Kitten Insurance Explained: Cover, Timing & What To Check

As pet parents, we want to give our little companions the best possible start in life, and kitten insurance is there to do just that. We all know kittens are prone to mischief, so whether they get themselves into an accident or develop an illness , having the right plan in place lets you focus on life with your pet instead of worrying about surprise vet bills. Read on to learn more about kitten insurance, including what to look out for in policies, what kitten insurance typically covers and the best insurance as your kitten grows into adulthood. A quick guide to kitten insurance for busy pet parents What’s kitten insurance and how does it work? Kitten insurance helps cover the costs if your kitten is injured or falls ill. Pet parents will pay what’s known as a ‘premium’ for the insurance. ‘Premium’ is just another word for ‘price’ and is a term commonly used in insurance. When it comes to claiming, pet parents can either claim directly through their insurer, or their vet can submit claims on their behalf (if this is offered). Pet insurance providers may charge an excess or co-payment for this. At ManyPets, we have a choice of excess options, and charge just one excess per policy year, not per condition. Our co-payment and excess guide can help explain how this works. Routine and preventative care usually aren’t covered, and with most insurers, any conditions that existed before the policy started also aren’t covered. Kittens are new to the world and prone to accidents and infections while their immune systems and coordination are still developing, so insurance can be important at this stage. What age can you insure a kitten from? Only a handful of insurance providers, including ManyPets, will cover a kitten from four weeks old, with no upper age limit. Most insurance providers set the bar slightly higher, insuring pets from six or eight weeks old. So it's worth checking beforehand. When’s the best time to take out kitten insurance? It depends on you, your circumstances and what works best for your kitten. The earlier the better really, to avoid the risk of any illness or accidents occurring before insurance purchase. If your pet becomes poorly during the waiting period, which is usually 14 days for illness or 2 days for accidents, those conditions will also be considered pre-existing. Which type of kitten insurance is right for you? There are four main types of pet insurance sold in the UK. You should be aware of what these types are, and what that would mean for you. What does kitten insurance cover? A comprehensive kitten insurance policy protects against any unexpected veterinary expenses. With ManyPets, our Standard and Complete Care plans cover vet fees for accidents and illnesses including diagnostic tests, treatment, medication and surgery up to the vet fee limit. These plans also cover kitten dental treatment for both accident and illness, whilst Essential Care will cover your kitten for dental accidents only. If you're after behaviour cover, our Complete Care plan will cover your kitten for treatment as long as it’s vet-referred, and only as a result of illness or injury. Our cover extends as a kitten grows, so a condition picked up during kittenhood stays covered into adulthood as long as you renew your policy with no break in cover. We always recommend reading your handbook for exact cover terms. What’s not covered by kitten insurance? Most kitten insurance plans won’t cover routine and preventative care. This includes: These routine treatments are planned costs rather than surprise ones, and are part of keeping your kitten healthy day-to-day rather than for accidents or illnesses. Most pet insurance providers won’t cover anything that counts as a pre-existing condition when your policy starts, or that develops during the 14-day waiting period. Is my kitten already covered by the breeder or rescue centre? Some breeders and rescue organisations include a short period of free kitten insurance when you collect your kitten, often spanning around four weeks. It's likely this will need to be activated, so check this gets done. This temporary policy provides valuable initial protection while your kitten settles into their new home, but it’s only intended to bridge the gap until you arrange your own cover rather than replacing it. It’s always best to check the exact end date on any breeder or charity cover and have your own policy ready to start the moment it lapses. We’d recommend making sure there’s no gap in cover while your kitten begins settling into their new home. How do pre-existing conditions work when your cat is this young? A condition counts as pre-existing if your kitten showed signs or symptoms or received advice, treatment or medication for it before your policy started or during the 14-day waiting period. What affects the price of kitten insurance? These are some factors that could influence your price: How do you claim on a kitten policy? Claiming works slightly differently depending on your insurance provider. With us, we can pay your vet directly. Instead of paying vet fees up front, you can ask your vet to submit claims directly to us, using the ManyPets Vet Portal. The vet just needs to agree and be using the Vet Portal. You’ll still need to pay your excess or co-payment if this applies, and any vet admin fees up front, but we’ll take care of everything else. You also can submit claims directly through My Account whenever you need, 24/7. What changes when your kitten becomes an adult cat? At ManyPets, all of our policies are lifetime. That means, as your cat gets older, your vet fee limit will refresh every year you renew, as long as there’s no break in cover. You’re also likely to see an increase in your renewal price as your pet gets older. These price changes can be substantial, and increase significantly over your pet's lifetime. It's important to budget for these changes. When your cat turns seven, you’ll also need to pay a 20% co-payment on new claims alongside your yearly excess. Every renewal is a chance to check whether the vet fee limit, cover and excess still meet your needs. Kitten insurance for life with your new tailmate Learn more and get cat insurance with ManyPets today. FAQs What's the minimum age to insure a kitten in the UK? It depends on your insurance provider. We’re one of a handful of insurance providers who will cover a kitten from four weeks old, with no upper age limit. Most insurance providers set the bar slightly higher, usually from six or eight weeks old. Does kitten insurance cover vaccinations or neutering? No, vaccinations, neutering, microchipping and other routine or preventative care are usually excluded from pet insurance policies, including ManyPets. This is because kitten insurance is designed to help with unexpected costs rather than planned, routine procedures. Is lifetime cover worth it for a kitten? It depends on you and your circumstances. Lifetime cover keeps paying for ongoing conditions year after year, provided you renew without a break, which helps to protect your kitten through to adulthood. Is my kitten already insured by the breeder or rescue centre? Kittens sometimes come with a short, temporary cover from their breeder or rescue centre. This cover usually lasts around four weeks and bridges the gap until you buy your own plan. Be sure to check if this cover applies to you, if it's been activated, and the end date. This is so that you can have your own cover ready before it runs out. What counts as a pre-existing condition for a kitten? Any sign and symptom or medication, advice or treatment received for a condition that occurred before your kitten’s insurance policy started, or during the 14-day waiting period, would count as pre-existing.

Kitten insurance: everything you need to know

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