Cheap Pet Insurance for Cats
By
Sam Gilbert
Cost shouldn't be the only factor in your decision about what pet insurance is right for your cat; but there's no getting away from the fact that it is a major consideration for many UK cat owners.
So, we've looked at what's available from different pet insurance companies to find the cheapest pet insurance for cats in 2014:
| Pet Insurance Policy | ||||
| 1. Animal Friends - Accident Only | ||||
| 2. Protect Your Bubble - Economy | ||||
| 3. Purely Pets - Accident Only | ||||
| 4. More Than - Basic | ||||
| 5. Debenhams - Bronze |
These quotes are all based on buying pet insurance for a 3-year old female mixed breed cat (or moggy), in a Milton Keynes postcode. We researched these quotes online in January 2014.
What are the drawbacks with buying cheap pet insurance for cats?
Two of the three cheapest pet insurance policies available from cats - from Animal Friends and Purely Pets - are "Accident Only". This means that they only pay out if your cat needs vet treatment because of an accident, and won't cover the costs of vet bills for illnesses and medical conditions. It's for this reason that Defaqto rated them 1 out of 5 and 2 out 5 respectively when conducting its independent review of cat insurance policies.
The second cheapest policy, "Economy" pet insurance from Protect Your Bubble, will pay out if your cat needs to go to the vet because of a medical condition. However, the amount you can claim is capped at £1,000 per year, and the terms of the policy excess means you will have to pay the first £100 of any pet insurance claim you make yourself, plus 15% of the total bill. Defaqto scores this policy 1 out of 5.
Meanwhile, More Than Basic and Debenhams Bronze both score 3 out 5. They are slightly more expensive, but they do provided higher veles of cover for cats than the cheaper alternatives.
If you'd like to find out more about the cream of cat insurance policies, why not read our article Best Pet Insurance for Cats?
I have a rescue cat. Can I still get pet insurance?
Yes, absolutely. There is a small complication in applying for pet insurance if you have recently rescued a cat, which is that most pet insurance companies require you to give the cat's date of birth when you are getting a pet insurance quote. Often, a rescue cat's date of birth is unknown. The best way to tackle this is to ask your vet to estimate your cat's age and date of birth. Most pet insurance companies will accept this.
If you have a rescue cat, you can join our Pet Insurance for Rescue Cats group. We've used the buying power of rescue cat owners to agree cheaper pet insurance from More Than.
I have a pedigree cat. Is it true this makes pet insurance more expensive?
Yes. The reason for this is that the breeding process makes pedigree cats susceptible to hereditary medical conditions, which can result in a need for vet treatment. As a result, pedigree cat owners are more likely to make claims on their pet insurance, and this pushes the costs up. Pedigree cats also tend to be more financially valuable, which can also lead to more expensive pet insurance claims if they pass away or are stolen.
We have been helping owners of pedigree cats use their combined power to negotiated discounts on insurance. Have a look at our Cat Insurance for Cat Breeds group for more details about the offers on pet insurance that we've been able to negotiate.
We also have specific insurance buying groups for the following cat breeds: Cornish Rex, Egyptian Mau, Himalayan, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ocicat, Oriental, Ragamuffin, Snowshoe, Sphynx, and Tonkinese.
