Cat Insurance

[Gill1941]

I have, finally, got my two rescued cats and was wondering if anyone on here insures their cats.
In the past I have not done so but vet's fees are so high now and wondered if I should.
Can anyone recommend an insurer?

[spathiphyllum]

Yes but because my cat was a pedigree. However, if i got any breed of cat now i'd insure it because i couldn't afford treatment if the worse happened. I went via petplan.

[gingejbee]

The five top-scoring pet insurers (latest Which? results) are....
LV, Direct Line, Petplan, Animal Friends and John Lewis Insurance (I'm a member so can access the actual ratings).

https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/pet-insurance/best-and-worst-pet-insurance-adzz71u0bcq4

[Gill1941]

Thanks, spath.
Had Siamese in past but now got one tortie and one black shorthaired moggies.
Thinking of Petplan as rescue centre insures with them for first month. Expensive, though. £340 pa for the two.

[Gill1941]

Thanks, gingejbee, will look into those.

[spathiphyllum]

" £340 pa for the two. "

May sound harsh but how much are your cats worth to you annually knowing their health is insured?

Using that idology you can find a suitable plan

[ParsleyDumpling]

Hi Gil, congratulations on getting your new "masters". We got ours (a British Shorthair named Eric) just before Christmas, after our beloved old moggy died at the grand old age of eighteen last July.
After doing some research I have insured him with Brought By Many, they were the cheapest and offered the best coverage. Everything is done online, although you can speak to someone if needed.

[ladybirder]

Which Best Buys are not the cheapest Gill but the best taking their whole service into consideration. As they say, you get what you pay for.

[woofgang]

The only one I would recommend is petplan. They are not the cheapest but the service and assistance is first class. In all honesty I haven't tried the others but have heard that animal friends is not all itscracked up to be.

[Gill1941]

Thank you, all.
Even if I didn't insure them their health wouldn't suffer, spath. Didn't insure my dogs but cats are different being independent and roaming everywhere.
Being alone and retired didn't want to be ripped off so thought get others thoughts about it.
Not impressed with Petplan on the phone yesterday but perhaps that was just one operator. Have signed with them for now but having second thoughts since yesterday.
Will look into it all later.

[Rockrose]

I can recommend Tesco pet insurance, I insure all 4 of my mogs through them

[ladybirder]

Gill I don't know your circumstances but this may be relevant. If you live in the catchment area of a PDSA hospital, receive the State Pension and also live in a Band A-D property, then you can get help for your pets. I think it also applies if you are on certain means-tested benefits. Have a google and see if there is a PDSA hospital in your area.

[Ellipsis]

We were with Petplan. We paid in for years without needing to claim, and then as our cat neared end of life it needed a couple of big ops that came to about £3000 and more than repaid everything we'd paid in, and Petplan paid up no problem.

So, care can be expensive. Your choices are to set some money aside each month to pay future pet bills, take out a loan if and when you need it, buy insurance or be prepared to put your cat down if you can't afford to pay for its care.

[Gill1941]

Thanks rockrose and ladybird.
Not on benefits or anything just don't like to be ripped off!
Have a few now to look into later. I suppose I can get a quote online without committing to anything.
That's a lot of cats, rockrose. Company for each other. My tom is waiting to get outside. Had them for 4 weeks now so nearly release time. This lovely weather they are sitting on the windowsills a lot of the time. Birdwatching!

[Rockrose]

Lol I love cats but I would prefer it if they all got on with my dogs - currently only the boy gets on with the hounds - the girls are too prissy, but the sisters are nearing 14, the tortie is nearly 7 so I think they never will.

[Gill1941]

Gosh, no, ellipsis, it would never come to that.
Just surprised it cost so much but looking at it - it is only £1 a day.
So will probably stay with them but still look into others first.

[ladybirder]

Gill, as I said, you don't have to be on benefits to get PDSA help.
Please please put bells on your cats collars to save the lives of at least a few of our birds, especially this time of the year when there will soon be fledgelings about.

[Gill1941]

I love cats, too, rockrose. Husband wouldn't have one - now he's gone I have two.

[Rockrose]

my husband didn't have a choice - I got one then another and then another - when they passed on - I got the sisters and so on - all resues and all hooligans!
My husband knows his ranking!!

[Gill1941]

Yes, ladybirder. I love my birds, too.
Always feed them and robin nesting next door and coming in for mealworms.
My neighbour about 3 doors along has a killer cat so hope my tom will be territorial and keep her away. Found the cat eating a woodpigeon she had caught in the garden once. So the birds are under threat here anyway.

[ladybirder]

And the cats know their ranking is No.1. It's never in doubt I find, even the dog knows that.