What is cat insurance?
Cat insurance is just a shorthand term to describe a pet insurance policy. This type of insurance policy will help you pay for expenses related to the health and wellbeing of your cat. For example, your pet insurance policy may cover the vet costs for a broken leg, or (if you have higher-level cover) your pet’s vaccinations.
A standard pet insurance policy should cover any breed of household cat. Alas, it does not cover meerkats!
How much does it cost to insure my cat?
Like any insurance product, the cost to insure your pet will vary depending on its health, age, the level of cover you wish to insure them with, and the insurer you have selected.
Say, for example, your cat contracted pneumonia. Vet care may total $3,169.84, according to RSPCA. Or, say a serious car accident resulted in surgery and ongoing care. Such healthcare can be enormously expensive.
Lucky for you, many accident & illness / accident only policies provide $10,000+ worth of cover every year. This should be enough coverage to help pay for your vet bills. According to Moneysmart, accident only cover costs (on average) $20 a month, making it an attractive, low-cost product.
Does my new insurance policy cover my entire vet bill?
Cat insurance can cover a sizable amount of your bill, but it will usually not cover the full amount. Depending on the policy you choose, pet insurance will cover up to 85% of eligible vet bills.
An insurance policy may not cover everything but it does offer necessary financial support at a critical time.
Can I insure my cat for life?
You can insure a cat that’s eight weeks or older and they’ll enjoy cover for their entire life (so long as the policy is maintained). Accidents can occur at any time, which makes pet insurance a wise investment. You’d also be surprised at how much care kittens require early on in their lives.
Another thing to keep in mind is that older cats cannot be covered by a new accident & illness policy once they reach a certain age. It’s smart to insure your pet before it turns nine years old to avoid this. All that being said, owners can get accident only cover for their cat no matter how old the pet is.
Is there anything cat insurance doesn’t cover?
Your pet insurance policy may not cover your cat’s routine check-ups or medications, dental work. Many of these treatments are only covered under a comprehensive policy, and you’ll still find that coverage varies from insurer to insurer. Also pet insurance will generally not cover pre-existing conditions. Make sure you read your Product Disclosure Statement prior to taking out cover to be sure what you can claim in the future.