Insurance for FIV cats

[Gilla999]

Hi there - apologies if this question has already been asked, I'm sure it has!

I adopted a stray cat a couple of years ago after eventually realising he had been left behind by his family when they moved house. He wasn't neutered or chipped. When I got these done it was discovered he was FIV+. He is about 11 years old we think.

I am really struggling with finding any pet insurance and I'd love to hear what others do. What concerns me is not really paying for anything to do with FIV as I can afford to pay for antibiotics etc myself. It's more (God forbid) if he were to have an accident, or get cancer or something of this ilk that would cost thousands. There is no way I would be able to afford it and the thought of having to just leave him to suffer breaks my heart. However I'm not prepared to pay £50 odd a month for pet insurance if they're not going to end up covering him anyway, because "anything" could be related to FIV.

I wondered what others experiences are - has anyone found a good insurer? I know FIV cats tend not to live as long - does anyone know what they often end up dying from? I want to do my best for him but it's so hard to know what the right thing is.

[Flora]

Hi, I'm about to be in the same position, it seems most insurance companies will not cover anything that could be related to FIV and I have had More Than say they will not cover him at all due to having a weak immune system. Im going to take out my local vets plan which covers vaccinations and 2 health checks per year etc and some cheap insurance £10 pm which will cover him for poisoning, accidents and anything that cant be linked to FIV. I'm going to try and boos the cats immune system using a good diet, clean litter etc and hope for the best. The advice is very confusing and insurance companies don't help.

[Mollycat]

No experience here with FIV but plenty in the insurance sector, not pets admittedly.

You never win long term with insurance. Across all sectors of insurance, on average, insurance companies pay out 50% of the premiums they collect. Great to have for the short term just in case but if you have access to an emergency fund while you build up a pet savings account, for all but the unlucky few, that should work out heftily in your favour long term. For those unlucky few, yes, it can be literally a lifesaver, but insurance shouldn't be something to buy automatically without thinking.

Only one example but take me - in the past 32 years I have had 6 cats, one kitten and the other 5 adopted between 3 and 9 years old, two of which are alive now. Total cat years 58 of which 48 aged 8+. I can count on my fingers the number of vet bills I have had of more than £100, which is the usual excess. We have had a run of bad luck in the last 2 years clocking up £7,500 between 2 cats and one dog, of which less than half would have been covered by a decent policy. Imagine the premiums in total over those 32 years on up to 3 cats at a time, for total claims of maybe £4,000 tops.

I guess you have to think, what conditions can be categorically not attributed to FIV, what would be the likely cost, and how much would you personally put your cat through, taking into account quality of life, general health, age, temperament etc. Does your cat go outdoors where most (not all) of the accident hazards are? Risk assess your home, for indoor cats are infectious diseases, pests and poisoning even a risk?

Flora, that £10 a month for accidents and misadventures sounds great, who is that with?

[Flora]

Hi Molly
It was with Healthy Pets Insurance. I have the quote saved but I cant look at the policy wording so I will have to do a new quote before/if I buy it. You actually make a really good point, my mum didn't have either of the two cats i grew up with vaccinated or insured and one lived until she was 21 and only had a few minor issues at the very end. The excess on my quote is £100 +20% because my potential adoptee is 8years. Id wonder if its worth insuring a FIV that lives inside until is a bit older but this company's said they wouldn't insure a cat over 13 as a new pet.

[Flora]

Hi All I found the policy details for £10 pm-

Lifetime Cover
All new conditions will be covered up to a limit. When the limit is reached, the policy no longer covers you until it is renewed.

When the policy is renewed, the limit is reinstated and you can claim for the same condition plus any additional new conditions.

Best for pets likely to develop ongoing conditions like diabetes or arthritis.

Accidents
Illness
Cover for ongoing conditions for the pet’s lifetime
Pre-existing conditions
Available with vet fee cover from £2000 or £4250

Select cake's vet fee cover level
£2000 Cover
£4250 Cover
£7.15/month, £85.84/year
Veterinary fees
up to £2000 per policy year

subject to £1000 per condition per policy year


of which, up to
Complementary Medicine
£500
Cruciate Ligament
£1000
Special Diet
£100
CT/MRI Scans
£875
Dentistry as a direct result of an accident or injury
£2000

i
Excess
of £100 + 20%

i
Death from Illness
up to £500

i
Death from Accident
up to £500

i
Advertising and reward
up to £500

i
Theft or straying
up to £500

i
Boarding kennel fees
up to £500

i
Holiday cancellation
up to £500

i
Overseas travel
up to 30 days

i
£7.15/month
£85.84/year
For some reason its saying its £10 per month at the till which I think is linked to my cats age.

[Mollycat]

Thanks Flora who is it with?