While they are rare, we understand that accidents can happen. For this reason, we’ve organised Accident Cover to help protect you from unexpected costs if something goes wrong.

While they are rare, we understand that accidents can happen. For this reason, we’ve organised Accident Cover to help protect you from unexpected costs if something goes wrong.

The coverage only applies to all Pet Services paid for through the Mad Paws Platform.


Read on to learn about the kinds of events that are covered by our policy.


### What is Covered?

While many Owners already have pet health insurance, our policy aims to reduce the financial risk even further by covering certain events for our clients and Sitters.

**Veterinary coverage:**

* Injuries sustained by the Mad Paws guest pet while in the Sitter’s care
* Illness to the Mad Paws guest pet directly caused by the Pet Sitter’s actions

**Public liability:**

* Injury to members of the general public caused by the pet while in the Sitter’s care
* Damage to the property of a third party caused by a Mad Paws pet.


### The Monetary Details

* Each claim will be subject to a $350 excess payment (to be covered by the Sitter).
* There is a claim limit of $5,000 in veterinary costs per pet.
* There is a $10m limit for Public Liability compensation to a third party for damage to property or personal injury as a result of the Sitter’s negligence.


### What is not covered

* Damage or medical care required as a result of any Meet and Greet appointments arranged between Owners and Sitters
* Any property damage caused by a Sitter or a pet to an Owner’s property, a Sitter’s property, a landlord’s property or any other person’s property visiting or living in the residence; bodily harm or physical injuries caused by the guest pet to the Sitter, Sitter’s family, or any other person visiting or living in the same household;
* Treatment of pre-existing veterinary conditions, self-inflicted wounds caused by allergies, pre-existing illness, or any other type of pre-existing condition; old age or conditions that can be prevented such as flea/tick/insect bites.
* [Please review the full list of exclusions here](https://www.madpaws.com.au/about/insurance/).


### Who is eligible?

To qualify, the issue resulting in the claim must have occurred during a service that was booked and paid for via Mad Paws before the start of the service.

The issue must be a direct result of the actions or inaction of the Sitter and there must be evidence to prove this.

As there is a $350 excess for all claims, the value of the claim must exceed $350 for it to be lodged.

Extra conditions?

Mad Paws Accident Cover coverage is also always secondary to any relevant pet insurance the Pet Sitter or Pet Owner may already have. Therefore, any claims must be lodged and finalised with the Owner/Sitter’s insurance first. For more details, please visit our full [Terms of Service.](https://www.madpaws.com.au/about/terms/)


What do I need to do to claim Mad Paws Accident Cover?

First and foremost, in the event of an emergency, please follow our [emergency protocol](https://madpaws.brainfi.sh/articles/help-theres-an-emergency-v73iYXQThv). Once you have done this, you can proceed with the process.


If you believe that an incident is covered by the Accident Cover, you must provide us in writing (service@madpaws.com.au):

* A full description of the events leading up to the Incident;
* Written notice of the incident no later than seven (7) days after the end date of the relevant booking;
* All documentation available to you (e.g. invoices and veterinary notes from the initial veterinary examination);
* Contact details for the veterinary practice or hospital the pet attended;
* The Pet Owner’s own pet insurance coverage details (if applicable).


### Frequently Asked Questions:

**Who do I contact to check if an incident is covered by Mad Paws** **Accident** **Cover?**

You can speak with our Customer Experience Team by emailing [service@madpaws.com.au](mailto:service@madpaws.com.au)  or via phone on (02) 8046 6536.


**Why is the excess not covered by Mad Paws when they take a fee from every booking?**

As highlighted above, Mad Paws Accident Cover covers relevant expenses over $350. While this may not seem helpful if you face an expense of $340, it can make all the difference for an expense of, say, $3,000. Beyond the policy, Mad Paws’ fee covers a range of other expenses. These include:

* Marketing and advertising to attract new clients for Mad Paws Pet Sitters;
* Maintenance of and improvements to our app and website;
* Our Customer Experience Team, who are available 7 days a week to assist with all bookings and queries.


**How long does it take for a claim to process?**

Although it varies with each case, as some cases require detailed investigation, we expect a resolution within 2 - 6 weeks of lodging your claim.


**How do I know if my Accident Cover claim will be successful?**

We cannot guarantee a claim will be successful as the decision is made by the insurance company. However, the Mad Paws team can guide you through the claim process to ensure you have all the evidence you need to present a compelling case.


**What do I do if my claim is rejected?**

In the event that a claim isn’t covered, please look at our Terms Of Service to determine which party may be responsible for any unexpected costs.

Mad Paws Accident Cover: What is included?

*Ongoing Booking Guide

Help, there's an emergency!

How does Mad Paws help me resolve any issues I have with a booking?

What happens if a pet runs away when in the Pet Sitter's care?

I have a complaint about the Pet Sitter/Service.

How to Report a Pet Sitter

Mad Paws Insurance

*Insurance and Emergencies

I want to delete or edit a review

After a booking can I give feedback to my Pet Sitter?

How do I Confirm the End of Stay?

How do I leave a Review?

*Post-Booking Guide

What is the Vetting Process for Sitters?

Why use Mad Paws? Is it reliable and safe?

How does Mad Paws verify their Pet Sitters?

What information does Mad Paws share?

*Trust and Safety

What is the Mad Paws Cancellation and Refund policy?

How do I cancel a paid booking?

Understanding Booking Cancellation Policies

*Cancellations and Refund

How To Add More Information About Your Pet

How to edit or delete a pet profile

How can I add my pet to my profile?

*My Pet Profile

A Quick Guide to Meet-and-Greet Sessions

What are the drop off times?

What are the drop off / pick up times?

Preparing Your Home for a Booking

What Does My Pet Need While in the Pet Sitter’s Care?

