Cat insurance can help with eligible veterinary bills and selected additional costs if your cat becomes ill, is injured or goes missing. Cover can start from 8 weeks old, with time-limited and lifetime options for kittens and adult cats.
Cat insurance cover levels
The promoted cat policies include two time-limited vet-fee levels and three lifetime levels. Understanding the way each limit applies is as important as the headline amount.
| Cover type | Cat veterinary-fee levels | How the limit works |
|---|---|---|
| Time-limited | Up to £2,500 or £4,000 | Per eligible condition for up to 12 months, or until the limit is reached |
| Lifetime | £1,000, £3,500 or £7,000 | Annual veterinary-fee allowance, subject to renewal and policy terms |
What cat insurance can include
Alongside eligible veterinary treatment, policy benefits may extend to complementary treatment, physiotherapy, behavioural illness and treatment abroad. Cat policies can also include benefits connected with a missing pet and certain emergency situations.
- Veterinary fees for eligible illness and accidental injury.
- Certain dental treatment, complementary treatment and physiotherapy where covered.
- Behavioural illness and eligible overseas veterinary treatment.
- Advertisement and reward costs if your cat or kitten goes missing, subject to benefit limits.
- Theft or straying benefit where the policy conditions are met.
- Emergency boarding cattery fees and specified travel benefits such as holiday cancellation, quarantine costs, loss of healthcare certificate and emergency expenses abroad, depending on the cover selected.
- 24/7 access to Argos Vet Assistance.
Lifetime cat insurance
Lifetime cover provides an annual vet-fee allowance that can be renewed each policy year. For cats, the promoted levels are £1,000, £3,500 and £7,000 per year. This structure may be attractive where an owner wants cover capable of continuing across policy years for an eligible long-term condition, subject to renewal and the policy terms.
Time-limited cat insurance
Time-limited cover provides up to £2,500 or £4,000 per eligible condition for up to 12 months. If the financial limit is reached before the 12-month period ends, cover for that condition stops at that point; if the 12 months ends first, the time limit ends the cover for that condition.
Kitten insurance from 8 weeks old
Insurance can be arranged from 8 weeks of age. Starting cover early can reduce the chance that a future health problem is already present before insurance begins, although all applications and claims remain subject to the provider's definitions and exclusions. See our kitten insurance guide.
Multi-cat and mixed-pet discount
Households with more than one cat can use the multi-pet discount, and mixed dog-and-cat households can qualify too. The provider advertises a minimum £24 discount when more than one pet is insured, calculated as £1 per pet for each month insured. T&Cs apply.
Choosing cat insurance
Consider the vet-fee limit, how the cover handles ongoing conditions, the excess you would pay, age-related contributions, missing-pet benefits and any travel cover you value. The cheapest premium is not automatically the most suitable if the policy structure does not match the risks you want to insure.