In September 2024, I joined approximately 43 million households who own cats. At some point in my adult life I wanted a pet, but once I started living on my own it felt like the right time to take the plunge. My kitten, Fiona, fills my mind every day, but she was like a drain in my bank account. I brought her home when she was about 4 months old and she turns it in June. Since then, she has eaten multiple ear infections, two eye infections, and a prescription diet. She’s a more diva than I originally expected, but I don’t have any other ways to do it for her. Her high maintenance antics are a big part of her charm. And her lasting scowl.
I love kittens. I want to provide her with the best possible life, even if that means changing my part. For me, this meant accepting that some of my shoes had permanent tooth marks. Lintroller is unnegotiable before leaving the house, and at some point I have to drop some money on her. I put together a few numbers before I took her home, but for peace of mind, I also got pet insurance. I just bought the policy nine months ago and I’ve already received more than twice as much money back on billing than I paid with premium.
Why did I get pet insurance for my kitten?
I live in San Francisco and are a land of $12 beer and $15 artisan breakfast sandwiches. I knew everything would cost a little more here and pet care was no exception. The average cost of a San Francisco cat veterinary bill is around $700. By comparison, the average national cost of a daily veterinary visit is between $25 and $186.
As a first-time pet owner, I knew there were questions I wanted to ask my vet directly. I can have a bit of thought, and I would rather ask a medical professional than send myself into the rabbit hole in online research. If you are scheduling a veterinary visit for your kitten, this may be the case. I’m stressing that something is already happening. I didn’t want to be emphasized about the cost of bringing her over it.
I also heard from a friend (mainly a dog owner) about how quickly pets can go from one day, which can cost the next thousands. A friend of my dog’s friend swallowed some of the rope tutoys, which required an MRI and surgery. The gross bill went somewhere north of $20,000. Listening to that story was a push you need to sign up for a policy before bringing your kitten home (no $20,000 to burn holes in your pocket).
I went shopping and eventually decided to bundle my pet insurance into the renter’s policy that I get from lemonade. I wanted something completely possible on my phone, so lemonade boasted a quick billing time. I knew I didn’t want to hang out with my credit card bill if Fiona had an expensive veterinary bill. Ideally, I wanted a plan to pay off the covered bills right away, so I don’t need to be too immersed in my savings. Sign up was easy and offered a discount to accommodate two policies at the same company.
I bought an accident and illness policy with two add-ons. The first is a preventive care package that reaches my policy limits, including coverage of three vaccines, wellness testing, parasite testing, blood tests, and FELV/FIV testing. It covers only these specific costs. Other preventive care is not included in my policy. Other approvals cover veterinary visit fees for accidents and illnesses. However, it does not cover existing conditions. Lemonade also provided coverage for physical therapy, behavioral status, dental illness and end-of-life care, but I chose to skip them. In total, I pay around $44 per month, but my policy deductible is $250.
Did pet insurance save me money?
Overall, my kitten insurance ended up saving me money. The money I received back to the bill exceeded what I spent out of my pocket on my monthly premium. In total, I spent $398 on pet insurance premiums from August to April and regained $892 from my claim. Without pet insurance, I would have spent another $494 out of my pocket.
| Pet costs | Costs without pet insurance | Pet insurance costs |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly insurance fees | $0 | $398 |
| Veterinary bills and medications | $2,002 | $2,002 |
| Money from insurance | $0 | $892 |
| Net self-paid expenses | $2,002 | $1,508 |
| Total Cost/Savings | I spent $2,002 | Save $494 |
Most of these veterinary bills stem from Fiona’s chronic ear infections. She is a ragdoll and they are healthy breeds, but they are known for their sensitive stomachs. My vet said that food allergies in pets can manifest as not only digestive issues, but also as irritation of skin, ears and eyes. This makes sense given that she had been eating the same food all her life and always showed some kind of problem or discomfort.
Claims related to Fiona’s ears and eyes were covered, but other claims were rejected. When she was having eye problems, my vet suggested fleas and tick medications for prescription power. I asked for a prescription, but Lemonade denied the claim. Although prescription drugs were covered, flea medications were considered a “preventive” measure and were not eligible for compensation. My preventive care add-ons only covered a handful of specifics.
The vet also put Fiona in his prescription diet, which is not covered by my policy. Her new food is expensive, with a 4 pound bag for around $50. It’s more expensive than her original, but if it prevents her from getting an ear or eye infection, I would like it to pay for itself over time. Again, Fiona is like a diva, so expensive meals are a bit nasty, but not unexpected.
Pet insurance or savings account: Which is better?
If you have a pet, you know that things can quickly become expensive. If you are considering keeping a pet, I hope you have learned from me that you need a game plan. It will cost money to add a furry loved one to your home.
I’ve heard that paying for a savings account through Grapevine is the most cost-effective thing to do before getting kitten insurance. I can see the logic behind this, but for me it makes the most sense to do both. Since I won Fiona, I have saved more and paid more money each month to a savings account. That way you know you have enough money for what she needs, not covered by pet insurance. And I can rely on the insurance company for a large expense. When it comes to savings accounts and pet insurance contracts, they are not considered either.
I’m glad that pet insurance saved me some money, but I’m glad I have it mainly for a bigger expense. If something serious happens to Fiona, if she gets sick, if she eats something she isn’t supposed to do or breaks her leg, I sleep at night knowing that I don’t have to take charge of the entire cost myself. Plus, you have more room for cat toy budgets.
I bought my policy when Fiona was a kitten so she was a blank slate with regard to existing terms. I knew I could schedule a veterinarian appointment for a variety of possible issues. And I knew there was a certain chance that those bills could be covered. That said, when her policy was updated in late August, I wouldn’t be surprised if her ear and eye infections were considered “pre-existing conditions” and no longer covered by my policy. Lemonade may consider ear and eye infections as an existing condition, as my issue began before the effective date of a new update to my policy. But I hope her prescription diet will solve the problem.
Conclusion
You won’t get around that – pets can be expensive, but they are worth every penny. Getting a pet was a financial decision, and in my experience, pet insurance helped. If you are considering having a puppy or kitten, pet insurance may be a wise choice. We don’t know what health problems our pets face. By taking out insurance when your pet insurance is younger, you will be able to cover more of your claims.
