We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more
  1. Home
  2. Pet Insurance
  3. Trupanion Review

Trupanion Pet Insurance Review

315 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. 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
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 ...
Denise V

10/20/2016
Claims process was very simple so happy I have had this insurance for 5 years now!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Serafina D

10/20/2016
strongly recommended and very happy with trupanion
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

M
Maia

10/20/2016
Trupanion has been beyond amazing. When my Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Abba, broke her femur, Trupanion stepped up. With zero hassle, amazingly fast service they had my girl fixed up in no time. To date, they've covered just over $10,000 in expenses. With two more x-rays to go (to make sure it's healing correctly), I'm confident my dog got the absolute best care she could have.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

M
mary s

10/20/2016
Excellent company with a knowledgeable and professional staff. Am a new customer and am pleased with the service. Have switchted companies many times.....the last one being PET PARTNERS..absolutely no comparison.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

S
Susan D

10/19/2016
FANTASTIC PET INSURANCE!! I am glad I did my homework and chose Trupanion. They truly have been wonderful. Thank you Trupanion for being there. Gabby (my Great Dane) and I are truly pleased for all you do and have done for us. I HIGHLY recommend you as a Pet Insurance Company.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Darya B

10/19/2016
Love Trupanion! They make it easy and are always super nice :) Covered my dog's luxating patella leg knee surgery like just a few months after I got the insurance so I got really lucky since it was 5k and they paid most of it. I'm planning on keeping it forever now for my chihuahuas since they were always healthy but never know... It's also cheaper to get it early when your dog is a pup since rates never go up which is awesome!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Stephen T

10/18/2016
Very responsive to our needs and with minimal paperwork.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

W
Wendy B

10/17/2016
Trupanion did go above and beyond what I thought they would do. This was my first time to submit a claim on my Pomeranian, didn't know what to expect and they walked me through it so I could get the maximum amount.. What a great help this has been to me.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

T
TJD

10/17/2016
Placed a claim for our cat's infected ear. I called the day of treatment, filled out the claim form per Trupanion's advice, and I think we got our reimbursement check maybe 3 calendar days later. The whole time they were super focused on our cat's well being and there was absolutely no push back. Pretty amazing in this day and age!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

E
Evy

10/14/2016
Amazingly fast claim service; so glad I made the decision to have Trupanion for my dog. The peace of mind that you have the coverage for you pet is priceless.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

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
READ FULL REVIEW >
VIEW RATES

Related to Pet Insurance

Top Articles
Suggested Comparisons