Many or all of the companies featured compensate us. Compensation and research may determine where and how companies appear. Learn more
  1. Home
  2. Pet Insurance
  3. Trupanion Review

Trupanion Pet Insurance Review

313 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
Our content is free because we may earn a commission when you click or make a purchase using our site. Learn more.
Trupanion is a Seattle-based pet insurance company that sells medical insurance for dogs and cats. Trupanion policies are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company. Founded in Canada, the company expanded into the US and Puerto Rico in 2005. Trupanion offers policies that cover your pets if they get sick or injured, and also cover prescription pet foods, orthotic devices, and carts.
 
View Top 10 List

How is Trupanion rated?

Breakdown

5.0/5
Coverage
4.5/5
Cost
4.5/5
Extras

Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent)

Trupanion has comprehensive coverage and a great reputation, scoring an excellent rating on Trust Pilot. However, although unlimited per-condition lifetime coverage is a great perk, it can be far more coverage--and consequently far more expensive--than some pet owners need. And that highlights the main issue with Trupanion, inflexibility. They have only one plan*, one benefit limit, and one high reimbursement percentage. This does not give consumers the opportunity to "adjust the knobs" and change the cost of their monthly premium. Although they are the only company that can pay you veterinarian directly at the time of checkout.

Trupanion Coverage

Coverage - 5 / 5

Trupanion offers quite comprehensive coverage that even covers prescriptions and prescription foods. As with most plans, the company will not cover preventative care, taxes, exam fees, or pre-existing conditions. Trupanion also offers additional "owner assistance" coverage. This package includes third-party damage, trip cancellation, advertising and reward, alternative therapies, and breeding dog protection. Though some of our better featured pet insurance companies, for example, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance or Petplan Insurance, provide these services standard, they are only available through Trupanion at extra cost.

With Trupanion, you have the option to get a recovery and complementary care rider that pays for non-clinical procedures such as behavior modification therapy, hydrotherapy, rehabilitation, and chiropractic care for an additional cost.*
Pets Covered
Dogs
Cats
Coverage Types
Medical
Vet Selection
Unrestricted
Out-of-State Coverage
Yes
Commercial Pets Covered

Medical Conditions Covered

  • Accidental
  • Illness
  • Hereditary
  • Congenital
  • Cancer
  • Chronic
  • Accidental Dental
  • Dental Illness

Medical Treatments Covered

  • Diagnostic Testing
  • Surgery
  • Hospitalization
  • Prescription Medications
  • Emergency Care
  • Specialty Care
  • Alternative Care
  • Behavioral Therapy
  • Prosthetics & Mobility Aids

Benefit Limits

Benefit Limits - 5 / 5

Trupanion offers no limits on benefits of any kind, per-incident, annual, or lifetime. While this is indeed a great feature for peace of mind, again, it might suit a particular customer's situation to not have unlimited coverage. For example, someone might know from past experience or the vets in their area that there will be a rock solid limit to what they will possibly spend in a year. Other companies might offer a benefit limit in line with this, and as a result a much lower monthly premium. Having the option is always a good thing.
Benefit Limit Types
Unlimited

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Reimbursement - 5 / 5

Unlike other companies, Trupanion does not allow you to choose a reimbursement percentage. They only offer 90%*. While this is a generous reimbursement, it limits the client's flexibility in customizing their premium. For some pet owners, a lower reimbursement percentage and lower monthly premium might be preferable to Trupanion's single reimbursement model.
Reimbursement Model
Actual Cost
Minimum Percent Reimbursement
90%
Maximum Percent Reimbursement
90%

Deductibles - 5 / 5

Trupanion sets itself apart from the pack by offering a per-incident lifetime deductible*. This means that your deductible will not reset annually. For a given condition, once you pay your deductible, you can receive unlimited benefits for the rest of the pet's life. Among Trupanion's deductible choices is a $0 deductible, which most plans do not offer.
Deductible Type
Annual
Minimum Deductible Offered
$0
Maximum Deductible Offered
$0

Pricing: How much does Trupanion cost?

Cost - 4.5 / 5

Trupanion's premiums are definitely on the high end of the spectrum. Although the coverage is quite comprehensive, similar coverages are available for up to $20 less a month.

Trupanion earns 4.3 out of 5 stars from Trust Pilot. It's extremely important to read any policy you're considering carefully and to pay particular attention to the limits placed around pre-existing conditions.

Starting Monthly Premiums

Dog: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male Golden Retriever in zip code 92683
$59.21
Cat: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male American Shorthair in zip code 92683
$32.41
Rate Details: Annual Deductible: $700, Benefit Cap: Annual & Unlimited, Reimbursement Model: 90% of Actual Cost

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Enrollment - 4.5 / 5

Pets are eligible to enroll from birth to 13.9 years old. Trupanion has a 5-day waiting period for accidents and a 30-day waiting period for illnesses. As opposed to other plans, Trupanion does not have any malady-specific waiting periods for things like dysplasia and cruciate ligaments.

