By: Talin Seta Shahinian
It’s a privilege to care for a cat and enjoy their companionship, but it’s also a responsibility. Being a good pet parent is ready to foot the bill for routine veterinary care and prepared if a health emergency arises. However, there can be hefty bills for the care they need. That’s why it’s a good idea for your cat to have pet insurance. Pet insurance has costs of its own, so is it worth the expense? Let’s delve into what you can expect from pet insurance, so you can make an educated decision about whether or not to purchase it.
Types of Pet Insurance
There are three main types of pet insurance:
- Accident-only. Cover vet care for an injury your cat has sustained.
- Accident/illness. Cover the vet care for a sudden injury or an ongoing health condition or disease.
- Wellness. Available as an add-on to the other types of insurance plans. Wellness plans on their own aren’t usually worth it, as the yearly premiums may be more than the cost of routine vet visits.
When to Start a Pet Insurance Plan
It’s important to note that, unfortunately, no pet insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions. That’s why it’s important to get pet insurance while your cat is still young and healthy, if possible. Ideally, if you’ve adopted a kitten or a young cat, get them insurance soon after their adoption. Humane societies, and some shelters, offer links to special deals on pet insurance plans right in your adoption packet folder.
Older Cat Insurance Coverage
If you adopt an older or senior cat, you should still get them health insurance. Even if their pre-existing condition isn’t covered, it will still be worth it to have insurance, as aging may bring new concerns and conditions that would be covered. There’s also always the possibility of an accident or injury.
For example, if your cat has a pre-existing condition, such as kidney disease, many other conditions or emergency health needs would still be covered. If your cat happens to swallow some yarn, a toy, a bottle cap, or a hair tie and ends up with a GI obstruction, the insurance will cover the surgery. Among the many dozens of other scenarios that would be covered are ear infection, a urinary tract infection, cancer, a cut that gets infected, accidental exposure to poison, or injuries resulting from your cat being struck by an automobile.
How Does Pet Insurance Coverage Work?
All pet health insurance functions on reimbursement of your cat’s vet expenses. This means it’s still important to put aside some money in savings to cover your cat’s care. Depending on the deductible rate you select when choosing an insurance plan, your reimbursement amount will vary. Your reimbursement rate will usually be between 80-100%.
How Much Will Pet Insurance Cost Per Month?
You can expect to pay between $30 to $50 per month for a plan with adequate coverage or up to $100 for premium coverage. Weigh those costs against the most common cat treatments, including tests and X-Rays, which can run your bill much higher. In addition, surgery for your cat can start at $1,500, and if your cat was to face cancer treatment, the costs for chemotherapy alone could be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. Considering the peace of mind you’ll have along with the financial savings, and you’ll find that pet insurance is indeed worth it.
If you live in NW Wisconsin, Purple Cat Mobile Vet Clinic is here to help you keep your cat healthy and happy. We’re a high-quality, high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic. We see cats exclusively. Find information for scheduling on our www.purplecatvet.com website. You can also look on our Facebook page for more helpful information on all things feline!