Get The Perfect Cover For Your Cat
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There’s an estimated 11 million cats in the UK and, if you are the owner of one or more of them, you may want to consider cat insurance. It pays for vet bills and other expenses, saving you from having to fork out large and unexpected costs for the welfare of your cat.
But where are the best places to go for cat insurance? We’ve analysed the market (February 2022) to find the top five providers. We’ve based our choices on factors such as monthly policy cost, level of cover per condition, policy limits and vet excess charges (the first part of any claim you need to pay from your own pocket).
For more details on how we ranked the insurers, refer to our Methodology section, below.
Best Cat Insurance Providers Of 2022
Methodology
Our data is based on a pedigree Domestic Shorthair cat (rescued) born in January 2020. It assumes the cat is spayed, chipped with up-to-date vaccinations.
We applied lifetime pet insurance policies to this scenario as this is the most common type among pet owners, and ranked the cheapest we found for the following:
- Monthly cost – the amount you pay each month for the policy
- Cover per condition – the amount covered for each medical condition claimed
- Policy limit – the total amount of cover provided on the policy per year
- Vet fees excess – the amount payable each time you claim for veterinary costs. (You may also have to pay an additional contribution to the remaining amount of each claim depending on your cat’s age, either as a fixed percentage or fee.)
We then converted their total scores into Forbes Advisor star ratings.
Data is accurate as of January 2022, and is intended as guidance only.
Getting the right type of policy
When you’re looking at potential policies for your cat, first make sure you understand what you’re comparing, rather than simply selecting the cheapest pet insurance on offer. This will prevent any unwanted surprises should you need to make a claim.
The four main types of pet insurance policy in the UK are:
- Lifetime cover – this is the most comprehensive type of pet insurance available. Lifetime cover will insure your cat for illnesses and injuries throughout its life, so long as you keep the policy in place (pre-existing illnesses are likely to be excluded). Policies come with annual claim limits, though – either an overall financial cap or an individual condition limit, so make sure you are happy with these before committing.
- Time-limited cover – these policies will cover your pet’s illnesses and injuries for a set amount of time after the condition was first discovered (often 12 months), which is separate from the length of the policy. After this time, you won’t be able to claim for the condition again. There will often be a financial limit on the amount you can claim too.
- Maximum benefit cover – rather than a set amount of time, these policies offer a fixed amount of money per condition for as long as your policy is in place. When this financial limit is reached, the condition won’t be covered again.
- Accident-only cover – as the name suggests, these policies cover your cat’s accidental injuries and not illness. They are generally the cheapest pet insurance policies available.
Cover to suit your lifestyle
There are certain items that most comprehensive pet insurance policies will cover – with the exception of accident-only policies.
You should be covered for vet bills to treat new illnesses and injuries plus, potentially, cattery costs should you become ill and have to stay in hospital.
Some policies will also cover dental repairs should your cat have an accident that requires this treatment.
Depending on the type of cat you have, its health and its age, you may want to look for particular items in a policy.
As an example, if you have a pedigree cat, it may be worth looking for policies that cover the amount you paid for it should your cat be stolen, lost, or die prematurely. You may also want to make sure that a policy will meet the cost of putting up posters and offering a reward.
If you are a regular traveller, you may wish to look for a policy that covers holiday cancellation should your pet become ill or go missing ahead of a trip – but always read the terms and conditions to ensure you’re buying the best value pet insurance for your circumstances.
If your cat is older or has a pre-existing health condition, you may need to look for a specialist policy as not all insurers will cover them.
What isn’t covered
While you’re comparing pet insurance policies, make sure you factor in what is excluded as well as included.
For example, any pre-existing conditions your cat has will usually fall outside the cover of a new policy.
Not all vet bills will be paid, either. Routine procedures such as vaccinations, flea treatment and grooming will generally be excluded, while treatments around pregnancy and giving birth probably won’t be covered either.
How can I get the best deal?
When you’ve worked out what you need from an insurance policy, it’s good practice to shop around so you feel confident that you have the best pet insurance policy for your cat at a competitive price.
One way to see policies from a number of companies side-by-side is to use a pet insurance comparison service online. After entering your details once, you should be able to compare pet insurance quotes together, taking particular note of the elements that are most important to you.
If you have more than one cat, it’s worth considering a multi-pet insurance policy as this may work out cheaper than insuring each cat individually.
But, again, always check you are happy with the terms and conditions of a policy rather than opting for the short-term approach of buying the cheapest.
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