Two NZ insurers currently give new puppy and kitten owners a short insurance contract of free accident & illness cover. Here's exactly what each one offers, who qualifies, and how they stack up.
No payment or ongoing commitment is needed to get either offer. Both are designed to demonstrate the insurer's cover, and to give you a real trial run, before you decide whether to buy a paid policy.
Southern Cross's FreeCover runs for 6 weeks; Pet-n-Sur's runs for 30 days. Neither is a substitute for an ongoing policy. Think of it as an initial safety net for the first few weeks, not lifetime cover.
Both offers are aimed squarely at young puppies and kittens. Older pets won't qualify for it.
Dogs and cats aged 6 weeks or older, and younger than 26 weeks (about 6 months). You can hace one FreeCover policy per pet. You must be the pet's long-term owner (not a breeder, reseller or shelter). Southern Cross Pet Insurance specifically states that pig-hunting dogs aren't eligible.
Source: Southern Cross Pet Insurance's FreeCover policy wording, effective 1 September 2025, p.6 — and southerncrosspet.co.nz/freecover
Cats and dogs aged 6 weeks to 6 months Pet-n-Sur separately runs a different 30-day free cover offer for pets aged 7 months to 6 years but FurWise has not been able to find details on this offer, and has not included it in the Free cover comparison.
Source: petnsur.co.nz/pet-owner and petnsur.co.nz/form-pet-owner, checked 12 Aug 2026.
Vet charges for accidental injuries and illnesses: examinations, consultations, hospitalisation, surgery, x-rays, medication, diagnostic tests, up to a $2,000 benefit limit, minus an excess or co-payment.
Pre-existing and congenital conditions, routine / preventative care (vaccinations, de-sexing, flea / worm control), dental care unrelated to an accident, and behavioural or cosmetic treatment.
This is a plain-English summary, not the full policy wording. Always refer to the policy wording to understand what you are and are not covered for.
Tell us your pet's age and we'll show whether they qualify for each offer, plus a full, cited breakdown of benefit limit, excess, exclusions and more. It takes less than a minute.
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How FurWise makes money: FurWise is free for pet owners to use. If you go on to take up free cover, and later buy a paid policy, we might earn a referral fee if you choose to get Free cover through a link on this site, we carry advertising from insurers and other pet-related businesses, and we might sell participating insurers anonymised, aggregated benchmarking reports built from de-identified usage data. None of these affect a provider's FurWise rating, ever. Read more.
Any information shown on FurWise is not financial advice. FurWise is a features comparison tool. It's a helpful starting point so you can understand how pet insurance policies in New Zealand work. If you are still unsure about what might be right for you after using FurWise, we strongly recommend you seek independent advice from a financial adviser about your specific situation.