How to really find cat insurance for older cat - age 15

fairy2

I keep looking but it is not until you go into the small print of policies that you see on most that although policies may cover older cats policies need to be started at a much earlier age. Does anyone know where I can search for policies to commence to cover older cats or where at least this restriction is pretty clear at stage 1? Touch wood the cat has never needed any vet treatment bar innoculations etc. Many thanks.

Savvy_Sue

Try a broker?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

You aren't very likely to find anything affordable - Insurers are well aware that a previous uninsured moggy suddenly being covered means it's either highly likely they've got something already going wrong with them and the owner is attempting to insure them with a view to making a claim in the next six months or, at best, it's innocent, but something probably will happen to them very soon just because of their age.

You'd probably be better off finding out the cost of the premiums and putting that money aside each month to cover any treatments, as not all diseases of geriatric cats are that expensive to treat.

Ilona

I took in a moggy cat aged ten months old. I got him insured and paid it for 15 years. Never needed to claim. I cancelled it because if he became poorly it would be age related and I don't agree on keeping a sick animal going in it's later years. He died age 20 and was only sick for the last six months for which I paid for treatment.

I now have two young lady cats, four years old. I haven't insured them, I put away money for them so it's there if needed. The choice is yours.

Ilona

sheramber

Not a recommendation and cover may be limited but look at

Direct Line
Morethan
Bought BY Many
Petplan

boots_babe

Ilona wrote: »

I took in a moggy cat aged ten months old. I got him insured and paid it for 15 years. Never needed to claim. I cancelled it because if he became poorly it would be age related and I don't agree on keeping a sick animal going in it's later years. He died age 20 and was only sick for the last six months for which I paid for treatment.

I now have two young lady cats, four years old. I haven't insured them, I put away money for them so it's there if needed. The choice is yours.

Ilona

I know some people advocate self insuring, but for pet insurance I really think this is a bad idea. It's great that you have been lucky and had minimal vet bills. But our lovely cat who passed away in December had a multitude of issues over the last years of his life. One year we got to £6k claimed and then I stopped counting, and it only accumulated over the next couple of years after that.

Compared to the potential vet bills, the cost of cat insurance is very small indeed. Perhaps I'm too risk averse, but to me, not insurance a pet is effectively taking a massive gamble that you'll be lucky.

sheramber

I think people go by their own experience.

I have had 7 dogs. Some have been insured, some not.

One , I insured when she was older and within days she had had an operation costing £450. The next year she had a cruciate repair followed by ongoing treatment for arthritis in that leg. That was followed by 6 months antibiotics for a persistent chest infection/pneumonia.

Petplan paid out far more for her than I paid them.

One of my current dogs had a cruciate repair costing nearly £3000. I only pay £26 per month for her insurance so have a few years premiums to break even on that and the dental treatment she needed after knocking two teeth loose when she collided with my other dog.

My other dog is 13 and has not had any claims. Any vet bills have been below the excess.

But I consider £20 - £30 per month which is what I have paid for him is worth it for peace of mind.

It is always a gamble but unless you have built up a large sum of money or have access to a credit card with a large limit then it is a risk to self insure.