Min Enrollment Age
0 weeks
Max Enrollment Age
14 years
Accident Waiting Period
5 days
Illnesses Waiting Period
30 days
Free Look Period
30 days

Claims & Service

Extras - 4.5 / 5

Trupanion says claims will be fulfilled within 60 days. Although, this is twice as long as some of our other carriers you must keep in mind Trupanion is one of the few pet insurance providers that have the capacity and technology to pay your vet or hospital directly. This is a huge deal as, unlike with many other plans, with Trupanion you can limit out-of-pocket expenses. They also claim to processes about 60% of claims in just 24 hours. If you do file your own claims, the company requires you to download the claim form via online portal, then submit it by email, mail, or fax.
Advertised Response Time
7 days
Claim Form
Online Portal

Company Disclaimers

*Terms and conditions apply. This plan not available for new enrollments in Florida. See policy for details. Trupanion is a registered trademark owned by Trupanion, Inc. Underwritten in the United States by American Pet Insurance Company.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
http://trupanion.com/
Headquarters Address
6100 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98108
Mailing Address
6100 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98108
Year Founded
2000
What We’re Hearing From Our Readers
Are you a customer of Trupanion Pet Insurance?
Submit a comment and tell other people about your experience!
Our Comment GuidelinesTips for Writing Effective Comments
Minimum 12 words.
 No maximum length.
* What's Your Rating?
To make this comment as helpful as possible for our community, please provide at least 2 sentences.

Customer Comments

Loading Reviews ...
D
Doglover77

10/13/2016
I have been delighted that there is an insurance company that helps me care for my dog the way I want to care for her! They actually thanked me for taking such good care of her. I can't say enough to encourage everyone to insure your pet with Trupanion. The claim process is easy and fast. They keep their word regarding coverage and when you receive your check they thank you for taking good care of your companion!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

J
Joseph

10/12/2016
Trupanion handled our claims for medical treatment of our Lab Bella. Our claims were handled professionally and swiftly which was a great relief to us after amounting several high vet bills for an injured paw. Thanks for making the process of submitting and receiving payment on our claims run so smoothly. So glad we chose Trupanion!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Nicole W

10/12/2016
Absolutely painless claim experience! I was a little wary before I filed my first claim for reimbursement thinking that it was going to be huge hassle, but I was so pleasantly surprised! My dog had a kidney problem with various treatments over 4+ months totalling almost $1000. Without any question they allowed all the charges besides a heart worm test for $26 and reimbursed me 90%. I couldn't be more pleased with Trupanion.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

T
Tara V

10/12/2016
Thank you Trupanion for being so professional and easy to work with! Unfortunately my Lab had a series of stomach issues all summer and in order to figure out the problem I had to see 3 different veterinarians. Your claim process was streamlined and no hassle! My dog is on the mend and I appreciate your support! Thank you!!!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

R
Roseann

10/12/2016
Amazing service better than people insurance providers by a mile.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

D
Debra E

10/11/2016
This is the best pet insurance,very easy to understand policy and when I make a claim it is paid promptly. Best thing I ever did for my dog
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

K
Karen v

10/10/2016
I can't say enough good things about Trupanion. They have the most pleasant people working there - professional, thorough and friendly. They seem to delight in going above and beyond. Claims get settled quickly and efficiently. Costs are fair and reasonable. My only hope is that at some time, pre-existing conditions will be covered.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

S
Sheila

10/10/2016
No issues with my claim. I received my my check promptly. Trupanion kept me updated on the claim. Great service better than my personal insurance.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

M
Mary C

10/10/2016
4 yrs. ago, t the recommendation of our vet, we purchased Trupanion insurance for our 12 week old golden retriever and it was one of the best purchases we made. We learned that our perfect puppy had a skin disorder that required medication and pet prescribed dog food for the first year. We' never had a problem receiving compensation for everything that was covered under the insurance. Our most recent interaction was when ou golden had a cyst that our veet watched for a year and at her annual visit felt it needed to be removed and biopsied. Once again Trupanion was right there supporting us. The paperwork is easy to submit. Once we fill out our part our vet fills out her section and... Read More
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

C
C H

10/9/2016
You people are awesome but I will say I was quite surprised of your increase in August that was a pretty big jump
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Top Rated
Our Partner
  • No enrollment or administrative fees
  • Accidents, illnesses & emergency care
  • Most claims are processed within 2 days
  • Flexible premium & deductible options

 

READ FULL REVIEW >
VIEW RATES

Related to Pet Insurance

Top Articles
Suggested Comparisons