The moment your pet needs treatment is not the moment to be figuring out how insurance works. 

You know the moment. The fluorescent hum of the vet clinic waiting room. A magazine you’re not really reading. Your dog pressed against your leg, panting in that slightly-too-fast way that tells you he knows something’s up. The vet comes out, calm and kind, and explains what’s needed bloods, an x-ray, maybe an overnight stay. Then, gently, an estimate slides across the counter. 

For a lot of Australian pet parents, that’s the moment the calculations begin. Can the card cope with this? Do I have to ring the bank? How long until I can claim it back?

So, what is a gap payment in pet insurance? 

A gap payment is the amount you pay out of your own pocket after your pet insurance has already contributed its share of an eligible vet bill. Instead of paying the full invoice upfront and waiting for a reimbursement to land in your account days or weeks later, you only pay the difference — the “gap” — between the total bill and what your policy covers. 

Think of it the way many Australians already think about Medicare or extras cover at the dentist. The provider sees what’s covered, applies it on the spot, and you settle the rest. With GapOnly®, that same idea is brought to the vet clinic for eligible claims at participating vets. It’s a small shift in process, but on a stressful day, it can feel like a big shift in experience. 

How traditional pet insurance reimbursement usually works

Pet insurance in Australia has historically worked on a reimbursement model, and it’s a perfectly reasonable way to do things. Here’s the rhythm of it: 

  1. Your pet is treated at the vet. 
  1. You pay the full bill, every cent of it on the day. 
  1. You go home, fill out a claim form, attach the invoice, and submit it to your insurer. 
  1. The insurer assesses the claim. 

If it’s covered, they reimburse you, usually into your bank account, after a few days (sometimes longer). 

There’s nothing wrong with this approach, and many policies still operate this way. The challenge is purely practical: you need cashflow to cover the full bill in the meantime. For a routine consult, that’s manageable. For surgery, emergency care, or a long hospital stay, the upfront figure can be eye-watering even when you know most of it is coming back to you. 

If you’re new to all of this, our explainer on thinking about pet insurance is a gentle place to start before going deeper.

How paying only the gap can change the experience

GapOnly® is a claims service, not a separate insurance product, that can help reduce the amount eligible pet parents need to pay upfront at participating vets. It’s powered by PetSure, the underwriter behind a significant number of pet insurance policies in Australia, which is why you’ll see GapOnly® available across a range of pet insurance providers. 

Here’s the short version: at a participating vet, for an eligible claim, your vet sends the invoice details to be assessed in real time. Within minutes, the claim is reviewed, and you’re told what’s covered and what’s left to pay. You pay the gap, only the gap, and go. 

No claim forms at the kitchen table that evening. No waiting for a reimbursement. No juggling the full bill on your credit card while you wait. 

It’s the same insurance cover you’d have anyway, the policy terms, benefit percentages, excess and limits all still apply exactly as your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) describes. What changes is when and how the money moves. 

What the experience can look like at the vet 

If you’ve never used GapOnly® before, here’s a general idea of what the process may look like at participating clinics. 

  1. You arrive at a participating vet 

GapOnly® works at vet clinics that are set up to use the service.  

  1. Your pet is examined and treated 

This part is exactly the same as any other vet visit. Your vet does what your vet does. Nothing about clinical care changes. 

  1. The vet prepares the invoice 

Once treatment (or a treatment plan) is finalised, the clinic prepares the invoice as usual. 

  1. The claim is submitted on the spot 

With your permission, the vet submits the claim through the GapOnly® platform. This usually happens at the reception desk, while you’re standing there with your pet’s lead in one hand and a treat in the other. 

  1. The claim is assessed in real time 

The claim is reviewed against your policy. This generally takes around 5 minutes, though it can vary depending on the complexity of the claim and the time of day. Some take longer; many are faster. 

  1. You pay only the gap 

You’re told the assessed benefit and the gap amount. You pay the gap to the vet, and that’s it. No follow-up forms. No waiting for reimbursement. 

It’s worth saying clearly: not every claim is settled this way. Some claims need more detailed assessment than an on-the-spot review allows, and in those cases the claim is processed in the usual way after the visit. But for many everyday eligible claims, the experience is genuinely as straightforward as the steps above. 

Why eligibility matters for gap payments 

An eligible GapOnly® claim: 

  • Relates to a condition or treatment covered by your policy 
  • Falls within your policy terms (waiting periods served, no relevant exclusions, within annual benefit limits, etc.) 
  • Can be assessed using the information provided at the time 

The word “eligible” is important. It’s not a marketing term, it’s an honest acknowledgement that policies have terms, and your specific cover, excess and benefit percentage determine what’s payable for any given claim. Your PDS is the authoritative source for what your policy does and doesn’t cover. 

If a claim can’t be assessed on the spot, for example, if more clinical information is needed, it doesn’t disappear. It’s simply processed through the standard claims pathway instead.

What’s a ‘participating vet’ and how do I find one?

A participating vet is a clinic that’s connected to the GapOnly® platform and can submit and settle eligible claims while you’re there. They’ve gone through the setup with PetSure so that the assessment can happen at the front desk. 

