  Some supernovae (SNe) show evidence for mass-loss events taking place prior
to their explosions. Measuring their pre-outburst mass-loss rates provide
essential information regarding the mechanisms that are responsible for these
events. Here we present XMM-Newton and Swift X-ray observations taken after the
latest, and presumably the final, outburst of SN 2009ip. We use these
observations as well as new near infra-red and visible light spectra, and
published radio and visible light observations to put six independent
order-of-magnitude constrains on the mass-loss rate of the SN progenitor prior
to the explosion. Our methods utilize: the X-ray luminosity, the bound-free
absorption, the H alpha luminosity, the SN rise-time, free-free absorption, and
the bolometric luminosity of the outburst detected prior to the explosion.
Assuming spherical mass-loss with a wind density profile, we estimate that the
effective mass-loss rate from the progenitor was between 10^-3 to 10^-2 solar
masses per year, over a few years prior to the explosion, with a velocity of
~1000 km/s. This mass-loss rate corresponds to a total circum stellar matter
mass of ~0.04 solar masses, within 6x10^15 cm of the SN. We note that the
mass-loss rate estimate based on the H alpha luminosity is higher by an order
of magnitude. This can be explained if the narrow line H alpha component is
generated at radii larger than the shock radius, or if the CSM has an
aspherical geometry. We discuss simple geometries which are consistent with our
results.