What to Do if my Sitter Did Not Show Up?

*Pre-Booking Guide

What happens if the automatic payment doesn’t go through?

What is the Cancellation and Refund Policy for Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do I make a Repeat Weekly Booking?

What are Repeat Weekly Bookings (RWBs)?

When do I pay for Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do I cancel just a week of Repeat Weekly Bookings?

Can I edit/add to an existing Repeat Weekly Booking?

How do I distinguish ‘Repeat Weekly Bookings’ to standard one-off bookings?

How do I Pause a Repeat Weekly Bookings?

My Pet Sitter isn’t offering Repeat Weekly Bookings and but wants to sign up?

*Repeat Weekly Bookings

Can I pay my Sitter in cash?

Can I negotiate the price of my booking?

Can I pay a Pet Sitter in cash?

How do I change the dates of my booking?

How do I pay for my booking?

What is a Puppy Surcharge?

How to Edit a Paid Booking Request

What is the Mad Paws Feedback Policy?

What's the difference between Pet Hosting and Pet Sitting?

How are Pet Sitters Paid by Mad Paws?

What type of pets does Mad Paws accept?

What is your booking fee?

What services does Mad Paws offer?

How does the Mad Paws booking flow work?

What does the Pet Sitter's rate cover?

Where do I find a Sitter's contact information?

What if the Pet Sitter doesn't reply?

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Can I block a Pet Sitter?

I can't find a sitter's profile

Is Food Included in the Booking?

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How Do I Accept a Booking?

Understanding Booking Flow and Status

What do I need to supply to the Pet Sitter for my booking?

Can I meet a Pet Sitter before agreeing to a booking with them?

*General Booking Guide

What fees are the Pet Owners charged?

App not working?

How can I download the Mobile App?

How do I address problems with mobile apps?

Can I earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Points with Mad Paws?

What is Mad Paws?

About Mad Paws

Is Mad Paws right for my pet?

Need help with something? Chat with our Team Monday-Friday 9-5pm (AEST)

Are there any costs associated with using Mad Paws?

Terms of Service

MP Referral Program - Terms & Conditions

*General

How to Change My Email Address

I need to Verify my Account

Delete my Mad Paws Account

How do I connect my Mad Paws account with my Facebook account?

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I want to unsubscribe or delete my account.

My Photo

How do I Update my Payment Details?

How to Add Photos

*Managing My Mad Paws Account

FAQ for Pet Owners

Have a question?? Chat with our Customer Service team today!

How do I become a Mad Paws Sitter?

How long does it take for Mad Paws to review and approve my profile?

Is there an age requirement to sign up as a Pet Sitter?

Do I need to get a permit to become a Pet Sitter?

How do I access the Online Training Course and download the Certificate of Completion?

What are Sitter Statistics? 

Where can I find helpful information about caring for pets?

How do I know if this is a scam?

Getting Started

What are badges? 

How do I get a Mad Paws branded flyer and business card? 

What does a perfect Pet Sitter Profile look like? 

What services can I offer as a Pet Sitter? 

How many hours should I be Pet Sitting for? 

How do I update my calendar?

How do I change my profile availability in my calendar?

How do I add photos to my Photo Gallery?

Where can I see the reviews that Pet Owners have left for me?

Can I remove or respond to a review?

I don't have any reviews yet, what can I do?

 How do I remove my services?

My Profile & Services

Repeat Business - additional tools to help you and your clients

How to gain repeat clients

The New Pet Profile: What you need to know 

How do I cancel a paid booking? 

Can I create a booking for a Pet Owner?

How do I provide feedback about a pet to a Pet Owner?

How do I view my current bookings?

How do I know if this pet will be a good fit in my home?

What happens after a booking finishes?

What is a Meet and Greet?

Bookings and Meet & Greet

Can I offer friends, family or a prospective Owner Mad Paws credit?

What makes a successful Pet Sitter? 

Why is my profile not in the search results?

How do I keep Owners happy while looking after their pets?

How do I improve my position in Mad Paws search results and promote my Pet Sitting profile?

How do I update my Mad Paws Calendar to show that I'm not available for a particular service?

How do I reduce the number of pets I can take in for selected days?

My bookings have been impacted by COVID, what support can I get? 

Running My Business

Responding to an Enquiry

What to do during a Meet and Greet

Create a safety plan

Help! What do I do if the pet runs away!?

Reducing the risk 

Pet Hosting - Pet proof your home 

Pet Sitting - Staying in someones home 

Safety First

How do I change my Services and Rates?

How do I get paid for a booking?

How do I change my bank or PayPal details?

How do I add Seasonal Pricing or a Holiday Surcharge to specific days?

What are promo codes and how do they work?

Can I receive payment for a booking in cash?

Can offline payments affect my Pet Sitter ranking? 

What fees or commission are Pet Sitters charged?

What prices should I charge for my services?

Payments and Pricing

What is Booking Performance? And how can I improve it? 

What is Repeat Performance? And how will this help me?

What is Repeat Customer Rate? Why does increasing it helps me?

How is Repeat Performance calculated?

Response Time - What is it & how it can help me?

Response Rate - What is it & how to increase it to help me?

Completion Rate - What is it & How to increase it to help me?

Sitter Statistics

What are Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do Repeat Weekly Bookings work? 

How can I offer Repeat Weekly Bookings? 

How do I change a One-off Booking to a Repeat Weekly Booking?

Can I edit or add to an existing Repeat Weekly Booking?

Repeat Weekly Bookings

COVID-19: Requirements for Pet Sitters

COVID-19: How We’re Keeping Our Community Safe

COVID-19 and Pet Sitting: What You Need to Know

How do I apply for a COVID-19 Vaccination Badge? 

COVID-19