When buying pet insurance, you will likely be asked for your furry friend’s microchip number. But what if your kitty does not have a microchip? You’re not alone. Unlike dogs, domestic felines in Hong Kong are not required to be chipped and many cat parents choose not to for various reasons. Good news is, there are now 2 insurers in Hong Kong that accept cats without microchips!
The first is OneDegree Pawfect Care pet insurance. Launched more than a year ago, Pawfect Care became the first pet plan in Hong Kong to accept unchipped cats (dogs must still be chipped to enroll). The second is Blue Cross’s LovePet Insurance and their new LovePet Outpatient plan. Let’s take a look at how the plans compare.
If you want to see a general comparison of all pet insurance plans in Hong Kong, check out our previous articles here: Pet Insurance Comparison Part 1 and Part 2.
| | OneDegree Pawfect Care | Blue Cross LovePet | Blue Cross LovePet Outpatient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Premiums (for a 2-year-old cat as reference) | HKD 2,148 – 3,435 | HKD 1,803 – 3,317 | HKD 904 (HKD 1,537 for sharing plan) |
| Eligible Cat Breeds | All | All | All |
| Enrollment Age | 13 weeks to 11 years old | 6 months to 8 years old | 13 weeks to 12 years old |
| Renewal Age Limit | No Limit | Guaranteed up to 13 years old | Up to 15 years old |
| Reimbursement Rate | 70 – 90% | 60 – 80% | Limited to HK$500 per visit per pet |
| Medical Benefits | |||
| Hospitalization | HKD 25,000 – 70,000 (no sublimits) | HKD 2,000 – 6000 | – |
| Surgery | HKD 20,000 – 60,000 | – | |
| Lab Tests | HKD 3,000 – 4,500 | ||
| Consultation | HKD 2,000 – 8,000 | ||
| Medication | |||
| Cancer Benefit | HKD 10,000 (lump sum cash for first-time cancer) | HKD 5,000 – 15,000 (covers chemotherapy) | – |
| Other Benefits | |||
Third Party Liability | – | HKD 1,000,000 | HKD 300,000 |
| Overseas Coverage | Relocation Benefit of HKD 10,000 | Extended coverage up to 90 days | – |
*For detailed coverage and exclusions, please refer to each plan’s brochure or the companies’ websites.
Alternative ID Verification
For all 3 plans, cat parents can provide other ID verification documents if their pets don’t have a microchip number. For Pawfect Care, you can submit a copy of your kitty’s vaccination record or pedigree certificate, or a medical report or vet receipt, by email within 14 days of enrollment. Blue Cross also accepts vaccinations records or medical reports in lieu of a microchip number. Just be sure the document you submit clearly states your cat’s name.
Medical Coverage
Both Pawfect Care and LovePet will give your beloved kitty comprehensive coverage, including surgery, hospitalization, imaging and lab tests, and vet consultations. For Pawfect Care, you can make an unlimited number of claims up to HKD 70,000 every year and there are no caps on individual benefits, making it easy for pet parents to calculate how much they are likely to be reimbursed. LovePet’s top plan offers HKD 60,000 of medical coverage but sublimits vary for different benefits (e.g. you can only claim up to HKD 6,000 for room and board).
In terms of reimbursement rate, Pawfect Care covers 90% of expenses at a network vet and 70% for expenses incurred at a non-network vet. For LovePet, the reimbursement rate depends on your pet’s age; if your furry friend is 4 years old or younger, you’re entitled to 80% reimbursement. For pets older than 8 years old, the rate goes down to 60%.
LovePet Outpatient plan is different in that it focuses coverage on consultations and medication, which can help cover costs of minor injuries or illnesses that doesn’t require your pet to be hospitalized. It also allows pet parents insure up to 3 furry friends under one policy, so they can share the benefits. However, the claim limit per visit is HKD 500, which isn’t likely to cover your vet bill if your kitty needs an emergency consultation or a blood test. For a peace of mind, you may want to supplement the Outpatient plan with another policy that covers the big expenses, such as surgery and hospitalization.
Let’s say, as an example, a 2-year-old kitty named Snowball is vomiting frequently and appears to be in pain. The vet diagnosed the issue as intestinal blockage after running blood tests and X-ray. Snowball will need surgery and stay at the clinic overnight. This is how much her owner can claim back under each plan:
| Type of Vet Procedure & Cost | Pawfect Care covers | LovePet covers | LovePet Outpatient covers |
|---|---|---|---|
Consultation – HKD 400 | HKD 360 | HKD 320 | HKD 320 |
Tests & Imaging – HKD 5000 | HKD 4,500 | HKD 4,000 | HKD 120 |
| Surgery – HKD 10,000 | HKD 9,000 | HKD 8,000 | – |
| 1-Night Hospitalization – HKD 800 | HKD 720 | HKD 640 | – |
| Medication – HKD 500 | HKD 450 | HKD 400 | – |
| Total – HKD 16,700 | HKD 15,030 | HKD 13,360 | HKD 500 |
Other Benefits and Features
Third party liability is when a pet causes damage, loss, or harm to another person or their property, and is covered by both LovePet and LovePet Outpatient. The chances, however, for cat parents to use this benefit is very slim as most kitties are kept indoors.
Pawfect Care focuses on medical care for pets, so plans don’t include third party liability coverage. One feature that cat parents may be interested in is the lifetime coverage of chronic illnesses for pets enrolling before age 5. Even if your kitty develops an illness such as chronic kidney disease or catches an incurable infection such as Feline Leukemia Virus, those conditions will continue to be covered in subsequent years if your policy is renewed.
No matter which plan you choose, it’s wise to enroll your kitty as early as possible to ensure maximum coverage. If your feline develops an illness before they are covered, it may be considered a pre-existing condition and excluded from coverage later. If you have any questions about Pawfect Care, or about pet insurance in general, feel free to ask us: 2886 9892（call / Whatsapp）