengthen business protection for independent veterinary practices. Announced via Petcover's news/blog hub.
• Sovereign Insurance Australia Pty LtdflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSovereign Insurance Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 85 138 079 286, AFSL No. 342516) is the underwriter for Petcover's pet insurance products in Australia and New Zealand (excluding Petcover Professional). Petcover is the sole administrator of the policies, acting on behalf of Sovereign. Products are sold exclusively under the Petcover trademark.
• Fortegra Belgium Insurance Company NVflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPetcover EU Agentur GmbH (Austria/Germany) acts as an insurance agent of Fortegra Belgium Insurance Company NV (Bastion Tower, Place du Champ de Mars 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium) for the Austrian and German markets. Fortegra is authorised to receive premiums and amounts from customers; Petcover advises only on its own products.
• Australian veterinarians (4,000+ breeders and vet partner network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPetcover Australia operates a partner program with veterinarians (4 weeks free introductory cover), breeders (6 weeks free introductory cover, 4,000+ registered), charities (4 weeks free), and pet businesses (4 weeks free). Partners access dedicated login portals; breeders receive Coles Myer gift vouchers or charity donations.
• Exotic Vet Support Asia-Pacific (EVSAP)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPetcover Australia is the official partner and Gold Sponsor of EVSAP 2026 (Exotic Vet Support Asia-Pacific Conference), aligning with its position as Australia's only dedicated exotic pet insurance provider.
• Petplan Australasia (legacy merged brand)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPetcover and Petplan Australasia merged in 2021 to become part of the Petcover Group. Petcover now offers the comprehensive policies and customer service Petplan Australia was known for under the Petcover brand.
• British Pet Insurance (UK brand under Petcover Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Pet Insurance is operated as a UK brand within the Petcover Group, providing pet insurance distribution in the UK alongside ExoticDirect, Brooks Braithwaite, CoverMy UK and Julie Andrews Horse Insurance.
• ExoticDirect (UK brand under Petcover Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExoticDirect is a UK specialist exotic pet insurance brand within the Petcover Group, complementing Petcover's broader exotic-pet offerings.
• Brooks Braithwaite (UK brand under Petcover Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooks Braithwaite is operated as a UK brand within the Petcover Group for pet insurance distribution.
• CoverMy (UK / Australia / Ireland brand under Petcover Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoverMy operates across the UK, Australia and Republic of Ireland as a brand within the Petcover Group, providing pet insurance distribution.
• Julie Andrews Horse Insurance (UK brand under Petcover Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJulie Andrews Horse Insurance is operated as a UK horse insurance specialist brand within the Petcover Group, complementing Petcover's horse and equine offerings.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Animal Friends Insurance: Animal Friends is a UK pet insurance specialist underwriting its own policies with a charity-linked model. Comparable on multi-tier pet insurance product, UK distribution overlap with Petcover's British Pet Insurance and Brooks Braithwaite brands, and similar dog/cat/horse positioning.
• Petplan (UK): Petplan is the largest UK pet insurance brand and was the legacy parent of Petplan Australasia, which Petcover absorbed in 2021. Direct competitor across dog, cat, horse and exotic pet lines with a similar multi-tier policy matrix and direct-to-consumer + vet distribution model.
• Trupanion: Trupanion is a publicly listed North American pet insurance company offering direct-to-vet pay claims settlement, mirroring Petcover's Pay-Direct-to-Vet model. Most direct global comparable on product, distribution philosophy and claims-tech approach.
• Embrace Pet Insurance: Embrace is a US direct-to-consumer pet insurance company offering accident, illness and wellness cover for dogs and cats with configurable deductibles. Comparable on multi-tier matrix product, configurable excess/co-payment structure and direct online quote funnel.

Broad incumbents

• PetSure: PetSure is Australia's largest pet insurance underwriter and administrator (Hartville, PetSure Australia), holding the leading market share. Comparable to Petcover as a vertically integrated pet insurance platform in the same Australian home market but materially larger and broader.

Regional players

• Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance: Bow Wow Meow is an Australian pet insurance specialist offering dog, cat and horse cover. Comparable as a regionally focused Australian competitor with a similar multi-tier product matrix and online direct-to-consumer quote funnel.
• RSPCA Pet Insurance: RSPCA-branded pet insurance is sold in Australia and the UK through a license model. Comparable as a charity-affiliated pet insurance distribution brand competing with Petcover in AU/UK, but with a different funding model (premiums partly support RSPCA welfare work).

Emerging players

• ManyPets: ManyPets is a UK-headquartered digital-first pet insurer operating in the UK, EU and US. Comparable as a challenger brand focused on dog and cat insurance with a strong online UX, competing with Petcover's UK brands British Pet Insurance, ExoticDirect and CoverMy UK.
• Waggel: Waggel is a UK digital-first pet insurer competing directly with Petcover's UK brands via a streamlined online UX. Comparable on product (dog and cat lifetime cover) and target customer (millennial pet owners) but with a tech-led rather than phone-led acquisition model.
• Lemonade (Pet): Lemonade is a US digital insurer that has expanded into pet insurance in the US and several European markets. Comparable as a tech-first, mobile-native insurer entering Petcover's UK/EU footprint with a fundamentally different cost structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/petcovergroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/petcoverau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/petcover

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Petcover