You’ve just got yourself a cute, cuddly and healthy kitten, so do you really need pet insurance? As with anything, there are benefits as well as some negatives. Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s take a look at the pros and cons of kitten insurance.
The pros
1. You’re financially covered for routine care
Okay, this is only true for certain pet insurers, not all pet insurers cover routine care. But in the beginning, your kitten will require more routine appointments for getting mandatory vaccinations, booster shots, sterilization, and any other regular check-ups.
Kittens have slightly weaker immune systems and are slightly more susceptible to illnesses like feline herpes. By having pet insurance, you’re covered from the get-go.
Trust us, the smaller, more routine things in the beginning really do add up and having a decent pet insurance policy to assist really saves you some cash.
Read more on common health problems in cats and how pet insurance can help.
2. Kittens get themselves into trouble
We’re about to sound super cheesy, but have you ever heard about cats and their curiosity?
We all know that kittens love a little mischief and often do things they really shouldn’t be doing, like chewing on small objects and electrical cables. They also love knocking things off counters, which gives them access to many things they shouldn’t be eating, like medication for example.
Kittens also tend to chew on random plants and even insects, which could lead to poisoning.
It’s better to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to kittens because something is bound to happen, and you’d rather be covered by pet insurance than stress about a variety of vet bills and medications.
3. Kittens love to explore
If your kitten isn’t locked up inside all day, they’re bound to go on a little adventure at some point. Kittens lack the same awareness and reflexes that older cats tend to have which can result in an injury. This could either be from falling out of a tree or getting struck by a car.
You never know what can happen, so rather be safe and have access to premium veterinary care when you need it without stressing about your budget.
4. It’s better to get pet insurance from a young age
The younger your kitten is when you get insurance, the better.
When you have an older cat, the chances of them having pre-existing conditions or illnesses are much higher. When you insure your kitty at a young age, they’re more likely to be covered for years to come.
The cons
1. Premiums can increase
Nothing is for free, unfortunately, and like most things, your monthly pet insurance premium can increase.
Pet insurers don’t just increase your monthly premium for no reason, though (well, the reliable insurers don’t). It’s usually because your pet needs more cover as it gets older or because veterinary expenses have increased and your insurer needs to make sure they can still cover you adequately.
2. You might not need the cover every month
Even though you pay for pet insurance every month, you don’t always need it EVERY month. This isn’t a bad thing, if you have a healthy kitten that isn’t accident-prone and doesn’t need to visit the vet much, what a win!
That being said, accidents and illnesses do happen unpredictably, so it’s still better to avoid the risk of not having pet insurance.
3. Not everything is covered
As much as we love all things insurance-related, T&Cs are not always our favourite (we’re pretty sure you can agree). But this tends to be most people’s downfall. The T&Cs usually outline everything that isn’t covered and where there may be a shortfall. Make sure you choose the right plan for you and know your insurance policy inside and out!
The list of exclusions will differ between pet insurers, but one thing that is more than likely excluded is pre-existing conditions.
The biggest thing about life is that you never know what could happen – at any time. That’s why we think it’s better to have some form of control such as pet insurance.
And we cannot recommend Oneplan Pet Insurance enough. They’ll go above and beyond to give you the best policy possible.
Until next time,
The petinsurance.co.za team