3rd party public liability cover for pet insurance

What is third party liability insurance for dogs?

Third-party liability is a cover of your pet insurance that will cover your dog if your dog:

  • Causes injury to a person in some way
  • Causes injury to another dog or a pet of another person
  • Causes damage to property of a third party

What is covered by third party liability pet insurance?

Third-party liability can cover a lot of different things. There are some exclusions such as whether your policy is current, and your dog does not have a history of aggression. Policies with third-party can cover:

  • Vet bills for the other pet involved. (Your dog should be covered under its own policy limits)
  • Legal fees should there be legal proceedings as a result of the incident. 
  • Damage costs if property is damaged during the incident.

    When might I need third party liability insurance for my dog?

    A common misconception is that third-party liability cover is only big or aggressive dogs, however, there are a lot more scenarios where third-party cover is needed, even for small dogs:

    • A smaller dog is harder to see and could cause someone to trip and fall on the street.
    • A larger even very friendly dog might get excited and run into someone, causing them to fall and hurt themselves
    • They might knock over an object, such as a phone, accidentally damaging it. 
    • Your cat might get into a fight with a neighbourhood cat, this can sometimes lead to infection and very costly vet bills.

    For any of these, a third party could take legal action against you. A court might decide you must pay them compensation or cover replacement, medical or legal costs.

    How much is third party liability for dogs?

    Third-party liability is usually an inclusion on the pet insurance policy, and not an add-on. Cover is generally added to cater for the majority of scenarios. With Vets Choice the cover already comes as standard no matter what type of policy you choose.

    Does it cover dangerous dogs?

    Many dangerous breeds are outlawed for breeding in Australia. If your dog is categorised as a 'dangerous' breed then unfortunately Vets Choice will not cover you. It is worth looking at our quote for dog insurance to see which dog breeds are covered.

    What is third party liability insurance for cats?

    Third-party liability cover for pet insurance does also cover cats. The cover is the same as for dogs,  and the overall limit is the same. Incidents involving cats and people are far less common, but incidents involving cats and other pets, especially other neighbourhood cats are common Australia.