It is a situation that, unfortunately, is all too familiar for those who own cats, especially cats who are older or rescued.
You apply for insurance with your kitty, only to be rejected by the insurance company, and you are left perplexed as to why this has happened. After all, you have never claimed with your new cat, so why on earth have you been rejected?
It’s important to remember that insurance companies are, at the end of the day, businesses, and for many of them, there are strict criteria that have to be adhered to when it comes to insuring cats and dogs.
So, in this article, the reasons why your kitty may not be able to get standard pet insurance will be explored.
Pre-existing Conditions
When it comes to getting cat insurance UK, many of the standard insurance companies will not cover cats that have pre-existing medical conditions. Sadly, if you have a cat that has been rescued from a shelter or your cat is older, it is highly likely that they will have a few things on their medical record, which can make insuring them difficult.
Of course, this is not to say that all insurance agencies will reject cats who have pre-existing health conditions, but you may need to pay more per month so that any bills that arise in the future will be covered. Alternatively, an insurance agency may offer to insure your cat but will not cover anything that is associated with the pre-existing medical condition.
Age
While it is quite rare in 2023, there are some pet insurance providers who do have age restrictions. Ergo, they may not offer insurance to kittens or cats over the age of 8, who are considered senior. The age limit does vary, so be sure to check around to find one that may be able to insure your older cat.
Breed
Next comes another rather unsavory reason; there are certain cat breeds that are excluded from insurance coverage simply because of the breed’s genetic predisposition to health issues. As mentioned before, insurance companies are, after all, companies and will consider these cats to be high risk and will therefore aim to not provide them with coverage. However, in a similar vein, there are insurance companies that may exclusively insure one specific breed of cat due to this, but you may need to pay higher monthly premiums.
No Vaccinations
In order to be insured, your cat will often need to have up-to-date vaccinations and regular preventive care, such as flea treatment, worming and yearly checkups with a vet. So, if you have adopted a cat from a shelter, this is probably the least likely reason why they are uninsurable. However, if you have not been able to get your cats to their yearly checkups due to financial reasons, this may be worth looking into if you are trying to get them insured.
History
If you are switching to a new insurance provider for your cat, they will inevitably look into the history of your previous insurance claims. So, if your cat has had multiple historical claims, they may consider them to be a high-risk cat and will therefore decline to provide them with coverage.
