Cat insurance is important, but it doesn't have to be complicated
As cat owners, we all want to protect our kitties and ensure that they can get the treatment that they need in the event of illness, accidents, or injuries. The alternative would be heartbreaking to any cat lover, as the cost of treatment for serious illness or injury can be so high that some people simply cannot afford it.
This is why having pet insurance for your cat is so important, as it provides your furball with protection and you with peace of mind.
We all know that cats can get into all sorts of scrapes while they are out and about. If your cat is an outdoor cat, insurance is particularly important as they are at higher risk of injury and illness. However, even indoor cats can get ill so it is important to have some level of protection in place.
But, what happens when you have an older cat that is already an increased risk when it comes to pet insurance?
What to expect with cat insurance for senior cats
When you have cats that are aged around seven and under, the cost of pet insurance is relatively inexpensive, which makes it an affordable means of protection for cat owners. For cats that are aged up to around ten years, the cost may be a little higher but not always by a huge amount.
However, once the cat gets into its advanced years such as 12 upwards, you could find yourself paying a fortune for cat insurance simply because of the increased risk of illness and injury that is posed due to the age of the cat.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about the fact that you will have to pay more to get insurance for your older cat. However, one thing you can do is shop around and look for the best deals. As is the case with all types of insurance, the cost of coverage can vary from one provider to another.
The level of coverage that you take will also affect the cost of your pet insurance so this is something else that you need to take into consideration.
The importance of covering your older cat
If you already have cat insurance on a pet that you’ve had for years, you won’t have to worry about steep hikes in premiums when your cat reaches its senior years as long as the cover was for life. However, if you’ve taken on an older cat or you didn’t have pet insurance before and want to take it out because your cat is older, you will be looking at higher premiums.
That said, it is very important to ensure that you have cat insurance for your older kitty because they are more at risk of falling ill and needing treatment that young, healthy cats. With the cost of veterinary treatment being so high, you could find yourself facing unaffordable costs in the event that treatment or an operation is required.
An alarming number of people end up having to have their pets euthanized because of illness that could have been treated but was simply out of their financial reach. This is most definitely not a situation that any cat lover wants to find themselves in so taking out coverage is vital.
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Reading through the policy
When it comes to taking out cat insurance for your older pet, you need to make sure that you read through the policy carefully. Often, not only are the premiums higher for older cats but coverage is sometimes more limited than with younger pets, so make sure you check the small print and familiarize yourself with what is and is not covered under the policy before you make your decision.
While price is an important factor when looking for cat insurance for older cats, you also need to weigh up the cost of the premiums against the benefits of the policy. Paying a smaller amount for coverage that does not really offer much benefit is a false economy compared to pay a little more for coverage that offers much higher level of protection.
Of course, most policies will not cover any pre-existing illness costs so if your senior cat already has an ongoing illness you won’t be covered for the cost of treatment. This is something else to bear in mind. In addition, you will generally have to pay an excess on any claims that you make and the lower the excess the higher the premiums will be.
The excess is the amount that you have to pay from your own pocket before your insurance will cover the remainder of the claim. If the cost of the treatment comes to equal to or less than the excess, then you will not be able to make a claim because you would be covering that amount yourself anyway. If it comes to more than the excess, the insurance company will cover it minus the excess amount that was agreed on the policy.
Taking out lifetime coverage
With cat insurance you can opt for limited time coverage of lifetime coverage, and with a senior cat it is definitely worth opting for the lifetime option despite the fact that it will cost more. Not only will this mean that your senior at has protection in place for the remainder of its years but also that you can avoid crippling hikes in premiums at the end of each policy period, which is something you may have to deal with if you have limited time cover.
As long as you look around for affordable deals, it is possible to get a good pet insurance policy for your older cat in order to provide protection and peace of mind.
While you may feel that the premiums are a little on the steep side, you have to remember that without coverage you could be paying a fortune in the event of a problem – something that could cause devastation if you are unable to afford the vets bills.