Having No Pet Insurance Cost Us $900
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
The answer is a big yes for those asking whether pet insurance exists.
The options are endless with pet insurance. However, I suggest everyone with a pet gets it.
Why am I so adamant about pet insurance?
Because not everyone buys pet insurance, nor do they factor in the costs of owning a pet when budgeting.
Today, I will share our pity party about not having pet insurance and how much one vet visit cost us.
I will also give you an estimated breakdown of the costs of purchasing our kitten and the ongoing costs of owning a cat.
We found out the hard way after I stepped on our kitten a few days after bringing him home.
Buying a pet is a big deal with lots of responsibility and costs that should be included in your budget.
Besides not having pet insurance when we bought our barn cat for $300 and a one-hour drive was a lack of education.
As a blogger, I knew about pet insurance and should have known better how much a veterinarian visit would cost.
Instead of buying a kitten bed, scratching post, food, bowls, snacks, kitty litter and potty etc., we should have bought pet insurance first.
How Much A Kitten Cost Us After One Week
I am almost ashamed to share how much we paid for our kitten, including a big fat vet bill.
We drove one hour away from our city to buy a black barn cat for $300.
During the pandemic, prices for kittens were through the roof, but our son promised to look after him.
Yeah right!
Week One With Our Kitten With No Pet Insurance
Let me take you down on the first week of owning a kitten and the costs we paid.
- $300 kitten
- $100 gas to get the kitten
- $55 Kitten carrier
- $50 Fuzzy Cat house
- $75 kitty Litter Box
- Kitty litter from Costco $11.99 or Amazon Tidy Cats Glade Clear Springs
- $20 Coils (must have)
- Large Kitty Scratching Post Free from a neighbour
- Second-hand scratching post $15
- Cat Tunnel $27
- $10 Musical Fish
- $50 for various kitten toys. Some are pretty cool and work well for cats.
- $400 to get our kitten checked by the vet and all of his shots, including a microchip.
- $200 neutering our kitten
- $900 for an overnight stay and pain meds because I stepped on his neck and thought I had killed him.
- $25 Cat Licence
- $121 to get his nails clipped at the vets
- $50 poop bags, Arm and Hammer litter deodorizer, kitten mat, cat brush, leash, harness, nail clipper
- $100 Cat Food Hills Science Dry
- $22 Hills Science wet cat food pouches
- $20 24 cans of wet cat food Tasty Treasures
- $15 for Lickable cat treats weekly
Grand Total: $2513 With no Pet Insurance
Importance of a Pet Budget
I’m just as shocked as you are, and now we budget for pet insurance because we don’t ever want a massive vet bill again.
The point of this post is not to scare you into not buying a kitten but to be aware of the costs involved.
I also want to reiterate the importance of paying for pet insurance.
Below are five online pet insurance companies where you can insure your pets.
P.S. If you’re wondering why it cost so much to get our kitten’s nails clipped, he went bonkers at the veterinarian’s office.
I had to agree to sedate him a bit so the vet could get the job done.
Mrs. CBB said she wouldn’t pay that much each time he needed his nails clipped.
We discovered that if we feed him a Delectables Lickable Treat, he calms down and allows me to finish it in 15 minutes.
Our kitten also wanted me to tell you that all cats will love this treat and stock up.
1. Trupanion Pet Insurance Canada
All pets get the best coverage under one plan, unlimited lifetime insurance with no caps, covers 90% of your claim once you meet the deductible, and pay your vet directly.
Trupanion Pet Insurance Canada
2. Costco Pet Insurance Canada
Members get 10% off their pet insurance quote, whereas Exclusive members get 15% off.
They also have an Accident Plan and an Accident and illness plan.
As a Costco member, you receive a preferred rate* PLUS your first month is complimentary.
It seems as if Costco goes through a third-party company called Pets Plus Us.
Pets Plus Us pet insurance is designed to provide pet owners like you with the financial security to provide your pet with the best veterinary care.
I like how pet insurance from Costco allows owners to get discounted meds.
