Cat Insurance

Owning a cat is often people’s first foray into owning a pet, as they’re understood to be relatively independent and easy to look after, unlike dogs which are incredibly dependent on you. If your cat spends most of its time roaming outside – especially in built up areas there is sadly a chance it could be injured or pick up an illness. Should this happen emergency vet bills can be eye wateringly expensive so it is worth making an informed decision on whether insurance is a good idea! 

Is it worth insuring my furry friend

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MY CAT BEFORE SEARCHING FOR AND COMPARING INSURANCE POLICIES? 

You should know your cat’s breed, its age, how much you paid or donated for it, and its sex and whether it’s been spayed/neutered. Interestingly male cats can cost more to insure to female cats as they’re more prone to urine infections. Some policies will charge more for rescue cats as you won’t be fully aware of their medical history. However, don’t let this put you off – rescuing an animal can be the most rewarding exercise.

Bear in mind, a cat’s age will have great bearing on the expense of your policy. As cats age they’re prone to more health problems, which will be reflected in the cost of renewing or taking out older cat insurance. Kittens can also get sick in infancy so it’s worth looking into kitten insurance when you first bring a little one home. 

When you get to choosing the policy that works for you, there are few things to think about. 

If your cat has pre-existing conditions, you need to pick the correct policy as you don’t want your cat to have expensive treatment and then find you’re not covered for it. 

Policies can appear cheaper, but that’s because they may have a percentage-based excess attached to them. This means if your cat has to have very expensive treatment, the excess is applicable before the one-off payment is released.  

There are some additional services you can choose to add to your policy (for a cost) including cover if your cat is lost or stolen which includes a one-off payment if the cat is not located, and any costs involved in advertising to find the cat. This is different to dogs as while it’s illegal to own a non-microchipped dog, your cat does not need a microchip. Mr Insurer recommends you do microchip cats though as it makes them easier to reunite if lost or stolen. You can also choose to add a death clause which is where the provider will pay for the cost of euthanising your animal and bereavement counselling. 

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAT INSURANCE?

There are actually four main types of insurance for your cat

  1. Lifetime 
  2. Maximum Benefit
  3. Accident Only
  4. Time Limited

Lifetime insurance covers illnesses, accidents, and conditions throughout its lifetime, as long as you’re paying continuous cover (as ever, Mr Insurer recommends you always read the terms and conditions carefully). Maximum Benefit is the insurance that’s the best if your cat has a pre-existing chronic condition. It has a capped pay-out for each condition but there’s no time limit for when you can claim for. Accident Only insurance covers your cat if it has an accident, NOT if it has an illness or any medical conditions. It’s the cheapest policy but does only cover a small number of instances of why you might need to get your cat treated. Time Limited will cover any new conditions your cat develops in a 12-month period and usually the policy stipulates you can make just one claim, on which there’s a financial limit. If that condition returns, the insurance does not cover follow up treatment or medication.  

The main comparison sites have some useful tools like how policies can be affected by insuring purebred breeds, or the sex of your cat, or the age of your cat. Here are a couple of useful sites: 

Mr Insurer recommends insurance for your cat. You don’t want your financial situation to determine the future of your cat should the worst happen. If you spend time comparing the various policies available and maximizing cashback offers it can be less expensive than you think. Often 1 uninsured trip to the vet in an emergency costs  ore than annual cover! 

It is always worth looking at reviews from other pet owners that have had to use their insurance and of course speak to your vet! Some vets will favor certain insurance providers and as such the process of making a claim can be much easier. A good place tom start in our opinion is Pet Plan!
 

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