Cat Insurance Pros and Cons

Pet insurance can save you money in the long run. Cats in particular tend to run up expensive bills when they get into their later adult years with maladies such as UTI infections, kidney issues, cancer, and even a stroke. While cat insurance offers some alleviation of these costs, it doesn’t work the same way as human medical insurance.

No Veterinarians Accept Pet Insurance – It’s Up to You to File

It will be tough to find a veterinarian willing to not charge you on the spot for your appointment and instead take your insurance. Since pet insurance varies greatly from pet owner to pet owner, your veterinarian won’t want to end up losing money because there was an inaccuracy on what was covered by your pet insurance policy.

How Cat Insurance Works

How insurance for cats and dogs works is that you purchase a pet insurance plan through a provider and then submit your veterinarian bill to them for reimbursement. Cat insurance generally only covers procedures that are not routine, so your vaccines, check-ups, and basic veterinary care will not be reimbursed to you.

There are some pet insurance providers such as Pet Assure that instead of covering certain expenses will provide discounts on all services, including office visits, dental care, hospitalization, and surgery for your cat. For other insurance providers such as VPI Pet Insurance you will need to purchase an additional plan to cover routine procedures, which as of 2011 at best add up to $400 in savings on routine exams.

Pros and Cons to Cat Insurance

Insurance for cats can be cheap or expensive depending on how much coverage you elect to buy. The cost can be as low as $6 per month for discount on veterinary services or as much as $50 a month, which may include the option for routine care at an additional premium.

Overall, pet insurance is a good investment, especially as your pet ages and incurs more medical issues, which can quickly add up to the tens of thousands. Most vet plans cover over $10,000 in annual veterinary expenses, so you are prepared for major issues should you need to invest in serious veterinary care, like cancer treatment.