“Receive exceptional savings on medicines for your pet at Costco Pharmacy.
Call the Costco Pharmacy to verify if your pet’s medications are available and ask your veterinarian to fax their prescriptions to Costco Pharmacy.“
Dogs and cats get sick and injured just like we do.
By helping you prepare for the cost of veterinary care for your pet, you can make decisions about your pet’s medical needs without putting the price first.
Total coverage that fits your pet and budget!
Your Quote for Tiny’s Pet Insurance
$18.11 per month, including taxes for pet insurance.
Costco Member Discount Applied 15% OFF + Complimentary first month
Thanks for thinking of us to insure your pet. Save up to 90% on veterinary bills!
Start by choosing a plan for Tiny.
$19.73 per month before taxes and discounts
Accident Insurance
$5,000 PER YEAR OF ACCIDENT COVERAGE
Emergency care and treatment for your pet for any condition arising from an accident.
This includes exams, emergency care, hospitalization, medication, diagnostic testing, surgery, and specialist referrals by a licensed veterinarian.
COVERAGE
The coverage below is from the Pet Plus Us website.
You pay one deductible of $100 annually – even if you have multiple claims. And you only pay the deductible if you make a claim.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS – $1,000 PER INCIDENT
- Kennel boarding fees if you are hospitalized due to an accident or illness.
- If your pet requires emergency, life-saving treatment due to an accident, holiday trip cancellation coverage.
- They lost pet advertising and reward.
- Cremation or burial costs recovered for your pet.
TRIBUTE DONATION
- We support local and national organizations. We’ll make a tribute donation in honour of your pet to one of our preferred animal-welfare charities if your pet passes away.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Wellness Care
- All pre-existing conditions
- Illnesses
- Any accidents that arise within the 48-hour waiting period
- *Accident plan does not provide coverage for illnesses.
Get a quote for your pet here.
3. Furkin Pet Insurance Canada
Quote For A 2-year-old Male Domestic Shorthair cat.
I feel that $32.37/month is the most popular with a $100 deductible which I find is fair.
Furkin Pet Insurance policies have a once-a-year deductible, and you choose the right level.
Up to $20,000 of healthy coverage fur your family
Benefits automatically renew each year, so you’re pet is always covered.
Coverage when you need it, should an unexpected illness or accident occur.
Furkin Coverage
- Alternative Therapies
- Anesthesia and Surgery
- Applicable Taxes
- Dental Injuries
- Diagnostics
- Emergency Care
- Exam Fees
- Hereditary and Congenital Conditions
- Hospitalization
- Imaging – CT scans, MRI and X-Rays
- Medical Procedures
- Parasites
- Prescription Medications
- Referral and Specialist Fees
4. Fetch Pet Insurance Canada
We know you’re here right now because you care about providing the best care for your pet.
That’s why everything you see here is included in your plan.
You’ll get the most comprehensive insurance and health advice from Fetch Pet Insurance.
I like that they offer the customer the use of any veterinarian in Canada or the U.S.
It is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with a 4.5 out of 5-star rating.
Trusted by no-kill shelters in the U.S. and Canada
No fees, no add-ons, cancel anytime.
Fetch offers a free online quote which I’ve just filled out for our cat.
The costs came back as follows in the photo.
5. Spot Pet Insurance Canada
The fifth review for pet parents who want the best prices is by Spot Pet Insurance.
What Is Covered With Spot Pet Insurance
- What’s Covered
- Accidents & Illnesses
- Hereditary & Breed Specific Conditions
- Exam & Diagnostic Fees
- Lab Tests, X-rays, Ultrasounds
- Hospitalization & Surgeries
- Medications & Therapeutic Diet
- Physical & Rehabilitative Therapies
- Alternative Treatments
What’s Not Covered With Spot Pet Insurance
- What’s Not Covered
- Pre-existing conditions
- Breeding or pregnancy care
- Cosmetic surgeries
- Wellness: routine and preventative care (optional plans available for a bit of mo
When you add wellness coverage, you’ll be reimbursed up to the scheduled amount for things that can help protect your pet from getting sick.
