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Trupanion Pet Insurance Review

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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.
 
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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
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Customer Comments

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Pamela M

10/9/2016
Thank you Trupanion Pet Medical Insurance for the speed and efficiency at which you have handled and processed the claims for our pet's unexpected illness. Additionally, we have been extremely satisfied with the fairness of the amounts you have covered for the veterinary care and costs. We also appreciate the kindness, compassion and professionalism of everyone we have dealt with at your company. Without Trupanion, we would not be able to give our beloved dog the high quality of life he deserves as he perseveres onward in his cancer treatment. We are very grateful and give you our highest recommendations. 5 stars for you. Thank you again.
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Pamela M

10/9/2016
Thank you Trupanion Pet Medical Insurance for the speed and efficiency at which you have handled and processed the claims for our pet's unexpected illness. Additionally, we have been extremely satisfied with the fairness of the amounts you have covered for the veterinary care and costs. We also appreciate the kindness, compassion and professionalism of everyone we have dealt with at your company. Without Trupanion, we would not be able to give our beloved dog the high quality of life he deserves as he perseveres onward in his cancer treatment. We are very grateful and give you our highest recommendations.
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Pam

10/8/2016
Most claims have been reviewed & accepted/completed in a timely manner.
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katie

10/7/2016
While other people are complaining about their pet insurance, I smile because my dogs are covered by Trupanion. We have been with this company for 6 years and would never use any other company. The process to claim, the online profile and the telephone customer service is excellent.
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J
Jenny

10/7/2016
Always thorough and fast with claims. Would not be able to afford the best care for my (aging) dog without this service. Only wish I got Trupanion a little sooner! Compared to other pet insurance companies, this one is the best in my opinion, and I've been recommending them to everyone who has pets.
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T
Trish905

10/6/2016
I recommend Trupanion to everyone. ..Trupanion has been supportive and payments actioned promptly. No hassles...no problems. ..paid as expected. During this emotional time as I deal with a sick furry baby, Zorro, I am grateful for the stress free process Trupanion provides. Thank you...I have and will continue to sing your praises. Trish
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Lynn O

10/6/2016
courteous fast service!!! our 2 year old bulldog had surgery and Trupanion paid in excess of $5000.00!!!!
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Jennifer K

10/6/2016
Trupanion stood by me every step of the way when my beloved dog was diagnosed with a brain tumor. They were not trying to find a way out of paying and actually went above and beyond to cover everything. My bills were in the tens of thousands and they did not deny one claim. They made it possible to provide my dog radiation treatment and months later she is running around like a little puppy. I could not speak more highly of a company than Trupanion.
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Bonnie S

10/5/2016
Very pleased with service and concern for my pets welfare. In the process of a claim and they are very easy to deal with.
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Lorna S

10/4/2016
for the first time using dog insurance, I found the process to be painless! I paid the hospital directly, the hospital sent all info to Trupanion, and Trupanion came back within a week telling me how much they would reimburse me. That cheque arrived very promptly. The only thing I was surprised about was the 'other' deductions. It's probably written in the policy, but until one needs it, I guess it doesn't sink in. Of course there was my deductible, and the exam fee that I knew wouldn't be included. I didn't count on the taxes being my responsibility, nor that after all that it was 90% coverage on the balance. Still pleased. Fingers crossed there won't be a next time I need to... Read More
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Our Partner
  • No enrollment or administrative fees
  • Accidents, illnesses & emergency care
  • Most claims are processed within 2 days
  • Flexible premium & deductible options

 

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