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Trupanion Pet Insurance Review

313 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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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.

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
Headquarters Address
6100 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98108
Mailing Address
6100 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98108
Year Founded
2000

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Customer Comments

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C
Campbell

11/11/2016
They pay almost nothing! My dog suddenly started allergy issues at over 2 years old. First was tested for thyroid because it's common in the breed and similar symptoms. They refused to pay for the thyroid testing (which was expensive), took forever to pay what little they did for the allergy testing and still haven't paid for the allergy medicine. I had insurance on this well bred dog for over a year before I ever filed a claim. One claim they had the gall to pay me $1.35 for. If they paid what they claim they will, after deductible and the things I knew they wouldn't pay for, I should have gotten back at least $800. I've gotten less than $400 and it was like pulling teeth to get... Read More
1 People found this helpful.


Amanda C

11/9/2016
I had Trupanion coverage for my cat for the first year and a half I had him. It was super-convenient because my vet filed the claims directly for me. Unfortunately, not much was ever covered after the first time my cat was sick. They covered it then, but afterward anything that could be related to my cat's kitty colds was considered "pre-existing" even though they covered it the first time. The premium also increases without any notice (this happened twice, with about a $20 increase each time). The major reason for the 1-star review is for after I cancelled. They refunded the partial month, then on the same day charged way more than my usual monthly premium. I've called several times... Read More
1 People found this helpful.


I
inka

11/7/2016
I have had Trupanion for almost 7 years and had a great experience when I first used it 6 years ago. Since then, many aspects of the company have gone downhill including an increase in monthly cost, a decrease in customer service, and the addition of many loopholes to get out of paying claims that were previously covered. I am really disappointed with Trupanion and, most recently, called to discuss a claim that I submitted. I spoke to a number of customer service representatives that provided me with various incongruent answers that influenced me to change my policy in a disadvantageous way. After speaking with a manager today, who became aggressive on the phone, I am still unclear about... Read More
1 People found this helpful.


P
Paulo A

10/28/2016
I have had Trupanion for over 4 years and have never submitted a claim as most of my veterinarian visits were for routine examinations or the bill have not exceeded the deductible. Last weekend I have had to take my dog to the hospital as there was burr in his ear. He was seen by the emergency care vet and treated and released. The bill was a little over $400.00 and the Vets submitted the claim for me. I was expecting to receive 90% of the balance of 150.00 after having paid the deductible. Trupanion processed the claim quickly and sent me a notice that they are going to reimburse me $15.00. The explanation: "Other: Ineligible Items $136.00 Please refer to the following policy... Read More
1 People found this helpful.


Stacey C

10/28/2016
Claims process seems easy and straightforward. You can even take a picture of the form and email it. Unfortunately, I submitted a straightforward claim for a small amount a MONTH ago, and nothing. I am in "submit more documents" hell. There are no more documents to submit! I am convinced they are just stalling so they don't have to pay during my first "free" month. Terrible experience.
1 People found this helpful.


E
earlene s

10/25/2016
I am very unhappy with Trupanion I been waiting for payment for three weeks. they are very good if it's a small amount, but when it's a larger amount they set on it. My dog has diabetic they always pay for the insulin needles etc. this claim was for diabetic they wanted records again which has been sent to them in the pass many times. maybe they don't have the money . is there anyone to view the adjusters. do they have a medical background . thank you A.E.SENNA
1 People found this helpful.


B
Brandon

10/19/2016
We love our new pet we got from 2nd chance. Can not say anything negative about 2nd chance. I will say our pet got sick from something she ate outside and we had to take her to the animal hospital. I called Trupanion and the told me we were covered our bill was $736 they covered $30 of it. They are the worst insurance company ever and recommend no one use them.
1 People found this helpful.


Jennifer M

10/14/2016
Rescued a dog that was very neglected, he was left in crate/kennel sitting in his pee/poop 24/7 so naturally, this caused him to have raw skin. Took him to vet to treat the skin, fast forward to present he has not had skin issues since. Took my dog recently to vet for ear infection most likely because he is so hard to groom/bathe, he fights so moisture goes in his ears. Vet told me this when I took my dog for vaccinations/dental cleaning on top of this ear problem. 1 claim I filed in 3 years and it gets denied, Trupanion says this is a pre-existing condition. First and only ear infection, they say it is related to his skin condition when I first rescued him. That was 3 years ago, obviously... Read More
1 People found this helpful.


Cat S

10/1/2016
Say you put your pet on a diet because they were getting tubby and it works. Then your vet recommends trupanion at his annual well-pet exam, and the vet notices he lose weight and also has a heart murmur, so checks for illnesses. They find something and your pet's treatment will not be eligible because losing weight before the coverage began means it was a pre-existing condition, even though they'd lost weight because you had put them on a diet so they could remain healthy! They do not actually care about pets! Trupanion is a racket!
1 People found this helpful.


C
Chelsea

9/26/2016
They jacked my premium up 35% (despite having a policy stating they would never raise it more than 20%). They supposedly sent the 30 day notice to raise the rate, as required by law , but didn't include the attachments saying as much. The email said I could also review the papers on their member site. Everytime I go to the site, my policy states they won't raise the rates more than 20% in a year, and my premium should be $42.11 (except that I was actually being charged $54.17) I tried e-mailing to straighten it all out. The gives me some standard BS answer, and then says something to me about "Milo". WHO THE FUCK IS MILO?! I made it clear I wasn't impressed with him not even nothing to get... Read More
1 People found this helpful.



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