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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. They are, however, the only company that can pay your veterinarian directly at the time of checkout.

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. 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. 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 the period offered by other carriers, you must keep in mind that 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
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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H
Heidi

10/6/2018
Buyer beware - Do NOT purchase Trupanion insurance. We have had it for two years now and they have covered next to nothing. Our dog just had a $5000 Lens Luxation surgery. She had had the same surgery in the other eye prior to Trupanion coverage. At the time we purchased Trupanion, the representative assured us that should a similar surgery be required in the other eye, it would be covered because the other eye does not represent a prior condition. Trupanion isn't paying a dime. Our vet is fighting on our behalf and says it 100% is not a prior condition. Do NOT get this "coverage" for your pet.
8 People found this helpful.
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Ellynne11

9/23/2018
Are you kidding! This is the worst insurance for pets. They have come up with any unrelated excuse to deny my claims! Example...they used a urinary tract infection to deny a claim for diabetes insipidis....they used a heart murmur to deny a claim for an arrhythmia a d pleural effusion....totally not in the ballpark...ony relation to all if it is that my girl has a heart.... seriously...and they raised my rates every time there are claims. Stay away from them. My rating for them would be negative stars I gave them one star because this site makes me put a star to post.
7 People found this helpful.
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M
mel s

9/22/2015
The free trial is really false advertising. The fine print says no claims will be paid during the first 30 days of sign up. Therefore - not really free is it? Its false advertising. My puppy came with a free trial and when I could not activate it, then I called in and was told that it only activates upon visiting the vet first and then activation within 24 hrs of that visit. So I went to the vet with them, then I registered them online. A week later, one of the puppies had low sugar and diarrhea. Trupanion wont cover the vet emergency as they said I did not activate the certificate within the time period (which I did according to the rep on the phone) and secondly, it is a precondition?... Read More
7 People found this helpful.
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nicolethome

7/5/2017
I've had five dogs insured with Trupanion in the last six years.  After having a dog with bone cancer and paying five figures for her care, I decided I'd never be without insurance again.  A friend of mine recommended Trupanion so ... I signed up!   I've filed claims for arthritis, cysts, GI issues, liver disease, spinal disease and three cases of cancer all covered at 90%.   Thousands of dollars in claims paid as oncology is expensive.  $16k for my last cancer dog and Trupanion paid over $14k of it. I think what people need to understand is that this is not for routine care.  This is for the unexpected stuff!  Luckily, my third dog is healthy and I have only filed one small claim... Read More
6 People found this helpful.
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M
MILAGROS

8/5/2018
My beloved Milo is almost 2 years old. He is a Shih Tzu which I acquired when he was about 6 weeks, a total beauty. When I visited the vet for the first time I realized how expensive it was and at the time he had no conditions. I mentioned that pets should have insurance and the secretary at the clinic gave me a pamphlet which I read and called immediately. I have no regrets. My baby has dermatitis, and has to be going in to the vet every 6 weeks to get a shot, he is only allowed to eat a protein diet. It was the best decision I made on his behalf. The claim process is easy and I have recommended to all my pet lovers. PS PLEASE SEND THESE PAMPHLETS TO THE VETS IN PUERTO RICO... Read More
5 People found this helpful.
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J
Joseph S

12/4/2015
Beware that Trupanion has an absolutely brutal pre-existing condition policy that they abuse to deny claims. From their website: "The Trupanion policy defines a pre-existing condition as an illness or condition that first occurred or showed symptoms during the 18-months before enrollment or waiting periods. A pre-existing condition can also be an injury or reocurrence of an injury that happened during that time." From my experience, they use this exception liberally. Examples: if your dog was ever treated for irritated or cracked pads on their paws (like what can happen when they get wet and raw during winter conditions) or an ear infection, then they'd assume that either of those... Read More
5 People found this helpful.
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S
susan.m.conner

1/25/2017
Trupanion has proven time and time again to be a great partner in keeping our Stella healthy and happy! It is key that we continue to work on prevention with our little girl and Trupanion has supported us the entire way. Claims are easy, paperwork is quick and turnaround is amazing. I hope they add "people" insurance soon. I'll be the first to sign up.
3 People found this helpful.
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M
Michelle J

1/14/2016
They all of a sudden raised my premium from 41 dollars a month to 70-appartenly they sent me a notice via e mail-I looked through all my records-no email. Now they won't credit me back and basically told me because I live in an affluent area the premiums are higher and that in CA says they don't have a cap so basically they can charge what ever they want-I'm canceling and going with healthy paws
3 People found this helpful.
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sdrbeveridge

6/1/2022
After over 6 years of dutifully making payments totaling in excess of $11,000 my family learned (the hard way) this Ponzi-scheme of a company applies their $500 deductible to EVERY CONDITION on an invoice. The ONE invoice submitted after six years these scammers paid just $508 having applied $2000 in condition deductibles on single invoice. Why have pet insurance with Trupanion you might ask; to set your money on fire it would seem, as I will now do with my former policy. Never, ever, ever, again will I recommend this company, borders on theft. I'm disgusted and disappointment.
2 People found this helpful.
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johnc427

4/7/2021
Simple Review, Rate went up from $99 to $156 from one month to the next. The only reason given was that vet bills have gone up. The only way I could get my monthly premium down was to up my deductible to $1000.00. Now, I have a new premium of $115. I'm currently looking for new pet insurance. I've been looking into Pumpkin or Nationwide.
2 People found this helpful.
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Top Rated
  • 25% discount on all in-office medical care 
  • Pet wellness plans available
  • No age restrictions
  • Covers pre-existing and hereditary conditions
  • Discounts available immediately on sign-up
  • A+ BBB accredited company
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