Cat and Kitten Insurance

Having cat insurance to ensure you can foot the bill for any illnesses, accidents or medical emergencies you cat may have in the future, can bring peace of mind and help to take the worry out of what can be a stressful situation. Choosing the right insurance for cats might seem like a difficult job, but we’re here to help!

Our cats give us a huge amount of enjoyment, as well as being our beloved companions. So, at times of stress, illness or crisis, you want to make sure you have a good cat insurance policy in place to ensure you can afford to give them the very best treatment. After all, money is the last thing you want to think about if your cat is ill, lost or stolen.

Your vet practice may be able to help with some information about the types of insurance for cats that your pet might benefit from - especially when it comes to their health and veterinary costs - and we’ve made a list of some general things to help you out too. 

Knowing how to choose pet insurance can seem daunting, but once it’s done, nothing beats the peace of mind you get from knowing you can afford whatever the future may bring for you and your furry friend.

The importance of cat insurance

Medical care for cats is improving all the time. However, these treatments can be costly, so taking some time to ensure you have got the right insurance can take some of the worry away, as you’ll know you’re financially covered.

Even so, it’s important to know how to choose cat insurance that will fit your pet’s needs for life – which means reading the small print!

What to look for in a cat or kitten insurance policy

When looking for cat or kitten insurance, it’s a good idea to do your research on the companies that are offering the policies. In the unfortunate event that you do need to make a claim; a good company could make the experience far less stressful. 
You should firstly search for a good track record from your cat insurance company and research other people who have claimed and what their experiences were like. The internet can be your saviour here as you can search for reviews from other cat owners. This will give you all the clues you need to find out the policy you are choosing has a good reputation regarding paying out easily, quickly and reliably.
They should be easy to contact and offer a good, simple and straightforward service. Don’t forget to check opening times – emergencies rarely seem to happen 9-5 Monday to Friday! Also, if they have live chat, email or if all contact is via phone. Additionally, make sure that they’re happy to answer any questions and that the people you talk to are friendly and helpful. Remember that you might need to call them at a difficult time, so you need to feel like they are approachable.
Sometimes finding a company that are their own underwriters can make this process more straightforward.

Things to bear in mind for your cat insurance policy

You’ll probably end up looking at all kinds of policies – and it can be difficult to choose between them if they all start to look the same! To help you out, here are the main things you might want to consider when choosing insurance for cats.

• The cost of your policy
  While you want the best policy you can get when it comes to your feline friend, you need to be able to afford the cat insurance cost. If the monthly premium is too high for your finances, you’ll just be giving yourself extra stress.
• How much excess will you have to pay for each claim?
  The excess is the amount of money you have to pay before the cat insurance company covers the remainder. If the excess is high, you’re less likely to claim for minor conditions – and this should be reflected in a lower monthly cost. Only you can weigh up the pros and cons, but make sure you think it’s fair.
• Does the cat insurance cover all the costs of your pet’s treatment?
  It’s also important to find out what areas of treatment will be included within the policy. 
  For example: consultation fees, your cat staying in hospital, their medicine, anaesthetic, operations, x-rays and ultrasounds and laboratory fees. At a referral level, this would be if your vet sends your cat to a specialist. 
  You might also want to find out if the treatment of behavioural problems and complementary treatments such as acupuncture are covered. Choose whatever’s right for you and your cat but make sure you understand what’s covered. 
  You might also ask if your cover will include the cost, or a contribution towards, special veterinary recommended diets.
  
   

• How does your cat’s age affect the cost of your cat insurance policy?
  Some companies won’t offer policies for older cats, as there is more of a likelihood that they will need expensive treatments, and some will ask you to pay a proportion of their treatment if your cat is a certain age or above. Also, how much will the premium increase every year.
• What’s the maximum amount you can claim for each condition in a year?
  Hopefully it won’t happen, but your cat might need treatment at a specialist centre – and the bills can add up. For example, £1000 might sound like a lot of money as the maximum amount your cat or kitten insurance company pays for something, but a bill for a broken bone could easily be double that amount or much more! Think about the bills you’d expect should something go wrong and decide accordingly. A rule of thumb is get the largest amount of cover you can afford.
• Will they offer lifetime cover?
  Some companies will offer ‘lifetime’ cover which will protect your cat for their entire lifetime, providing the policy gets renewed each year. You’ll have a yearly allowance which will either be a set limit to cover all issues or per condition and upon renewal this will refresh, and you’ll get your allowance topped back up. 
  This is important as some companies will exclude any illness/condition your cat has had in the past - and if you go to a new company, they will not pay out on any of these either.
• How much is the cost of your insurance affected by your postcode or your cat’s breed?
  It’s worth keeping in mind that your cat’s breed and your postcode will often change the premium cost. For example, more urban areas might attract a higher premium, as do breeds of cat that are known to suffer from more problems. If you have a pedigree cat, check that congenital and hereditary conditions are definitely covered too as some policies won’t let you claim for known hereditary conditions.
• Does your cover include third-party costs in case your cat causes an accident?
  Cats don’t mean to cause trouble, but sometimes mishaps do happen! Check what will happen if your cat causes an accident – and have a look at your house and contents insurance, as some of these policies also cover legal liability for damage or injury caused by pets.
• Are there multi-pet discounts?
  Many companies offer a discount if you have multiple pets within your home.
• Will your insurance company pay if your cat gets lost or is stolen?
  Some companies offer a lump sum if your cat strays, gets lost, or is taken. Also check to see if your policy contributes to the cost of making missing notices and offering a reward.
• Will the company give you a lump sum if your cat has to be put to sleep?
  Some policies might offer a lump sum if you have to do this as a result of illness or accident, which is important for pedigree cats and kittens that can cost several hundred or even thousand pounds.
• What other restrictions does the policy have?
  Take a look at the conditions of your policy to ensure you don’t accidentally lose your cover. For example, some policies won’t cover dental treatment unless your cat’s teeth are checked by the vet once a year. Most policies require complete, up-to-date cat vaccinations. Check the small print of your insurance for cats so you can stick to the restrictions and keep your cat fully covered.
   

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