Cat insurance isn’t a legal requirement but you could be
facing a hefty vet bill if your cat develops an on-going
condition or suffers from an accident and you’re left
footing the bill. It’s traumatic enough to watch your cat
go through such an ordeal but cat insurance can alleviate
some of the stress and give you peace of mind that the cost
of treatment will be covered.
There are four main types of cat insurance:
Accident only policies cover the cost of treatment if your cat is involved in an accident. Typically, this is the cheapest type of cat insurance you can get as it offers the least extensive cover. Some providers offer accident and illness policies that cover your cat if they become ill as the result of an accident, but most exclude illnesses entirely.
Time limited cat insurance covers the cost of vet fees over a 12-month period from the date you first noticed the illness or injury. When the 12-month period ends, your cat will no longer be covered for the particular injury you claimed for, even if you renew your policy.
Maximum benefit policies allow you to claim for illnesses and injuries up to a pre-set limit. This is typically seen as the mid-range option. With a maximum benefit policy, you can claim for the same condition more than once, unlike time limited policies. However, once you’ve reached the maximum amount, you’ll have to pay for further treatment yourself.
Lifetime cat insurance covers accidents, illnesses and conditions throughout the lifetime of the policy. The limit is renewed each year. As lifetime policies offer the most comprehensive level of cover, they tend to be the most expensive. If your pet develops an ongoing condition that you want to cover for life, you’ll need to renew your lifetime policy yearly or find a new policy that covers pre-existing conditions.
This will vary depending on the type of policy you take out but most pet insurance for cats provides cover for the following:
Before you take out a policy, make sure you read the terms and conditions thoroughly to check exactly what your cat is and isn’t covered for. Common exclusions include:
You can get a lifetime cat insurance policy for as little as £8.11 per month according to Compare by Review data in November 2020. *
The amount you pay for kitten insurance will depend on a range of factors, mainly the type of policy you choose. The more comprehensive the policy, the more expensive your premium will be, for example, accident only cat insurance is far cheaper than lifetime cat insurance. Your postcode will also impact the amount you pay because the cost of vet treatment is higher in some parts of the UK. If you live in an area where treatment is known to cost more, it’s likely that you’ll have to pay a higher premium. Pet insurance for older cats generally costs more too as older cats are at higher risk of developing health problems or illnesses. And finally, if you have a pedigree cat, you can expect to pay more to insure your cat.
Our comparison table ranks cat insurance exclusively on customer experience and product quality, rather than price. We encourage you to read cat insurance reviews when deciding who to take out a policy with to get an idea of how different insurers treat their customers and handle claims. You want to ensure that you’re in safe hands if the worst were to happen to your cuddly companion. Take a look at the best cat insurance providers below:
Provider
Cat quote
Review Score
Cover from
Dog quote
Maximum vet fees
£14.12
per month
1st of 25
£16.99
per month2nd of 25
£10.85
per month3rd of 25