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What will cat insurance actually cost you over a lifetime?
The cheapest monthly quote isn't always the cheapest policy. Premiums rise as your cat ages, excesses stack up, and co-payments kick in after age 9. Use the calculator to compare insuring vs paying vet bills out of pocket — across your cat's full expected lifespan.
Your cat
Your policy
Over 12 years (age 3–15)
With insurance
£6,603
Premiums £3,593 + excesses & co-pays
Paying vet bills yourself
£12,150
Sum of expected vet bills, no insurance
Insurance saves you about £5,547
Based on your inputs, insurance is the cheaper bet across your cat's lifetime — mostly because of the chance of one big claim in the senior years.
Year-by-year breakdown
| Age | Premium | Expected vet bills | With insurance | Without |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | £168 | £150 | £267 | £150 |
| 4 | £185 | £150 | £284 | £150 |
| 5 | £203 | £400 | £302 | £400 |
| 6 | £224 | £400 | £323 | £400 |
| 7 | £246 | £400 | £345 | £400 |
| 8 | £271 | £950 | £370 | £950 |
| 9 | £298 | £950 | £567 | £950 |
| 10 | £327 | £950 | £597 | £950 |
| 11 | £360 | £1,800 | £799 | £1,800 |
| 12 | £396 | £1,800 | £835 | £1,800 |
| 13 | £436 | £1,800 | £875 | £1,800 |
| 14 | £479 | £2,400 | £1,039 | £2,400 |
A note on the numbers: Expected vet bills are modelled on UK industry averages — low through your cat's healthy adult years, then ramping up sharply from age 8 as senior conditions (dental, kidney, thyroid, arthritis) become more likely. Co-payments of 20% are applied from age 9, which mirrors most UK lifetime policies. This is a planning tool — your actual costs will vary.