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 ...
D
Dolores B

9/24/2016
This was the first time I had to submit a claim to Trupanion. It just so happened that both of my dogs tore their cruciate ligament within 3 weeks of each other. They both had to get X-rays, medication and one of them will need a brace. Also they are both getting alternative treatments including laser and physiotherspy, and because I paid for the additional insurance all of that is covered which I highly recommend getting. The customer service has been excellent they are quite caring and attentive over the phone and being able to contact them 24/7 is awesome. My claims were processed very quickly and I received payment soon after. Thumbs up to everyone at Trupanion and thank you for... Read More
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

J
Jennifer M

9/23/2016
The reimbursement process was very fast. I had taken my girl in on a Friday to have some teeth removed, the claim was submitted by the vet on the Monday and by the Thursday I had received the reimbursement. Thank you very much for the speedy processing Trupanion!!!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

D
Debora G

9/23/2016
Amazing, wonderful, perfect!!! Trupanion delivers exactly what it promises.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

T
Tammy M

8/17/2016
Trupanion is the best insurance company, of any kind, that I've ever used. The coverage they advertised is exactly the coverage we received. Our 10 year old dog developed cancer, with diagnostics and treatments costing close to $30,000. Trupanion paid 90% of the cost, minus our $500 deductible, enabling us to continue to care for our dog. Our initial claim was paid within 2 weeks, and the follow-up claims were paid within 2 days of submittal. When our sweet Bailey passed away, we received a handwritten sympathy card from Trupanion. Such compassion! I highly recommend this company.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

Nancy H

12/31/2016
Excellent customer service. Accessible and helpful. Fast claims processing. Very simple procedures. Wonderful coverage.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

R
Rebecca

12/31/2016
I was so pleased at how easy the claims process was and how fast payment arrived. It was a very difficult time and you made this part very easy for us. Thank you!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

C
Cherie T

12/30/2016
Easy claim process! Did not even need to talk to anyone and had a check in my hand in 10 days!
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

J
Janice B

12/30/2016
My vet submitted the claim the day of surgery, and I received a confirmation from Trupanion that the claim had been accepted the very next day and that a check had been issued. I received the check later that week. Great service.
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

W
Wayne C

7/20/2016
After having Petplan for 12 years with our previous dog Sunny, our vet suggested Trupanion for Oscar. We were very happy with Petplan, but Trupanion had a better 90% plan at the time that Petplan did not. Petplan now has an unlimited 90% plan. So we make our first claim and it gets denied. Our new rescue dog was vomiting and had diarrhea. Since he had a similiar bout 3 months earlier, that we didn't even submit they called it "pre-existing" and denied our claim. That is like your health insurance telling you that your kid had the flu once and now it will never be covered again. Trupanion is a scam. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF! I convinced my sister to sign up her... Read More
Was this comment helpful?
HelpfulNot Helpful

L
Lauren t

5/26/2016
My dog has had two seperate emergency vet visits so far this year... Yikes! Thank God for Trupanion. Few things were not covered but they still saved our butts! Planning on keeping trupanion for any animal we have!
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