Cat Insurance: Why is it Important and What to Look Out For
Pets become an integral part of our lives. When you first bring a cat into your home, the last thing you think about is them being unwell. But it is your responsibility, as a pet owner, to see that they get the best veterinary care, which is why you need to think about cat insurance as soon as you have taken on a cat.
Nowadays, there are all kinds of treatments available to heal and cure your cat, due to advancements in veterinary science. The cost of veterinary care and treatment has increased a lot, mainly because of these new medicines and technological developments. More illnesses can be treated better these days.
An X-ray or an anaesthetic at your vets can cost a tidy sum of money. Cats are often be involved in road accidents, and suffer broken bones, and problems with their teeth, as well as injuries caused by other cats. Long term health issues such as kidney failure, arthritis, and diabetes also affect older cats. These can all be costly to treat.
Cat Insurance Can Help With Medical Expenses
This is the main reason you should get cat insurance. Medical expenses incurred on your cat can be met in part or in whole by your cat insurance policy, but this depends on your individual policy. They are not all the same.
Registered veterinary clinics normally accept cat insurance, and sometimes discounts are available for multiple pets. If you insure your cat, you are guarding against unexpected medical bills, and covering yourself against inflation, as prices rise at your vets. In a few years time what looks affordable now may be a huge bill a few years from now.
Cat insurance will give you some peace of mind, knowing that no matter what the medical emergency, you should be able to cover the vets bills. Your cat insurance should pay for itself as your cat gets older, and becomes more prone to age related health problems. If you get your cat insured at an early age, this should mean it is covered for accidents and illness in the future,
A lot of cat insurance policies also cover you for the cost of advertising if your cat gets lost, though you need to check with them that this is so before you sign up. They may also insure you for cancelled holidays, due to your cat becoming ill, and possibly offer help with boarding costs if your cat is unwell when you are away. You need to research various cat insurance companies to see what they offer in their terms and conditions, before making your choice. Weigh up the pros and cons for each of them, before choosing the cat insurance policy that offers the best overall cover for your pet and your circumstances.
If you don’t know where to start your research you may wish to type some of the following search terms into your chosen search engine. Term such as cat insurance, pet insurance, pet health insurance, cat health insurance, veterinarian cost insurance should return useful results for you.
The big advantage of insuring your cat is being able to take your cat, pay for the treatment, and then claim the cost (or most of it) back from the insurer. You may be out of pocket at first, as you may have to pay for the treatment first, then get re-imbursed from the insurer. Remember to take your claim form with you. This will save any delay in getting re-imbursed.
You or your vet will need to complete the form, attach copies of all relevant receipts, and then send it off to the insurance company to review and assess your claim.
Check The Small Print Of Your Proposed Cat Insurance Policy
You need to check the small print before making your choice of cat insurance company. Today, lots of companies deal with pet insurance, from retail chains such as Tesco in the UK or Walmart in the US, to the main pet insurance companies such as Petplan. They all have different terms and conditions.
You need to consider the policy excess, or deductible that you will have to pay, before you decide who to insure your cat with. Find out which illnesses and conditions are not covered? Some companies don’t cover dental heath. Also, what is the maximum age limit that they offer cover for? It is normally about 10 years old, but if the cat has been insured from a young age with the company, they normally remain covered. To be sure, ask if your cat qualifies for lifetime coverage, if insured from a young age. Lifetime coverage would be ideal if you can get it.
Will you be expected to contribute towards any of the expenses. If so, how much? When your cat turns 10, you have to contribute 20% of the vets fees, with Petplan. 
What about your proposed insurer? Is it more, or less? Also ask how much is the insurer prepared to pay out on any one illness? Do they pay out for long term, incurable conditions such as thyroid problems or diabetes? Ask for an insurance quote from each of your proposed insurers, and as already mentioned weigh up each quote and compare the quotes and the terms and conditions of each of them to arrive at the best decision for you and your cat.
The cost of insuring your cat can vary considerably from one company to another, and it does also depend a lot on the extent of the cover. Your cat must be fully up to date with all of it’s vaccinations, to be covered by virtually all cat insurance companies, so you need to keep a log of when they have been done, and when they are next due. Failure to do this could accidentally void your cat insurance. Covering your cat from a young age will help to ensure you will always be able to provide the right care for your cat when it is needed, without worrying about how you will get the money for very large vet bills. So start looking for a good cat insurance policy today, whilst it’s fresh in your mind.
