How to Find Pet Insurance for Your Cat

Cats can be expensive - and not just because they are constantly knocking our glasses off of counters and breaking them. While they don't necessarily need pet insurance like dogs do, your budget could still benefit from a cat insurance policy.

Cat pet insurance usually covers dangerous and potentially fatal conditions such as cancer, and coverage is generally cheaper than insurance for dogs. You can also opt for a maintenance plan that covers vet visits and routine checkups.

Over 3 million pet owners have chosen to pick up some form of insurance for their pets - and there's a good reason why. A routine pet visit for a cat can easily approach $200, which can put a dent in your monthly budget if you aren't prepared.

Here are some of the more important items to consider when browsing for a cat insurance plan.

Budget

Arguably the most significant thing you should consider is how much you are willing to spend each month on coverage. Cat insurance can be fairly affordable, with some policies costing as little as $5-$9 a month. Estimate how much you're spending on your cat each year on insurance and add a couple of hundred dollars to that as a buffer, so your budget is insulated against unforeseen medication. This will give you an idea of how much you should plan to spend each month to cover your pet.

You'll need to compare this number against the plans you're reviewing. For example, if your annual cat vet bills total $500 and your cat insurance plan will only cover 50% of expenses, your monthly expense should be less than $20 for cat insurance to make sense. If it's not, you may be better off savings $50 into a dedicated account each month to help pay for future expenses.

Conditions

If your cat has a preexisting health issue, your insurance options are likely to be both limited and more expensive than if your pet is healthy. This is something to be mentally prepared for as you shop around. You may also be interested in maintenance plans that can help cover the cost of items like grooming.

Non-Essential Coverage

Certain procedures that are performed for cosmetic reasons are often not covered by pet insurance plans. If you're interested in cosmetic procedures for your cat, like declawing, be sure your policy will cover those before you purchase to save yourself from a headache (aka an unexpected bill) later. If you are uncertain of coverage, it's best to talk to your insurance provider before electing to have a procedure done.

Exclusions

You may be surprised to find out that some common pet expenses are regularly excluded from cat insurance policies. These can include things like pregnancy or theft of a pet. If you're worried that your pet may become pregnant, or if your pet is a breed that is at risk of certain health conditions, make sure those aren't excluded from the policy.

Popular Cat Insurance Companies

• Pets Best
• Wagmo
• Embrace
• PetAssure
• Healthy Paws
• Pumpkin
• Spot
• FIGO
• ASPCA
• Lemonade Pet Insurance

How to Get a Pet Insurance Quote for Your Cat

Pet insurance is a booming industry, and as a result you have plenty of options to cover your pet. Similar to auto or home insurance for humans, it's important to shop around and compare policies for your pet. This not only helps ensure you get the best price for your policy, but it also allows you to compare exclusions and available upgrades to make sure your pet insurance experience is as good as it can be once it is time to make a claim.

Start your journey by submitting quotes for some top insurers. Many quotes can be completed in less than 5 minutes. From there, weed out the policies that are outside your budget, review for exclusions that may limit your pet's future coverages based on breed or health status, and review for any optional coverage you want, like pet maintenance.

If you follow these steps and know what to look for, you should have no problem finding a cat pet insurance policy that works for your family.