The easiest way to check whether your usual vet is on the list or to find one nearby is the GapOnly® vet finder. It’s worth doing this before you need it. The day of an emergency isn’t the day you want to be searching for clinic addresses. 

If your preferred vet isn’t currently participating, that’s okay. You can still claim in the standard way under your policy, you’d just pay the full invoice and submit the claim afterwards.

What the gap payment amount actually depends on

This is the part people often want a clearer answer on, so let’s be honest about it: the size of your gap payment isn’t a fixed number. It depends on a few things. 

Your benefit percentage and policy structure can influence how much of an eligible vet bill is covered and how much remains as the gap payment. 

Your excess. If your policy has an excess, that’s applied before the benefit is calculated. 

Annual limits, sub-limits and exclusions may also affect how much is payable under your policy. 

What’s actually on the invoice. Some items on a vet bill may not be covered at all under your specific policy, consumables, certain elective treatments, food, and so on. 

In other words, the gap isn’t a flat fee. It’s the leftover bit, calculated transparently from your specific policy. 

If you’re researching pet insurance, it can help to understand how different policy structures may affect out-of-pocket costs at the vet. Our guide on how to compare pet insurance policies walks through what to look at. You can also compare pet insurance options directly when you’re ready.

Do all vets accept GapOnly®?

No, and this is worth being upfront about. GapOnly® works at participating vets across Australia, and the network has grown steadily, but it isn’t every clinic. If you live somewhere regional, or you have a longstanding relationship with a particular vet, it’s worth checking the vet finder to see where they sit. 

A couple of practical notes: 

  • Some emergency hospitals participate, which can be a real comfort to know in advance. 
  • Specialist referral centres vary, some are connected and some aren’t. 
  • A clinic that isn’t participating today may join later. 

Either way, your policy still covers what it covers. GapOnly® changes the payment experience, not the underlying cover.

Why this matters on a hard day

If you’ve ever stood at a vet counter trying to do mental calculation with a sick pet at your feet, you’ll understand why this matters. The financial pressure of an unexpected vet bill is real, and it sits right on top of the emotional weight of having a pet who isn’t well. 

A gap payment doesn’t make a vet visit cheaper than your policy would otherwise make it. The benefits are the same. What it offers is a different experience of those benefits: fewer forms, less waiting, and a much smaller number to pay on the day for eligible claims. 

For a lot of pet parents, that’s the bit that turns insurance from an abstract reassurance into something tangible, something that shows up when it counts, at the counter, while your cat or dog are in your arms. 

If you’re exploring pet insurance, understanding how gap payments work can help you feel more prepared for unexpected vet visits and the costs that may come with them. There’s no rush, and the PDS for any policy you’re considering will tell you exactly what’s covered, what isn’t, and what your gap might look like in practice. Take your time. Ask questions.  

FAQs

What is a gap payment in pet insurance? 

A gap payment is the amount you pay out of pocket after your pet insurance has covered its share of an eligible vet bill. Instead of paying the full invoice and claiming back later, you only pay the difference between the total cost and what your policy contributes. The exact gap depends on your benefit percentage, excess and what’s covered under your policy. 

How is using the GapOnly® platform different from regular pet insurance claims? 

With traditional pet insurance claims, you pay the full bill upfront and wait to be reimbursed after submitting a claim form. With GapOnly®, eligible claims are assessed at the vet, and you only pay the gap on the spot — no forms, no waiting. The underlying cover and policy terms are the same; it’s the claims experience that changes. 

Do I need to pay anything upfront when using GapOnly®? 

For eligible claims at a participating vet, you only pay the gap — the portion not covered by your policy — at the time of the visit. You don’t have to pay the full invoice first. If a claim can’t be assessed on the spot, it’ll be processed through the standard claims pathway instead. 

What vets accept GapOnly®? 

GapOnly® is available at participating vets across Australia, including many general practices, some emergency hospitals and selected specialist centres. Not every clinic participates, so it’s worth checking the GapOnly® vet finder to see what’s near you — ideally before you actually need it. 

What is an eligible GapOnly® claim? 

An eligible claim is one that’s covered by your policy, falls within its terms (such as waiting periods and exclusions), and can be assessed with the information available at the time of the visit. Your Product Disclosure Statement is the authoritative source for what your specific policy treats as covered. 

How long does it take for GapOnly® to process a claim at the vet? 

On-the-spot assessments typically take around 10 minutes, though this can vary depending on the complexity of the claim and the time of day. More complex claims may need additional review and be processed through the standard claims pathway afterwards. 

~Costs and product information should be confirmed with the relevant insurance brand’s contact centre or online quote tool. These products are only available to persons over the age of 18 and are only suitable if you can afford to pay the applicable premium, upfront veterinary expenses before submitting a claim (unless GapOnly® is used), and veterinary expenses that are above the accepted claim amount.

>GapOnly® is a claims payment service available on PetSure administered and issued pet insurance policies. Not all conditions and treatments are covered. You will need to cover a portion of the vet bill on covered claims. GapOnly® available at participating vets.

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