Compare Cat Insurance Quotes
Just like our feline friends, cat insurance in the UK comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Tailored to your cat, specialist cat insurance policies can cover illness, accident, death and more (depending on the type of cover you take out).
Is cat insurance worth it? Whilst it’s not a legal requirement to insure your cat in the UK, with vets fees being what they are (expensive) if you own a cat and don’t want to see it suffer, then cat insurance can be worth it. The trick is to do your research, compare cat insurance policies and ensure that you take out the right policy for your budget and your pet.
What does cat insurance cover?
Whether you own a standard domestic shorthair or a pedigree cat such as Bengal, Ragdoll or Siamese, the type of insurance you take out influences both the cost of the policy and what’s covered.
There are primarily four types of cat insurance available in the UK:
As the name suggests, this type of policy only covers injury due to accident and not sickness or ill health. The reduction in cover makes it usually the cheapest type of policy.
Note: You are not covered should your cat develop an illness. Domestic cats can be prone many illnesses, such as respiratory or urinary infections.
Covers illness and accident for a set time period (usually 12 months).
Note: You are not covered if the limit of cover is reached or if problem reoccurs after the set time period.
This type of policy covers both accident and illness up to an agreed maximum limit. With no time limit this type of cat insurance is especially useful should your cat develop chronic illness.
This is the most comprehensive type of cat insurance in the UK and generally the most expensive. This type of policy covers your cat for vets fees and medication relating to accidents and illness for the lifetime of the policy. Limits are renewed annually.
What kind of pet insurance should I get for my cat?
There are lots of choices to make when taking out pet insurance for cats in the UK. If you’ve decided between a lifetime policy or a cheaper level of cover, you then need to think about any extra levels of protection you might require.
Typically UK cat insurers can offer cover for the following for an additional fee:
This can cover the cost of euthanizing your pet and in some cases bereavement counselling. You could also be compensated should your cat die in an accident.
Should you need to place your cat in a cattery if you were rendered unable to care for them – for example if you were taken to hospital.
Should you wish to take your cat abroad.
This insurance extra will contribute to the cost of advertising and offering a reward for their safe return.
Should you be unable to go on a planned holiday due to your pet’s sickness or injury.
Some insurers will offer cover for alternative treatments such as physiotherapy if recommended by a vet.
How much is cat insurance?
Once you’ve decided on the type of policy you’re looking for and any additional extras, the cost of cat insurance depends on a variety of factors including the age and breed of your cat, how many pets you are insuring with the same insurer and even your address.
What to look out for when insuring your cat
There are some things you should be mindful of when taking out cat insurance, be sure to read your policy details carefully.
What’s not covered by cat insurance
It is your responsibility as a cat owner to keep your cat healthy with regular de-fleaing, worming, dental treatments and vaccinations. None of these routine treatments are covered by insurers and many will stipulate that cover is dependent on these needs being met.
(Many veterinary practices offer packages that spread the cost of these regular treatments over 12 months)
Other things not covered by cat insurance include:
- Pregnancy and giving birth
- Neutering or spaying
- Pre-existing illness, conditions and injuries
- Behavioural problems
- Preventative treatments
- Routine check-ups
Useful FAQs
There is no legal requirement to insure your cat and so the amount of cover you choose to buy, if any, is entirely up to you. As with most insurance policies, it’s worth choosing a level of cover you can comfortably afford.
The short answer is yes.
Pedigree cats are valuable, more likely to be stolen and can be susceptible to specific health conditions due to their breed, for example brachycephalic breeds such as Persian and Burmese cats can suffer from eye and upper respiratory infections. Because of this insurers will ask for details of your cat’s breed and pedigree and this could impact on your premiums.
It’s not the size of your cat that impacts on the cost of cat insurance, many domestic shorthair cats can still get very big, however if your cat is pedigree and one of the bigger breeds, such as Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest or even a Siberian cat, it may cost more to insure due to pedigree.
Under UK law you don’t need to insure any cat, pet insurance is purely there to help you manage unexpected vets bills. Indoor cats are still susceptible to illness and injury, although they are far less likely to go missing, be stolen or run into trouble on the roads. It’s a good idea to let your insurer know if your cat is an indoor cat.
Although many insurers refuse to cover pre-existing conditions, some specialist pet insurers will provide cover, although this type of policy can be expensive.
In some cases, if your cat hasn’t had treatment or shown symptoms for a condition for over two years, some insurers will offer cover, so it’s worth checking the small print.
No, it’s not a legal requirement to microchip cats in the UK yet. However many people choose to microchip and register their cats since it’s a great way to identify cats that have gone missing or been stolen. Some insurers may even reduce cat insurance costs if the cat has been microchipped.
It is thought that this law is due to change in 2023 to bring it inline with the legal requirement to microchip dogs in the UK. Once this is in place then all cats will need to be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old.
No. Vaccinations and other routine treatments such as flea and worming treatments are not covered by cat insurance, in fact your cover may be invalidated if you do not keep up with this sort of care and booster vaccines to ensure your cat’s health.
Cat and kitten insurance are pretty much the same thing. Most insurers will provide cover for your feline from 6 – 8 weeks old. Usually, the younger the cat, the cheaper it is to insure, so it’s a good idea to take out insurance from a young age. This is especially true if you are taking out a lifetime policy since your furry friend will be covered for conditions which may develop in later life.