You don’t have to satisfy your deductible before being reimbursed; no waiting period or co-insurance is applied.
- Routine
- $17.00 month
- Total Annual Benefit Per Pet: $260
- Advanced
- $35.00 month
- Total Annual Benefit Per Pet: $530
Learn more about Spot Pet Insurance here.
Overall Thoughts
You can imagine how we feel about spending $900 at the vet.
We would have paid very little out of pocket if we had applied online for pet insurance.
Overall, I received quotes from insurance companies that we would choose Trupanion or Furkin.
You would have to get quotes and compare what each insurance company offers.
From there, see what amount your budget can handle and go from there.
My new theory is that having insurance is better than having nothing when a surprise surgery happens.
Our son is very protective of our cat, and if he passed away because of the costs involved, I’m sure he’d be upset.
Take away what you wish from this blog post, but if you don’t have pet insurance, I’d suggest looking for a pet insurance company that fits your budget.
Thanks for dropping by.
Mr. CBB
Discussion: Do you have pet insurance? Why or Why Not?
Please comment below, and I’ll respond to you.
These quotes are estimates based on my family’s needs and are only examples.
So if I am reading this right, if you chose Trupanion’s most popular choice, you’d be paying $536/year plus $200 deductible plus 10% of your vet bill $90 so $836. You’d have saved $74 in year one. Compared to all the other costs associated with your cat, I fail to see how losing out on $74 is some expensive lesson about getting pet insurance. Stepping on your cat or $900 vet bills is not a common yearly thing for a cat. I think a more apt lesson from this whole kitten experience is not watching a few youtube videos and clipping my own cats nails cost me $121. Insurance companies have to charge more than they pay out, its always a bad deal to get insurance unless you absolutely have no emergency fund then its the only choice to make sure your cat gets the care they need. But at the end of the day a majority of pet insurance customers are paying more then the benefits they receive.
Hi Timarie,
Thanks for your feedback, we appreciate it.
Mr. CBB
Can’t comment on the vet cost but you bought way too much crap for a kitten. and why did you spend $300 on a barn cat and then another $600 on spay/neuter and shots? You can adopt a kitten from the SPCA for $300 including spay/neuter and shots. All you really need for a kitten is a litter box, litter, food bowl and food and a scratch post. they will make their own toys, don’t need special beds and the like.
Hi,
The vet we paid upfront for a package to get what he needed including his microchip. For three months I looked for a black cat for our Autistic son and not even the Humane Society were limited on having any cats at the time. When I searched Kijii cats were selling for ridiculous prices in the range of 300-700 including barn cats.
The barn cats were taken in right after they were born and everything was set up by the property owner. She had one black cat that was a male which is what we were looking for. The gas wasn’t near as bad as it is today and it was a nice family ride as we don’t often get time to do things. Did I not include the microchip in the price? The litter box we don’t regret spending what we did on it because there is no mess outside of the box apart from what might be on his paws as he jumps out. I agree we may have went a bit nutty with Dollar store and Amazon toys but we were fine with that. Our kitten was and still is always in his toy box as he loves to play. Not all cats are as adventurous in the creative department I guess. I don’t regret what we bought however almost killed the kitten and the $900 bill was massive. The nails I agree were ridiculous only because they had to give him two needles to sedate him. Honestly, we got a very busy kitten. Now we feed him a squeezable treat and I clip his naail without issue. Goodbye $121. Rip-off for sure. I do wish we could have found a cheaper male black cat but at the time there was nothing. Our son has lots of sensory problems and the cat has really helped him with playing, cuddling and the odd time he helps bring the poo bags out. I try not to look at kitten prices now because it irritates me how during the pandemic people would jack up the prices like that. Thanks for reading and stopping by Melissa. You have some valid points and certainly I think anyone looking to adopt a kitten could learn from you suggestions.
Mr. CBB