PetSure’s “unique and convenient” GapOnly payment service has been recognised at Canstar’s 2022 Innovation Excellence Awards.

Canstar’s Innovation Excellence Award winners represent a selected group of innovative products within the financial services industry over the most recent year, which have all been reviewed, assessed, and deemed to be Award winners.

Entrants are assessed for their degree of innovation and the impact the innovation has had for consumers within the target segment.

GapOnly has helped to make vet bills more affordable for pet owners through its innovative claims experience and payment service, which reviews and calculates pet insurance claims while customers are still at the vet. Customers then simply pay the gap between the vet’s invoice and the claim benefit under the policy and go.

This paperless, in clinic claims experience was recognised by the Cantsar judges as a unique and convenient payment service for pet insurance customers claiming for eligible vet bills. They commented that GapOnly has a significant impact on customers, helping to reduce the costs of some eligible vet bills as they simply pay the gap and go.

Alexandra Thomas, CEO of PetSure, said she is delighted that Canstar has recognised the innovative payment service.

“PetSure has invested in GapOnly to help take the stress and worry away for customers when making healthcare decisions for their pets at the clinic. By making pet insurance more accessible to Australians we aim to improve health outcomes for pets and their owners.

“GapOnly helps makes it easier for vet clinics and customers. Instead of having to pay a large vet bill on the spot and up front, GapOnly allows the claim to be processed on the spot in the Vet Clinic and the customer then only pays the gap.”

There are 11 pet insurance brands that have partnered with GapOnly including Pet Insurance Australia, Woolworths, RSPCA, BowWowMeow, Guide Dogs, Petinsurance.com, and PetBarn.

Pet Insurance Australia was the one to nominate GapOnly for the Canstar Award and Nadia Crighton, Senior PR Manager, Pet Insurance Australia, expressed her delight at GapOnly gaining the recognition.

“At Pet Insurance Australia we constantly strive to ensure our customers’ needs are met by developing innovative customer service options. This includes partnering with the GapOnly platform for our clients to utilise.”

For a pet suffering from a condition such as foreign body ingestion, potentially facing a vet bill of upwards of $12,000, using GapOnly can allow the customer to access their pet insurance benefit right away on eligible claims at participating vets. Traditionally the client would need to pay the total bill and then seek reimbursement from their insurance provider. 

Mitch Watson, General Manager, Canstar, commended Pet Insurance Australia and other participating insurance providers for their “truly innovative service offering in the Australian pet insurance marketplace”.

“We’re expecting many more vets to sign up to GapOnly as they begin to understand its usefulness for their clients,” Crighton says.