SPCA Pet Insurance Reviewed — Big Stuff, Everyday & The Works Compared

Big Stuff Cover

Positioned by SPCA as cover for large vet bills. This is driven by a $1,000 excess rather than a low annual limit.

Cover typeAccident and illness (Big Stuff p.4)

Annual limit$25,000 — the highest of the three SPCA plans (Big Stuff p.4)

Benefit percentage90% reimbursement — an effective 10% co-payment, the best of the three SPCA plans (Big Stuff p.4)

Excess$1,000, per new unrelated condition (Big Stuff p.4, p.18)

Sub-limitsOnly emergency boarding is capped ($1,500) — cruciate ligament, IVDD and consultation fees all draw on the full $25,000 limit (Big Stuff p.4, p.9–10)

Waiting periods21 days illness; 6 months cruciate ligament, waivable with a vet-certified pre-policy exam (Big Stuff p.4, p.8)

UnderwriterThe Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd — S&P A (Strong)

Where it's strong

Cruciate ligament, IVDD and consultation fees all draw on the full annual limit rather than a smaller carve-out.
90% reimbursement (a 10% co-payment) is the best co-payment rate FurWise found across all three SPCA plans.
Consultation fees, emergency boarding and overseas travel (90% of vet expenses in the Australia/Norfolk Island) are all included.

Worth knowing

A $1,000 excess, charged per condition rather than annually.
No dental cover of any kind, except where the treatment is for an oral tumour.
No alternative medicine or general routine / preventative care cover, with no add-on path.

Everyday Cover

SPCA's mid-tier plan, defined by a universal $2,000 cap that applies to every condition claimed.

Cover typeAccident and illness (Everyday p.4)

Annual limit$11,000, with a universal $2,000 Annual Condition Limit applying to every condition claimed (Everyday p.4–5, p.22)

Benefit percentage70% reimbursement — an effective 30% co-payment, the lowest of the three SPCA plans (Everyday p.4)

ExcessNone (Everyday p.4)

Consultation feesCapped even lower than the universal cap, at $300/yr (Everyday p.4)

Waiting periods21 days illness; 6 months cruciate ligament, waivable (Everyday p.4, p.8)

UnderwriterThe Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, S&P A (Strong)

Where it's strong

No excess at all.
Consultation fees, emergency boarding and overseas travel are all included as standard.
Same favourable hereditary /congenital clause as every other SPCA product.

Worth knowing

A universal $2,000 cap applies to every condition claimed. Unlike a single named sub-limit, this caps every large claim, including cruciate ligament or IVDD, regardless of what it's for.
A 70% reimbursement (30% co-payment).
No dental cover except for oral tumours, and no alternative medicine or routine care cover.

The Works Cover

SPCA's top tier product. A higher limit than Everyday with named sub-limits instead of a universal cap.

Cover typeAccident and illness (Works p.4)

Annual limit$20,000 (Works p.4)

Benefit percentage80% reimbursement — an effective 20% co-payment (Works p.4)

ExcessNone (Works p.4)

Named sub-limitsEmergency boarding $1,500, consultation fees $500, cruciate ligament $4,000, IVDD $4,000 (Works p.4, p.8–9)

Entry ageUnder 9 years at entry — the only SPCA plan with an upper age limit (Works p.4)

UnderwriterThe Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, S&P A (Strong)

Where it's strong

No excess, same as Everyday.
Four named sub-limits rather than one universal cap.
Consultation fees, emergency boarding and overseas travel all included as standard.

Worth knowing

The only SPCA plan with an upper entry-age limit (under 9), which Big Stuff and Everyday don't have.
80% reimbursement (a 20% co-payment).
No dental cover except for oral tumours, and no alternative medicine cover.

SPCA Pet Insurance, plan by plan

Big Stuff Cover

Everyday Cover

The Works Cover

See how SPCA Pet Insurance compares against every other NZ pet insurer