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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 Do We Rate Trupanion?

Breakdown

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

Our Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent)

Trupanion has comprehensive coverage, a great reputation and is the only company that can pay your veterinarian directly at the time of checkout. 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.

Trupanion Coverage

Coverage - 5 / 5

Trupanion offers comprehensive coverage that covers prescriptions and prescription foods. As with most plans, the company will not cover preventative care, taxes, exam fees, or pre-existing conditions (taxes are covered in Florida, California and Maryland). Trupanion also offers additional "owner assistance" coverage. This package includes third-party damage, trip cancellation, advertising and reward, alternative therapies, and breeding dog protection. While other pet insurance companies, for example, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance or Petplan Insurance, provide these services in their standard plans, they are only available through Trupanion at an 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, excepting Florida and Maryland. 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 lifetime per-condition 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
Pet Condition Lifetime
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 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 because, unlike with many other plans, with Trupanion you can limit out-of-pocket expenses. They also claim to process 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
1-7 days
Claim Form
Online Portal

Company Disclaimers

State Farm and the State Farm logo are registered trademarks of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, neither offer nor are financially responsible for pet insurance products. State Farm is a separate entity and is not affiliated with Trupanion or American Pet Insurance. Trupanion is a registered trademark owned by Trupanion, Inc. Underwritten in the United States by American Pet Insurance Company or ZPIC Insurance Company, 6100 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108. Sold and administered by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). Coverage is subject to policy terms and conditions, waiting periods, does not include coverage for pre-existing conditions.

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
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Customer Comments

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Woudy S

1/8/2017
I am glad we opted for medical insurance for our puppy. She ended up with a yeast infection in her ear. Due to certain circumstances she needed to be medicated under anesthesia. True Companion gave us great service. All transactions are done through my vet same day. Pertinent information is given to me at time of appointment. In addition, I receive an email same day with all billing information. I enjoy the promtness of this service. Glad we opted for insurance coverage.
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Anita R

1/8/2017
Trupanion is very easy to work with, very easy to communicate with and they are super fast with approvals and correspondence....they have awesome customer service reps with great attitudes, and are also very empathetic... they are a great company with unlimited coverage...i would highly recommend them to anyone!
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S
SWJ

1/8/2017
Very clear as to what is covered and what isn't. Easy to submit a claim. Fast turnaround and payment. Absolutely worth it!
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P
Philip L

1/7/2017
Our 8-year old German Shepherd required a TPLO procedure for a torn ligament. This medical procedure was done by a specialist in Ketchum, Idaho. The total cost of this procedure was $2600. Three weeks prior to the procedure, right after I had gone to my vet to ascertain the reason why my dog was limping, I called Trupanion. They provided me the claim forms immediately. Two days after the TPLO procedure, I filed the claims. Three weeks to the day of filing the claims, we received our reimbursement (90% of the medical costs less the $400 deductible). The diagnosis at my local vet was applied to the deductible without any additional paperwork on our part. And these three weeks were... Read More
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Marloy H

1/7/2017
Processed my claim in a timely matter and sent me a check immediately after your review.
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C
Courtney

1/7/2017
I purchased a Trupanion policy for my puppy when she was about 6 months old after a lot of research into different insurance companies. Their customer service is AMAZING and always solves my issue to answers my questions on my first call. I recommend Trupanion for anyone who has a pet. They cover 90% of most of my vet costs, it's amazing. My dog was diagnosed with Addison's Disease about a year ago and having this coverage has saved me thousands and continues to save me monthly, due to her monthly treatment for the disease.
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Patricia D

1/6/2017
This insurance is excellent.
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Tammy W

1/6/2017
Was impressed with the speed in processing a recent claim. Information was communicated in a very timely way so you knew the claim had been received and was being processed. The amount was exactly as expected. Appreciate the efficiency. When dealing with a traumatic event you certainly don't want to have to be calling to find out about the claim. thank you.
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D
Deborah W

1/6/2017
Trupanion is the best! All of the agents I have talked to are not only professional, they really love animals. My little dog developed a sever mitral valve problem. I don't know how I would have been able to afford the care without the insurance. And when he was recently attacked by another dog, requiring anesthesia and stitches, they were very concerned. Prompt payment of claims. Not your average insurance company!
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G
Gordon

1/6/2017
Claims were processed quickly. Communication was excellent.
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