Get the Best Value From Your Pet Cat Insurance

You have probably already realised that having pet cat insurance is part of being a responsible cat owner.

But at the same time, you're only too well aware that it's an expense, especially if you have more than one cat. If money is tight, insurance is the most tempting expense to do without. After all, it's only of any use if something goes wrong. And nothing is going to go wrong, is it?

Unfortunately, it's not for nothing that cats have been called the most accident-prone of pets. Doing without pet cat insurance could prove a false economy and an expensive mistake. So rather than doing without, it's much more sensible to make sure you get the most out of your pet cat insurance and that you avoid being faced with an emergency for which the insurance won't pay out.

So here are some precautions you can take to make sure you get the most effect from your pet cat insurance.

1. Get your cat vaccinated. Your insurance won't pay for this. But without being vaccinated your cat is vulnerable to some of the most unpleasant and painful diseases in existence, and the insurance may well not cover diseases that result from failure to vaccinate.

2. You should also have your cat neutered, which again the insurance won't pay for. But unless you are a professional cat breeder there is no excuse for not having your cat neutered, whether it's male or female. One good reason is that there are far too many kittens without homes. But apart from this, un-neutered males are much more likely to have accidents, and there are many diseases to which un-neutered males and females are more susceptible.

3. Have the cat micro-chipped. If you've had a cat before, you will know how much a cat likes to wander and explore, and how prone he is to get into scrapes. Some pet cat insurance policies actually insist on micro-chipping, so if you don't have it done you won't be covered for loss of your cat or if he has an accident through wandering off. Other poliicies give a discount if the cat is micro-chipped.

4. Take out your pet cat insurance as early in your cat's life as possible. With most policies, the younger your cat is when you insure him, the lower your premiums will be. What's more, the earlier you take out the policy, the less chance there is of your cat having a pre-existing condition, which of course won't be covered.

5. Think carefully about whether you want a pedigree cat. There are lots of "no particular breed" moggies wanting homes and these will give you as much pleasure and enjoyment as a posh puss, as well as being cheaper and easier to care for. Premiums are usually higher on pedigree cats, and they tend to be more prone to expensive medical conditions.

6. Before you purchase any policy, check it very carefully. Look at the small print with a magnifying glass to make sure there aren't any exclusions which might affect you and your cat. Check too for excesses, age limits, and caps on payouts.

There is certainly no point in paying out more than you need to. But the answer is not to skimp on pet cat insurance. This could involve you in far more expense than you ever expected. There are all sorts of things you can do to make sure you get the best possible value from your insurance, and the best possible protection for your pet.