Pet Insurance For Senior Cats (2023)
According to International Cat Care, senior cats are between the ages of 11 and 14. If your favorite feline is in this category, you know that more treasured memories – and potential vet bills – come with age.
Pet insurance for senior cats can help you manage unexpected and costly veterinary expenses. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you can choose the very best care for your old buddy without breaking the bank.
Keep reading to find out:
- Average cost of senior cat insurance
- Benefits of pet insurance for senior cats
- Information on top senior cat insurance providers
Best Overall
OUR RATING: 4.9/5
✔️ No Upper age limits
✔️ 30-day money-back guarantee
✔️ Offers comprehensive wellness plans
Most Affordable
OUR RATING: 4.8/5
✔️ Completely online experience
✔️ 8-hour wait period for accidents
✔️ 5% discount for multiple pets
Best for Chronic Conditions
OUR RATING: 4.7/5
✔️ Fast claims process
✔️ 30-day money-back guarantee
✔️ Unlimited annual and lifetime coverage
Keep reading to find out:
- Average cost of senior cat insurance
- Benefits of pet insurance for senior cats
- Information on top senior cat insurance providers
Continue reading to learn more about the following pet insurance providers so that you can choose the best one for your needs:
- Spot: Best overall
- Lemonade: Most affordable
- Embrace: Best for deductibles
- Healthy Paws: Best for chronic conditions
- ASPCA: Most experienced
- Prudent Pet: Best for dog and cat parents who want basic options
- Figo: Most flexible reimbursement rates
- Wagmo: Best for immediate reimbursement
- Trupanion:Most flexible deductible
How Much Does Senior Cat Insurance Cost?
On average, pet insurance for senior cats costs $50-$80 per month. Your monthly premium will vary depending on your cat’s age, breed, and location. You can customize your price point by mixing and matching deductibles, annual limits, and reimbursement percentages.
Here are some sample Spot pet insurance quotes for a pet owner in Cincinnati with a Domestic Shorthair cat.
|
Type Of Coverage |
Age |
Coverage Rates* |
Monthly Cost |
|
Accident-only |
11 |
Low cost/low coverage |
$4 |
|
High cost/high coverage |
$36 |
||
|
14 |
Low cost/low coverage |
$4 |
|
|
High cost/high coverage |
$36 |
||
|
Accident/illness |
11 |
Low cost/low coverage |
$15 |
|
High cost/high coverage |
$127 |
||
|
14 |
Low cost/low coverage |
$21 |
|
|
High cost/high coverage |
$182 |
*Low cost/low coverage plans have a $1,000 annual deductible, $2,500 annual payout limit, and a 70% reimbursement rate. High cost/high coverage plans have a $100 annual deductible, unlimited annual payout, and 90% reimbursement rate.
Your pet insurance premiums will be higher if you enroll your pet at an older age. This is because the pet is more prone to health problems.
Even if you enroll your pet when it’s young, your premiums may increase over time to make up for your pet’s age and fluctuations in vet costs. Some providers enforce upper age limits, which means your pet may be ineligible for insurance coverage if you try to enroll past a certain age. In some cases, older pets are just eligible for accident-only coverage.
While researching pet insurance providers, read the fine print on upper age policies to ensure your cat isn’t missing out on important coverage.
What Is Typically Covered?
Pet insurance covers your cat’s unexpected injuries and illnesses. You can typically select an accident/illness plan or an accident-only plan, depending on your pet’s healthcare needs and your provider’s age limitations.
|
Accident/Illness Coverage |
Accident-Only Coverage |
|
|
What Are the Benefits of Pet Insurance for Senior Cats?
Cancer Treatment Coverage
Cancer can develop in cats of all ages. According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, cancer treatments for cats can range from $500-$7,000.
With pet insurance, you could get 70-90% reimbursement for those costs, depending on the plan you choose. Most pet insurance companies cover cancer testing and treatment, so the right plan will allow you to provide the best veterinary care for your pet.
Preventive Care Reimbursements
Even in its later years, your senior pet will need routine veterinary care. Wellness plans help you save hundreds of dollars on the care that keeps your pet around longer and prevents health issues from popping up.
