Cat insurance: what it covers and whether it is worth it
Cat insurance works like dog insurance: you pay the vet, send the invoice, and the insurer reimburses part of the bill after the deductible. Cats usually cost less to insure than dogs, but they still face expensive problems such as urinary blockages, dental disease, kidney disease and swallowed objects.
Plan types
- Accident-only: covers injuries such as falls, bites and swallowed objects. The NAIC’s regulator guide notes these plans cost roughly 60% less than accident and illness cover.
- Accident and illness: adds conditions such as infections, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease. This is what most owners buy.
- Wellness add-ons: fixed allowances for vaccines, checkups and dental cleaning. Several states require insurers to state clearly that wellness programs are not insurance.
The four numbers that set the price
- Deductible: often $50 to $250, per year or per condition.
- Reimbursement rate: commonly 70%, 80% or 90%.
- Annual limit: capped or unlimited.
- Your cat’s age and where you live. Vet prices vary a lot by area.
Exclusions to read first
- Pre-existing conditions are excluded by almost all insurers. In states that adopted the NAIC model law, the insurer has to prove a condition was pre-existing.
- Hereditary and congenital conditions are excluded by some policies.
- Waiting periods for illness are common. Under laws based on the model, such as Delaware’s, waiting periods for accidents are not allowed and illness waiting periods are capped at 30 days.
- Exam fees are not always covered.
Indoor cat: do you still need it?
Indoor cats have fewer injuries but still get the same chronic illnesses. If an unexpected $3,000 vet bill would be a problem, accident and illness cover, or a dedicated savings fund, is worth weighing.
How to compare
Get quotes from at least three insurers with the same deductible, reimbursement rate and limit, and buy while your cat is young and healthy so fewer conditions are excluded.