Kitten insurance

Why you need kitten insurance

As sweet as they may be, kittens have been known to cause havoc with their adventurous spirit and independent ways. A quick roam around YouTube will quickly prove that mischief is hard-wired into feline DNA.

A playful kitten can cause much amusement, but moggy escapades can also lead to accidents, accidental damage and unexpected trips to the vet for treatment if your kitten manages to injure itself. With vet bills on the rise this could leave a big dent in your pocket in the early months of kitten ownership. 

There is also the risk of illness or an ongoing condition affecting your kitten, and the potential for regular bills to get them back on their sprightly little paws.

So it’s worth making sure you’ve got your kitten covered by investing in an insurance policy to meet the cost of a sudden trip to the vet. You can also get cover for the cost of advertising if your kitten was ever lost or stolen – which can happen given their wandering ways. 

Types of kitten insurance

While there are typical traits to a standard kitten insurance policy, you will find that cover varies between different providers, so it’s vital to make sure you know what you’re covered for, and that you have all the cover you want.

Generally, a particular sum in vet’s fees will be covered, along with advertising if your kitten is lost or stolen – and many will also provide a death benefit and cover holiday cancellation and boarding fees so your kitten is looked after if you have to go into hospital, for example. 

However, if you’re seeking additional cover you’ll need to check the fine print, or pay for a more expensive policy to make sure you’re covered for your particular needs.

The cheapest form of policy will provide annual cover. As its name suggests, this will cover you for a set period of 12 months, and during this time your kitten will be covered up to the limits in the policy. But after the policy expires, your kitten will no longer be covered unless you’d chosen to renew the cover. 

Alternatively, you can opt for a policy that offers protection for a specific condition, with a limit for how much you can claim – so if treatment comes in at greater cost than the cap, this will have to come out of your pocket. 

For the most comprehensive cover, choose a lifetime policy. As with all pet insurance lifetime policies, this will cover for a long-term illness such as asthma, so you’re safe in the knowledge that the cost of treatment will always be met up to the annual limit. However, by picking this policy you’ll have to stick with the same insurer and pay your premium each year. 

A vital aspect of kitten insurance is making sure it provides both indoor and outdoor cover. For older cats outdoor areas can generate lots of claims – for example, they can get stuck in a tree. But for small moggies indoor cover can be just as essential given the range of dangers which your kitten may face. 

Kitten insurance exclusions

You’ll need to pick a policy as soon as possible for a kitten to make it worthwhile, so that’s usually when the animal is between six and eight weeks old. However, there are some things that aren’t typically covered. This includes standard procedures such as vaccinations, spaying, castration, worming tablets and flea control. 

Also, remember that pre-existing conditions also won’t fall under standard policies, so don’t think you can make claims for the cost of treating these – or any hereditary conditions. There are additional costs you can pay to get, for example, dental cover, if you consider this worthwhile for your kitten.

Compare kitten insurance

It’s simple to compare the price of kitten insurance policies by using a comparison site like MoneySuperMarket. Using this, you can pick from the variety on offer, although remember that cheapest is not always best – and you have to make sure the policy fits your particular needs. 

There are, however, various ways to bring down the cost of cover. For example, by buying a policy online you can usually get a cheaper deal, and also if you have several kittens to cover some insurers offer a discount for multi-pet policies.