For younger pets, preventative care can mean spay/neuter procedures and initial vaccinations. Older pets still need routine pet care such as parasite medications, vaccine boosters, and regular wellness checkups.
Congenital Condition Coverage
Most pet health insurance plans cover your cat’s congenital and hereditary conditions. These are the conditions your cat might be prone to because of breed-specific genetic abnormalities.
Congenital conditions often show symptoms later in your pet’s life, so pet insurance policies that cover these items can save you a lot of money. If your cat’s breed is prone to hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia, heart disease, or spinal atrophy, you should consider buying pet insurance before any symptoms appear.
Senior Cat Insurance: Our Top 3 Providers
|
Spot |
Lemonade |
Embrace |
|
|
Quote |
|||
|
Our Score |
4.9/5 |
4.8/5 |
4.7/5 |
|
Deductible |
$100 to $1,000 |
$100 to $500 |
$200 to $1,000 |
|
Average Monthly Cost for Senior Cats |
$50-$80 |
$30-$60 |
$50-$80 |
|
Multi-pet Discount |
10% |
5% |
10% |
|
Wellness Add-on |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
BBB Rating |
A |
F |
A+ |
Best Pet Insurance for Senior Cats
We’ve reviewed some top pet insurance companies that offer excellent healthcare coverage for older cats. Each of these providers allows policy customization and optional wellness plan enrollment for all your furry family member’s needs.
SPOT PET INSURANCE
Best For: Pet parents who want help training their pets to eliminate certain vet visits
BEST FEATURES
+ Preventive care add-on and no exam fees
+ No age limits
WORST FEATURES
OUR RATING: 4.9
Spot offers accident/illness and accident-only plans with customizable rates and no upper age limits. We think it’s an excellent option for pet parents of senior cats who need flexible policies to fit their pets’ needs.
Here are Spot’s mix-and-match coverage options:
Annual payout limit – $2,500-Unlimited.
Reimbursement percentages – 70%, 80%, 90%.
Annual deductibles – $100-$1,000.
Spot’s accident/illness plan covers costs associated with unexpected injuries and illnesses, congenital conditions, behavioral issues, and more. Spot doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, exotic pets, cosmetic procedures, or accidents and illnesses that occur during waiting periods.
In addition to insurance coverage, Spot offers Gold and Platinum Preventive Care packages. With a wellness package, you’ll get $250-$450 in reimbursements for routine services like checkups, vaccinations, dental cleanings, parasite tests, and more.
Pros:
- No upper age limits
- Preventative care add-ons
- Highly customizable coverage rates
Cons:
- Higher monthly premiums
- No prescription pet food coverage
Check out our Spot pet insurance review for more information.
LEMONADE PET INSURANCE
Best For: Pet parents who want to bundle with other Lemonade products
BEST FEATURES
+ Fully Online Experience
+ Extra preventative care for kittens and puppies (under 2 years old)
WORST FEATURES
OUR RATING: 4.8
Lemonade offers accident/illness coverage at competitively affordable prices. The provider does enforce upper age limits that vary by breed, so be sure to review sample quotes for your specific animal before purchasing a plan.
You can customize your pet’s policy by combining the following rate options:
Annual payout limit – $5,000-$100,000.
Reimbursement percentages – 70%, 80%, 90%.
Annual deductibles – $100-$500.
Lemonade’s plan covers unexpected accidents and illnesses, diagnostic testing, procedures, prescription medications, and more. It won’t cover your pet’s pre-existing conditions, elective procedures, breeding costs, or incidents that occur during waiting periods.
You can select one of Lemonade’s Preventative Care add-ons for reimbursement for routine vet bills. Lemonade also offers add-on packages for vet visit fees and physical therapy to help you budget additional veterinary expenses.
Pros:
- Competitively affordable monthly premiums
- Wellness packages for routine care
- User-friendly online platform and mobile app
Cons:
- Upper age limits
- Not available in all states
Read more in our Lemonade pet insurance review.
