I recently discovered Felix Pet Insurance which covers healthcare expenses for cats only. I got a quote, read a sample policy, and called to talk with a company representative with questions I had.
What You Need To Know
The actual coverages aren't that different from other company policies that cover both dogs and cats. One notable exception is coverage of pre-existing conditions after a 365 day waiting period. The only 2 chronic medical conditions excluded are Diabetes and Cushing's disease. Other chronic conditions apparently are covered after the first year of coverage.
You cannot increase the annual limit of your policy later on after initial purchase. I always recommend getting the highest annual maximum at initial signup anyway. The highest annual maximum Felix offers is $10,000.
Their policy states that they offer optional coverages e.g. final respects care, exam care, alternative/behavioral care, wellness care, inherited/congential care, and breeding care. When I got a quote, the only optional coverage I was offered was the wellness care. The representative said that the other coverages are automatically included in the quote except breeding coverage which I could request and pay an additional premium to have covered.
The Felix policy doesn't cover 2 things I always recommend for people buying pet insurance for cats:
- Coverage for dental illnesses - the vast majority of dental problems cats have are illnesses e.g. gingivitis, stomatitis, periodontal disease, tooth resorptive lesions, etc. Cats are more prone to dental illnesses than dogs although I recommend dental illness coverage for both cats and dogs.
- Prescription pet foods used to help manage chronic conditions in cats. They do cover Y/D, a prescription diet usually used as the sole treatment for hyperthyroidism. Other diets e.g. c/d for urinary problems, k/d for kidney disease, etc. aren't covered. Prescription diets are 2-3 times more expensive than what most people pay for their cat's regular food.
The representative said that their coverage of pre-existing conditions after a 365 day waiting period is what attracts a lot of people to their policy. You must decide whether the pros and cons of a Felix policy are more attractive for your cat's needs than other companies that cover both dogs and cats. The quote for a 2 year old Domestic Shorthair cat in Memphis, TN. ($10,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, 90% reimbursement and no wellness coverage) was $29.95/month.
What You Need To Do
Get quotes from Felix and several other companies. Read sample policies from each company and if you have questions, call and talk with a company representative to clarify any issues. Compare the pros and cons of each company along with quotes. If you want more than the $10,000 annual limit, you'll need to go with another company. Remember that 95+% of annual claims for insured pets in the U.S. are less than $10,000. However the annual limit usually has the least impact on the monthly premium. You can usually quadruple the annual limit for just a few dollars a month while getting a lower deductible might cost $10-20/month more.
If you are buying a policy from Felix primarily because of their coverage of pre-existing conditions after 365 days, be sure to talk to a company representative about how this works if your cat already one or more known chronic conditions, or if your cat develops such a condition during the 365 day waiting period.