? Who has pet insurance?

[Misterbeesmom]

i'm wondering if i should get it. We've already spent thousands, and we'll be going to a medical center soon, which is going to be super expensive i'm sure. I know zero about pet insurances. I wonder if its too late now because mr b is a senior, with pre existing conditions.

Anyone have luck with pet insurance?

 

[Sue484]

I have insurance for mine otherwise I would have bone bankrupt! Frankie has Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy as well as Diabetes and both he and his brother had a rare nasal growth when they were kittens, so for me it is worth it's weight in gold. As your kitty already had diabetes, he will not be covered for that by any insurance company as they do not cover pre existing conditions. You need to be careful which policy you take out too. Some just cover conditions for a year. You need one that covers each and every new condition up to a certain limit. Mine is £7,500 per condition. Some may not even take on seniors, some do but at a premium.

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Pet insurance is fine if you enroll BEFORE any health problems crop up. Once there is a health issue like diabetes, that would be considered pre-existing and anything associated with the diabetes would not be covered. So while you might get some benefit out of it for other ailments, I'd be careful because if the insurance company can make any connection between the diabetes and any new condition, they will exclude it too.

Insuring a senior cat may also be cost prohibitive. Many policies have limits on what they will pay out for any specific condition so with the increased premiums for a senior cat with a pre-existing condition , it's questionable whether the cost would be worth the benefit in the long run. If you decide to go forward with insurance, make sure you read the fine print very carefully.

 

[Diana&Tom]

Yes - I always had insurance for my previous two cats Tom and Sophie - they were incredibly healthy until Tom's FD/acro dx and that cost the insurance company a good few pounds, although I had an "excess" on the policy which meant that I had to pay the first 15% of every claim, or similar.

I've had insurance for my little civvie Sapphire since she was nine weeks old. It's not cheap and goes up every year, but I reckon that veterinary treatment is so expensive that it's worth having the peace of mind that comes with insurance. At least then I know what the monthly cost is, as opposed to a possible nasty shock if she was to need treatment in the future.

Some people "self-insure" which is basically putting a sum of money aside each month, maybe into a separate account, which would be used to pay for or go towards vet treatment. If you have a young animal and don't need to visit a vet for several years this can be a good option although as others have said above, older cats cost more to insure because they are more likely to develop conditions needing treatment as they get older.

It's probably worth ringing round for some quotes (actually speak to the staff instead of getting a quote online) - you may find something that fits the bill. Good luck!

Diana

 

[Critter Mom]

If you are shopping for a policy then for an older cat it is vital that it has lifetime cover. If UK insurance providers are any way typical you may need to stay with the same insurer for life in order to maintain the cover.


Mogs
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[Squalliesmom]

I have insurance on three of my four cats. Of course, the only one NOT insured is the one who has diabetes! To insure him at 16 would have cost more than all the other three, put together, and would still not cover his diabetes. Hence, no insurance on him.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

No insurance at all. We have a multi-cat household (currently 5; two oldies and three youngsters), and we just prefer to pay for health costs as they arise. (Maybe we're daft... )...Also, it seemed that we would have to vaccinate the cats every year in order that the insurance would be paid out, and....I have grave concerns about over-vaccination....
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