EMBRACE PET INSURANCE
Best For: People who want nose-to-tail coverage
BEST FEATURES
+ Cancer medication coverage
+ Dental care
+ Healthy Pet Deductible
WORST FEATURES
× Strict pre-existing condition exclusions
× Annual maximums
OUR RATING: 4.7
Embrace offers accident/illness coverage to pets 14 years old and younger. Once your pet turns 15, you can enroll it in Embrace’s accident-only plan.
Embrace’s rate options are:
Annual payout limit – $5,000-$30,000.
Reimbursement percentages – 70%, 80%, 90%.
Annual deductibles – $200-$1,000.
Embrace’s accident/illness plan covers unexpected injuries and illnesses, congenital conditions, exam fees, cancer treatments, prescription medications, and more. The provider doesn’t cover exotic pets, pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures, or illnesses and accidents that occur during waiting periods.
Embrace also offers Wellness Rewards packages to help you budget your pet’s preventive care costs. You can choose from three plan options for $250-$650 in annual wellness reimbursements.
Pros:
- Healthy Pet Deductible program
- Dedication to animal welfare
- Wellness Rewards add-on available
Cons:
- Upper age limits for accident/illness coverage
- $30,000 annual coverage limit
For more information, read our Embrace pet insurance review.
Is Pet Insurance for Your Senior Cats Necessary?
We think pet insurance is essential for your senior cat. It can help you save money on veterinary services your pet is more prone to because of its age. We do, however, think you should enroll your pet as early as possible.
Older pets have had more time to develop pre-existing conditions, which are never covered by pet insurance. If your pet has multiple pre-existing conditions, pet insurance might not be worth it.
Senior Cats Insurance Alternatives
If you need an insurance alternative for your senior cat, we recommend choosing a veterinary discount program like Pet Assure. Pet Assure doesn’t have any age limits or pre-existing condition exclusions, and you’ll never have to reach a deductible. Instead, you’ll pay a monthly fee in exchange for 25% off veterinary services.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article helps you choose the best pet insurance for senior cats. There are several solid options on the market, and we have no doubt you’ll find the purrfect one for your feline friend.
If you’re still curious about the ins and outs of pet insurance plans, you can check out our comprehensive provider reviews for more information.
Our Methodology
Here at 365 Pet Insurance, our research team looks to examine all pet insurance policies and comes up with reviews based on:
- Coverage
- Plan options
- Cost
- Reputation
- Customer service
- Species available
- Wellness benefits
We’ve created a 5-star rating system to score pet insurance brands based on a 100-point scale. To develop a list of the best pet insurance plans, we looked into plans, rating coverage, claims handling, reimbursements, deductibles, and limitations.
Each factor is weighted differently based on the following factors:
- Monthly Pricing (25 points): How each pet insurance company charges for their plans is a crucial part of the decision-making process of the customer. Affordable rates and comprehensive coverage are the defining characteristics of providing the best pet insurance.
- Coverage (20 points): We scored companies based on the treatments and procedures they cover. Providers offering broader coverage and more unique treatments received more points. Pet insurance policies are not offered by all companies for older pets. Providers who have an age limit on the pets they cover were deducted points.
- Plans (15 points): Pet insurance providers offer accident-and-illness plans, accident-only plans, wellness add-ons, and pet preventive care add-ons, so customers can choose the right plan for their pets. We also factored in costs to achieve the most comprehensible review for your pet’s needs.
- Customization Options (10 points): You can ensure your pet only gets what they need by customizing your policy. A higher score was earned by providers who offered a greater range of annual limits, deductibles, and reimbursement rates.
- Customer Service (10 points): We scored companies based on their website accessibility and usability, mobile apps, and grating points to companies with the most customer experience options.
- Industry Reputation (10 points): We assessed each company’s industry reputation by reviewing up-to-date BBB ratings and accreditation information, as well as their years of experience in the industry.
- Waiting Periods (10 points): Companies with shorter accident and illness waiting periods scored higher than companies with longer waiting periods.
Our team revisits each company’s information at the end of every month to make updates and ensure the information is as accurate as possible.