Do kittens need pet insurance?

Pet insurance is something that all pet owners should consider. I often get asked “Does my dog need insurance?” or “Do kittens need pet insurance?” Here are some thoughts from finder-com.au to help you make a decision about kitten insurance…

Buying a kitten is so exciting. As one of the most popular pets in Australia, it’s no wonder we spend so much time and energy carefully selecting the right kitty to join our families. But once you’ve picked the perfect cat, you need to put a lot of time and energy into making sure it grows up happy and healthy. As with most pets, their first few weeks are crucial to their health, so it’s important to take the time to look after them and keep them protected. Healthcare for animals can be very expensive so it’s a good idea to consider your options, particularly pet insurance. Read on to find out more about pet insurance for kittens.

Age restrictions
Most insurance brands won’t let pet owners take out an insurance policy until their dog or cat is around eight or nine weeks of age. This is for a few reasons, but mostly because the time before this is crucial in terms of developing a kitten or puppy’s immunity and health. Unfortunately, it’s quite clear early on if there are any genetic or pre-existing health conditions present in your cat, so insurers want to make sure that it is in good health before you take out cover. New kittens also need to receive routine vaccinations and often won’t be insured until after this is done.

Types of cover
There are typically three types of pet cover available for your kitten:

Illness cover. This helps pay for veterinary, pharmaceutical and other costs related to treatment for an unforeseen illness.
Accidental injury cover. This covers veterinary expenses that arise as the result of an unexpected or accidental injury, including broken bones or an injury from a car accident.
Routine care. This covers routine care treatments such as deworming and desexing, as well as prescription food or behavioural management classes if needed.

What type of cover should you get?
It’s important to weigh up the costs versus the benefits of a pet insurance policy for your kitten. Comprehensive policies will usually include cover for routine care but they can be expensive. Although this kind of policy might seem worthwhile for the benefits you can receive, it’s not always absolutely necessary for a brand new healthy kitten. One option could be to take out a basic policy for the first few years of your cat’s life and then increase your level of cover as it ages.

What’s not covered?
Pets over the age of eight or nine are typically excluded from receiving cover if you haven’t taken out a policy before this time. However, if you already have a policy in place and you renew it every year, your pet will be able to receive cover for the entirety of their life. Also, treatment for preventable diseases (anything your cat can be vaccinated for) as well as tick and flea treatments usually aren’t covered.

How can you save on costs?
Some insurance brands will offer an incentive or a bonus if you insure more than one pet under the same policy, so if you have more than one cat, you might want to consider insuring them together. To ensure you get the most value from your policy, claim where possible and make sure you provide all the relevant paperwork so that there’s less of a chance that your claim will be rejected. Also, compare policies online so that you can see what other similar policies cost and don’t be afraid to switch if you find a better deal.