Insurance?

[malachite]

Hi,

We recently adopted a cat from Cats Protection League and we initially organised their insurance to continue but it's fairly pricey. She's our first pet so we asked around and none of our friends have pet insurance for their cats. What do mumsnet experts recommend? We can afford it if it's really worth it. She's currently a house cat but she's desperate to go out so once she's settled properly then we will probably let her go out during the day. She is microchipped already and I bought her a collar but it's a safety one and she manages to get it off within minutes. Should I leave her without or buy a different type of collar?

Thanks!

[cozietoesie]

If she has an argument with a car, say, can you afford several £k to fix - perhaps - a badly fractured leg? It's those unexpected large costs that are a big issue to think about, especially if she's to go outside. (Although even indoor cats can develop serious illnesses.)

How much are you paying for her?

[deeplybaffled]

I wouldn't not have it. Our cat is allowed out and injured her leg in the first year we had her. Thank god for insurance - it cost us about 80 pounds for that year's premiums and her treatment - emergency callout as in the evening, minor operation to clean out the injury, a couple of xrays and some after care -cost about 7-800 quid! And she only stayed at the vets for one night.
she's been fine ever since, thankfully, but as she's a bit clumsy, I wouldn't dare not to have insurance. Worth shopping around a bit to see who charges what, though.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Ours is with Argos - their top level of cover is approx £6 per month per cat, or 20p per day!

It's peanuts really

Mind you our cats are young, how old is yours?

[JonSnowKnowsNothing]

Ive just spend a bit of time ensuring both mine are insured. Premium coverage for under £4/month each. After a close call with one of them going missing this week, I'd have been devastated if he'd needed treatment and I couldnt afford it.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

that's very cheap, JonSnow - who's that with?

[readyforno2]

I'd like to know too? That's really cheap!

[JonSnowKnowsNothing]

Animal Friends. Bear in mind though, that "Premium" was their second cheapest option (it essentially went "basic, premium, premium plus, premium gold, etc) and also my cats are both undr 2 years old. Nevertheless, I'm pleased!

[cozietoesie]

And so you should be - you'll hardly notice the extra cost for Numbers 3 and 4.

[Harry1603]

I wouldn't be without it as I know I couldn't afford the treatment if something happened. (Obviously I would max my credit cards for my little man but I'd rather not!)

I am jealous of those of you paying £4 a month though - I pay £23.66 a month with Argos and I've never claimed! I can't change though as Harry has been to the vet a couple of times and so has pre-existing conditions.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

It is not just single one of accidents you need to think about. If your cat becomes Diabetic on average you are looking at about £3600 per year for drugs and monitoring. This is why a lifetime policy is so important.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Lonecat, re the lifetime thing, presumably once a cat has developed a chronic condition you need to stay with the insurer you were with when it started? (but they will probably raise premiums significantly annually after that?)

[Tealady1983]

I have just taken out insurance de 2 crossbreeds with pet plan they seemed good and def wouldn't be without it x

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Yes I am. 90% of claims are for chronic lifelong conditions so it is well worth thinking about.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Blimey, I just had a look at Animal Friends - for their top cover (with an annual limit lower than Argos's) the monthly premium for my 3 would be over £37; I'm only paying £21 atm (& was paying £12 for 2 cats before I added the kitten)

Last year when renewal came round I got quotes from various other sites but they were much of a muchness & it was simpler to stick where I was

[Lovethesea]

My Huntercat from cats protection is about 3 and last year had his front leg smashed by a car.

Orthopaedic surgery. Overnights, drugs, metal pins in the leg and externally. Referral to specialist vet miles away.

We paid the excess of about 75. It cost nearly 4000.

Having no insurance would have meant putting him down when he was otherwise healthy, young and had a potential for a good quality of life fully healed.

He is now back to catching rabbits regularly.

[coppertop]

I pay about £15 a month with Pet Plan.

Mine's a 4yr-old house cat who refuses to go out so should technically be low risk. He became ill suddenly last year and had to be hospitalised three times during a six-month period. Each stay cost over £1k and the insurance also paid a percentage of the cost of the new food he needed.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

You can get insurance pretty cheaply if you're happy just to have basic cover - we used to pay about £5 per month for our old rescue moggy (paying a bit more now that we have a pedigree but still less than £10 per month iirc). Comparethemarket is pretty good ime for finding a range of prices and cover levels and you get a meerkat if you buy through them