Looking for pet insurance for older cats and dogs?
November 30, 2008 by Frenchie
Filed under Comparisons
Are you looking for pet insurance for your older cat or dog? If so, you’ve probably already found out it isn’t an easy task.
Upper age limit
Most companies are happy to insure young pets, simply because they are less at risk of illnesses. The older your pet gets, the more veterinary care they will require, so the more they will cost in claims. That’s why some insurers decide not to insure older pets: it’s just not worth it for them as they are too exposed to paying claims while not receiving enough in premiums. Therefore, they impose what’s called an “upper age limit“: this is the age limit above which the company will not insure your pet.
Fortunately for pet owners, some pet insurers do offer cover for older cats and dogs and this needs to be praised. Pet insurance is not a regular financial product, it has a deep emotional feel attached to it: it’s about the health and happiness of your family members. As a pet owner and insurance customer, you obviously want claims to be paid but you also want to know that you pet is insured with a company that care as much as you do and does its bit towards pet welfare. And providing insurance for older pets just does that.
Compare pet insurance for older pets
The below pet insurance companies provide cover for older pets, regardless of their age. Buy online and benefit from discounts.
| Provider |
Max vet fees |
Type of cover | Online discount | Pay vet direct | Excess from | More Info |
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£4,000 | 12 month + per condition available | 35% | Yes | £60 |  |
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£6,000 | Per condition | 10% | Yes | £65 | |
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£5,000 | 12 month + per condition available | 10% | Yes | £60 |
|
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£7,000 | per condition + lifetime available | 5% | Yes | £60 | |
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£7,500 | lifetime | 10% | Yes | £75 | |
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£7,000 | 12 month and per condition available | 20% | Yes | £75 + 10% of claim |
|
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£7,500 | 12 month + per condition available | - | Yes | £75/£100 + 15% |
|
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£7,000 | lifetime | 5% | Yes | £70 + 20% |
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Get the latest deals and offers on pet related products.
My cat is 13 years old, and she has a large lump on her belly. It looks to me as if it is infected, but I don’t know, I do know it does hurt her, I have been trying for two months now to find a good low rate of insurance for my cat. But with no luck. I don’t know what to do now ?????
Nancy Ewing
Nanl88@aol.com
Hi Nancy,
The first thing you should go and do is have you cat examined by a vet. It seems infected and if it does hurt her, you should go and have it checked out.
When it comes to pet insurance, pre-existing conditions are not covered. These are conditions that have been noted or treated prior to taking out the insurance. So if that lump turns out to be a symptom of an illness that requires more term, it wouldn’t be covered.
On the other hand, it could be just a cist. If so, hopefully the procedure of removing it won’t cost too much and you could still get insurance to cover all other conditions.
Finally, you gonna find it difficult to find a cheap premium for your cat. As pets get older, they get more likely to require treatment – and claim. Insurers know that only too well and therefore charge higher premiums for older pets. You just have to weight the pros and cons:
- is your cat likely to receive treatment in the future?
- has she ever received treatment before (think about what’s gonna be excluded from the policy as pre-existing)?
- would you prefer to pay a monthly premium or an unexpected vet bill?
- you may be able to afford one heavy vet bill, but what if your cat needs ongoing treatment for the rest of her life (think lifelong cover v per condition/12 month insurance)?
I hope this is of help to you. If you have further questions, please feel free. I do hope your cat will be ok and that lump isn’t too serious.