Why do you need cat insurance?
If your much-loved cat falls ill or gets hurt, you'll want them to get the best care, but vet fees are expensive. Consultations, scans, overnight stays and so on can quickly add up to hundreds if not thousands of pounds. And with no NHS for cats to pick up the bill, if your cat isn't insured, you'll have to pay.
Why insure your cat with Direct Line?
- Customisable cover
With our range of cover levels and add-ons, you can be sure you're getting the right insurance to protect you and your cat. - Multi-pet discount
You'll save 12.5% on the cost of pet insurance when you insure more than one pet, cat or dog, on the same Direct Line policy.
Multi-pet discount is introductory and applies for the first 12 months of the policy. Find out more - Claim online
Take the stress out of making a claim with our simple online form. Once submitted, we'll aim to deal directly with your chosen vet. Make a claim
Cat care advice 24/7
Free PawSquad access lets you video call and live chat with qualified vets.
Go to PawsquadSave on cat medication
Pet Drugs Online could save you money on medication, food and routine treatment.
Which pet insurance is right for you and your cat?
A selection of cat cover add-ons are also available. These include helping you out with advertising costs, boarding fees and holiday cancellations. Learn more and compare cover levels
Essential cover
Our most affordable cat insurance provides up to £4,000 of cover per condition. Each condition is covered for up to 12 months from the date of the first treatment.
Advanced cover
Our highest level of pet insurance provides up to £8,000 towards vet fees per condition, with no time limit on how long you can claim.
What can impact my premium?
- Age. The older your pet gets, the more expensive your cover is likely to be. This is because your pet is more prone to chronic medical conditions in later years.
- Rising vet fees. Fees are increasing throughout the UK because vets can now provide more advanced treatments.
- Breed. Some breeds are more expensive to insure as they're more susceptible to certain medical conditions.
- IPT. If Insurance Premium Tax either increases or decreases, insurance premiums are impacted.
- Introductory discounts. If the price you've paid today includes an introductory or renewal discount, you might find your insurance is higher in following years once the offer ends. Other factors including, but not limited to, the age and breed of your pet or claims history could also have an impact on your premium at renewal.
Frequently asked questions
The policy doesn't cover any pre-existing conditions. This includes claims for any conditions, symptoms or events that happen before the start of the policy, and within the first 14 days of the policy. Symptoms exhibited before the policy start date that are later diagnosed aren't covered unless the problems are totally unrelated.
For example, if your pet had a cut on its leg which healed before the policy start date, this wouldn't be considered an existing condition. A future cut to the same leg would be classed as a new condition and covered under the terms of the policy.
However, you wouldn't be covered if the original wound didn't heal properly, and further treatment was required. This would be considered an existing condition as it was present before the start date of the policy.
We offer two levels of cover.
Our Essential policy covers separate conditions for 12 months from the first date of treatment, up to a maximum of £4,000 per condition. This policy may be suitable for unexpected injuries or for acute conditions which are unlikely to require long term treatment.
Our Advanced policy covers each separate condition up to a maximum of £8,000 with no time limit on reaching this amount. The Advanced policy is worth considering if you want to cover the costs of ongoing conditions such as arthritis or heart conditions.
Once a pet is insured with us, we'll continue to insure it. We don't restrict cover or increase the excess due to a pet's age. Please note, all cover for ongoing claims is subject to the policy remaining in force.
Yes, having more than one pet on a policy will entitle you to a discount which is automatically applied. You'll also benefit from having all your pets on one policy, with one renewal date and one payment date.
A dog or cat can be insured from the age of 8 weeks old up to a maximum age of 11 years old (6 years for certain dog breeds). Once the animal is insured, we can continue the cover for the rest of its life.
The quickest and easiest way to submit a claim is through our secure online portal. Simply complete the online form, and we'll contact your vet direct to deal with the claim. If they agree, we'll also pay them directly too.
Throughout your claim we'll keep you in the loop with regular updates on its progress.
Alternatively, you can download the pet insurance claim form and email it back to us at petclaimreturn@ukipartnerships.com or call us on 0345 246 8496 (lines open Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm).
Page updated: 18th May, 2020