The importance of kitten insurance
If you are the proud owner of a new kitten, you'll want to do everything you can to make sure the latest addition to the family has the best start in life. And while the possibility of your moggy becoming ill is highly unpleasant, you'll want peace of mind that if this did happen, you would be able to afford their care. But vet bills can be very costly and, as the first few months of your kitten's life is when it's at its most vulnerable, it's important to have kitten insurance in place right from the start.
Not only will insurance protect you against the related costs of your kitten becoming ill and needing operations and injections, but it would also pay out for the cost of marketing and advertising if your kitten was ever lost or stolen. There are a number of insurance options you can go for, but the most important thing is to get the right type of policy to suit your kitten's needs.
Types of kitten insurance
All policies will vary so it is essential that you check the small print so you know exactly what is included. Many will cover vet fees, death benefit, holiday cancellation, boarding fees, theft/straying, as well as advertising if your kitten is lost, and accidental damage. However, depending on the policy you go for, you may need to bolt other protection on as extra.
An annual policy will be the most basic and cheapest policy. It covers you for a set period which is usually 12 months so if your kitten becomes ill or has an accident during this time, you will be covered under the policy. However, if they were to develop a condition that needed treatment after this period - unless you had renewed the insurance - you would have to stump up the cash yourself, which could be very costly.
The second type of kitten insurance is an individual condition policy which will pay out for any condition but it will be capped at a certain amount. Again, treatment for the condition will cease as soon as the financial cap is reached, you would be expected to pay were further treatment required.
The most comprehensive type of kitten insurance is lifetime cover. This will cost you more, but will give you assurance that if your pet was to develop a chronic or long term illness such as asthma or diabetes, then its on-going treatment would be covered. The only drawback is that you will have to stay with the same insurer and renew each year, but you would have peace of mind that your pets continuing care would be paid for.
While there are risks for outdoor cats such as getting stuck in trees or having a run-in with a dog, there are small spaces cats can get stuck in within the home as well as the possibility of them getting infections. Therefore, indoor or outdoor, insurance for your kitten is essential.
Kitten insurance exclusions
Kittens are notoriously mischievous, so it's vital that you have insurance from day one. For most insurers, this will be when the kitten is between six and eight weeks old.
Vaccinations, spaying, castration, worming tablets and flea control will not be covered, nor will routine trips to the vets. Hereditary or pre-existing conditions are also exempt.
Dental cover is a further exclusion so if you felt this was necessary it is something that would have to be added on at an extra cost.
How to get the cheapest kitten insurance policy
Not getting pet insurance is a false economy and having to shell out a small fortune in vets bills is pointless when paying a few pounds a month could take away the worry.
Use MoneySupermarket to save money by looking at our list of pet insurance providers to find the best policy for you and your kitten, at the best price. Insurance providers will often offer a discount if you buy the policy online and further reductions if you insure more than one pet.
For more detail, read our pet insurance guide for advice and tips on pet insurance policies.
