Cat insurance

Cat insurance helps cover the cost of veterinary treatment if your cat falls ill or suffers an injury. Some cat insurance providers will also pay you a lump sum if your cat passes away and if they’re either lost or stolen. We are currently unable to offer cat insurance for pre-existing conditions.

Cat insurance isn’t mandatory but may be worth considering. Think of it as a financial safety net that’s there to protect you against unexpected costs. After all, you never know when your cat could fall ill or suffer an injury.

The average pet insurance claim can be as much as £793, but that amount can run into the thousands if your cat were to develop an ongoing condition. Ultimately, you have to balance the cost of cat insurance premiums against the risk of incurring a hefty vet bill. But keep in mind that as your cat gets older, it may be more likely to fall ill, which in turn can raise the cost of your cat insurance.

Put simply, Accident and Illness cat insurance protects your cat from accidents that may arise, as well as illness and sickness, which requires medical attention. Accident Only cat insurance is suitable for you if you only want to cover yourself against the cost of vet bills, should your cat suffer an accidental injury only, not if your cat falls ill.

When your cat is over eight weeks old. We cannot cover claims arising within the first 14 days of your insurance starting and we are unable to provide cat insurance for pre-existing conditions.

There are various factors that can affect how much you pay for cat insurance. For example, protecting your cat on an accident only policy can keep the cost down. But there are other factors. It's important to consider these when considering cheap cat insurance and whether that gives you the best level of cover. It's also worth considering whether the following when wanting to understand how much cat insurance costs:

Where you live

Veterinary treatment prices vary up and down the country. So, if you live somewhere where vet costs are higher, you can expect to pay more for your cat insurance.

How old your cat is

If you have an older cat, they might be more likely to develop health conditions requiring cover. This is taken into account when working out the cost of your cat insurance policy.

What breed your cat is

If you own a pedigree cat, it's likely you'll have to pay more to insure it. Some cat breeds are more prone to certain illnesses, which again is likely to up your premiums.

At petGuard, we offer cat insurance designed to provide pet owners like you with a range of useful benefits, including:

• Cover towards the cost of vet bills
• Emergency boarding if you're hospitalised and unable to care for your cat
• Multi-pet discount if you put more than one pet on the same policy
• Holiday cancellation – if you have to cancel your trip because your cat falls ill or gets injured
• Up to £250 in reward costs for a lost cat

Note: Excesses, terms and conditions apply. Click here for full details.

Standard cat insurance policies usually last for a 12-month period. After this time, you’ll need to renew the policy you have, if you want to keep the cover in place.

We offer three levels of vet fee cover, which means that you can be covered for up to £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000 per year. If your claim has been successful, then we can pay the agreed amount, less any excess, either:

All vet fee claims are handled in the UK by Covea Insurance. While your claim is being dealt with, you can receive regular updates on its progress via email or text message.

Before you start looking for cat insurance you should think about:

• Straight into your bank account so you aren't left out of pocket, or;
• To your vet if this is more convenient for you and your vet.

All vet fee claims are handled in the UK by Covea Insurance. While your claim is being dealt with, you can receive regular updates on its progress via email or text message.

Before you start looking for cat insurance you should think about:

Your cat's age

It can be harder to get cat insurance when your cat is older than eight years old, or younger than eight weeks old. At petGuard, we can start to provide cover for puppies aged over eight weeks old.

Pre-existing conditions

petGuard is unable to cover any pre-existing condition your cat might have.

How many pets you have

If you have more than one pet, it's worth asking whether you can have a discount for including more than one pet on your cat insurance policy. You can get a multi-pet discount if you include more than one pet on the same policy (up to five pets maximum) here at petGuard!

Put simply, Accident and Illness cat insurance protects your cat from any accidents that may arise, as well as illness and sickness, both requiring medical attention. Accident and Illness insurance is suitable if you want some financial protection against the cost of vet bills, should your cat fall ill or suffer an accidental injury.

Accident Only cat insurance is suitable for you if you only want to cover yourself against the cost of vet bills, should your cat suffer an accidental injury only, not if your cat falls ill. Some people choose Accident Only cat insurance while their cat is still a kitten and less at risk of developing a health condition.

If your cat were to fall ill or get injured, could you cover the cost of the vet bill? If your cat is older and the illness or injury turned into a long-term condition, the costs could spiral.

All things considered it might be best to cover your pet sooner rather than later. Just be aware that there are some restrictions around when you can get your pet insured. At petGuard, we can start to provide cover for cats aged over eight weeks old.

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Multi-pet insurance covers all of your pets under one policy. You can get a multi-pet discount if you include more than one pet on the same policy (up to five pets maximum) here at petGuard!

Instead of having each of your dogs and cats on different pet policies, with our multi-pet insurance you can save any hassle and take advantage of our multi-pet discount. You can cover up to five pets on one policy. We are unable to insure dogs and cats that are used for breeding purposes and pre-existing illnesses and conditions are not covered.