I've thankfully not had a problem with my cats yet that required serious work by the vet. Just have taken them for checkups. But in the event something ever needs to be done, what are the vet bills like? I'm debating whether to get pet insurance or not.
Vet Bills
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Vet bills
Hi Seppy55
I'd say vet insurance is definitely a good idea. In the UK it is relatively inexpensive - I don't know about elswhere. It costs us £7 per month to insure Jimmy. But, unlike with cars, this does go up as they get older because of course they're more likely to get sick as they age.
The thing to do is look for a policy that gives cover for life,i.e that will cover the cat for a condition that might mean ongoing treatment such as diabetes.
Like any insurance, you may never need to claim, but you're paying for peace of mind.
seashell
Hi Seppy55
I'd say vet insurance is definitely a good idea. In the UK it is relatively inexpensive - I don't know about elswhere. It costs us £7 per month to insure Jimmy. But, unlike with cars, this does go up as they get older because of course they're more likely to get sick as they age.
The thing to do is look for a policy that gives cover for life,i.e that will cover the cat for a condition that might mean ongoing treatment such as diabetes.
Like any insurance, you may never need to claim, but you're paying for peace of mind.
seashell
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283 Posts
This has been discussed alot on other boards I post on, and they usually end up at the same conclusion, it's not worth the money. If you do decide to get it, do alot of research. Some companies are cheaper, but they also give you a harder time when you have to make a claim. Personally, I just put away as much as I can in a savings account, and then it's there if/when I need it. Never hurts to have an emergancy fund!
what i do is put money away in a savings account. If you have the will power to leave it there only for emergincies it is the best thing to do in my opinion. esp if you have more than one cat, i have 5, ranging from 6 months to 14 years. To insure them all would be a hideous price. Vet bills can be expensive, vienna one of my cats cut herself on her belly, about an inch long. it cost me nearly £100 to have her treated, luckily i had money in the savings. But yeah getting back to it, id go with savings. Most insurance companies that i searched about will treat for things like diabetes, but only up to a maximum emount of £££ per year.
Vet bills can get pretty expensive but I always have my credit cards and savings for my emergencies, especially with my 2 cats. I don't really believe in pet insurance but then again if my cats had diabetes or some other medical problems I would possibly get it. I think the best thing to do is just put aside money for emergencies for yourself and your cats. 
I have ni idea how expensive it is to insure cats in the US but here in Sweden it's definately worth it. I pay about 19$ a month for three cats and it covers everything from c-sections to reparing a broken leg and rehabilitation, it also covers treatment of diseases such as cat flu, pan leucopenia, FIP, FIV and FeLV.
I've chosen the more expensive insurances since I breed cats. But I've understood that it's very expensive with pet insurances in the US so maybe it's better to put away a few dollars every month as a safety instead.
Anyway, if you don't have an insurance you can save money. Often that's better.
I've chosen the more expensive insurances since I breed cats. But I've understood that it's very expensive with pet insurances in the US so maybe it's better to put away a few dollars every month as a safety instead.
Anyway, if you don't have an insurance you can save money. Often that's better.
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Wow, $19 for 3 cats is the more expensive plan? I wish it was that way here! The cheapest plan I've found was $9.99 per cat, and with as many cats as I have, there's no way I could afford it! I think even with insurance, it's a good idea to put money away, because the insurance doesn't cover it all, and I know some insurance companies just reimburse you, you still have to have the money to pay the vet initially! I may be wrong there, feel free to correct me.
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Yes, one of the main problems is that insurance doesn't cover one of the most important things, in my opinion = dental work. I've already spent $1000 on dental this year for my cats, and Levi may need another tooth out soon. I don't know, all the things insurance seems to cover are ailments that are not likely to happen to my cats. Mine are vaccinated against the diseases they cover, are indoor cats (no broken legs) and are fixed (no c-sections). The only things I found positive about insurance is that some cover poisonings, insulin and gastrointestinal blockages. You have to sign up your cats before they are 5, I think. So you can't decide later in their lives if you want insurance. I guess I just hope for the best and keep some emergency savings available.
One thing I noticed with my research was that chronic illness and preventative procedures usually aren't covered. So if Fluffy gets hit by a car most of her bills would be covered, but if she has cancer insurance will pay to put her down. Medication is almost never covered. Surgery usually is, but not always with every plan or for every reason.
I am not insuring my babies. They live indoors, in an apartment. The only time they leave is to go to the vet. We don't open our windows because we have storm windows and it is a pain to keep them open. Even if they eat something bad (of which I have almost nothing) or injure themselves playing it would be almost impossible for the bill to be over $500 dollars. To me it is not justifiable to pay $20 a month on the off chance that one of them might sometime eat a string. I can put that money away and be assured that I can pay for any medical procedure they might need, not just the ones covered by the insurance.
I am not insuring my babies. They live indoors, in an apartment. The only time they leave is to go to the vet. We don't open our windows because we have storm windows and it is a pain to keep them open. Even if they eat something bad (of which I have almost nothing) or injure themselves playing it would be almost impossible for the bill to be over $500 dollars. To me it is not justifiable to pay $20 a month on the off chance that one of them might sometime eat a string. I can put that money away and be assured that I can pay for any medical procedure they might need, not just the ones covered by the insurance.
No, the insurance doesn't cover it all. The insurances I have for my cats covers 80% of the cost. And it covers medicines (up to 200$) and other kind of rehabilitation (up to 300$). I expect to get the insurance costs down even more now that I'm a registred breeder (we get special deals with my insurance company). I've just been lazy up 'til now...
My insurances do cover some dental care, so I'm quite happy with my insurances.
Hey people, why don't ya all move to Sweden? At least we have cheap pet insurances :wink:
My insurances do cover some dental care, so I'm quite happy with my insurances.
Hey people, why don't ya all move to Sweden?
At least we have cheap pet insurances :wink:1 - 12 of 12 Posts
