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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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gina n

9/13/2016
I've never been so absolutely disgusted with a company more than Trupanion. After paying through the nose for years, they decided to deny my claims for my dog's allergies. Years and years of bilking me because I put 3 pets on the policy and because my dog was diagnosed with a skin allergy for the first time ever THIS YEAR (2016) had policy since 2011, they are saying he has a Pre Existing condition. They said his ear infections all 4 since 2009 ...that's all...for a dog... are considered "allergies" as well. Meanwhile they've been cleaning out my account consistently to the tune of 108.00 a month since 2011. This is complete fraud on their behalf. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT USE THIS... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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Yvonne M

10/23/2015
The most expensive plan out there and doesn't offer anything over and above any of the others. HORRIBLE!
1 People found this helpful.
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Sandra H

8/20/2015
I was just denied a claim for my dog when we needed emgency services for bloody vomit and diarrhea. Emg vet thought parvovirus. Very stressful day. Thinking I was covered, was denied, pre existing condition! She had food issues with loose stools when we first got her. Nothing like, her symptoms of the emergency!! Trupanion I believe falsely states in their ad " pet insurance that will help if your pet EVER gets sick or injured" I cancelled our policy!! Beware of what is covered before you throw your money away! It is up to them to decide whether you will be reimbursed, nothing to do with what was needed to help your pet!!
1 People found this helpful.
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melvyn

3/13/2015
I insured both of my dogs with Trupanion. The people I dealt with on the phone were always pleasant and cordial. However, when I made my first claim, Trupanion went out of their way to find an excuse not to pay. I wrote my vet saying that if Trupanion's argument were legitimate, I would understand, but if not, I asked her to call Trupanion. My vet told me that Trupanion had no interest in what she had to say. My vet, therefore, told me to drop the insurance, and that she would recommend against Trupanion to all her patients. I cancelled by email and fax, giving a date for cancellation. Trupanion did cancel, but not on the date requested.
1 People found this helpful.
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CJ N

8/17/2016
After 3+ years as a loyal Trupanion customer (from the time my dog was a puppy) with minimal claims or thankfully interaction with them, they raised my premium from $80 to $122.13 per month. My dog is only 3 years old and in perfect health thus the limited interaction. I was told my other dog parent that $80 seemed high but my research 3 years ago and shown that they were an excellent provider. They claimed they had sent me a letter of this increase but I don't recall receiving one. When I called to inquire about what I believe to be a drastic increase, I spoke to 2 representatives. Neither of them could explain what the increase was for except that CA has a law in place that insurance... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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traveller

8/6/2016
I joined Trupanion in March 2016 during which i signed papers that indicated that i would have a 30day period of wait before any insurance claims would be accepted by the insurance company. During the 30days my dog did catch Giardia and his claim was rejected (as expected) however since then Its been 7months and the insurance company continues to reject any Giardia related health issues calling Giardia (a conman aliment in WA) as a "pre-exitsing condition". No amount of reasoning has seemed to resolved this either from the Veterinarian at Bellevue Animal hospital or from me. Not to mention the first time i called the "helpline" they were rude to me because of my accent. the second time i... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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Kristi C

8/2/2016
We purchased a no limit policy from Trupanion in Feb 2017 for our rescue dog. In May he got sick. Vomiting and diarrhea. Our regular vet prescribed some meds. A few weeks later he had a relapse with vomiting that was so severe he vomited 5 times in a single morning. We took him to the hospital where they performed x-rays, ultrasound, gave him fluids and kept him overnight. We left with a multitude of prescriptions. Both the vet bill and the hospital bill were submitted and both were summarily denied. They claimed that the diarrhea was a pre-existing condition. What? He was diagnosed with gastroenteritis. A symptom of that is diarrhea. The diarrhea was not the sickness. Needless to... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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Wayne C

7/29/2016
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
1 People found this helpful.
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AnnaZ

7/19/2016
Trupanion raises insurance rates by 10-20% each year. I got it in 2013 when I got a new puppy and have had it for 3 years now. My first year's monthly premium was $51.49, second year $56.35, third year $67.63, and today I received an updated policy with an increase to $81.15. I chose Trupanion because they said they don't increase premiums based on claims or the dog's age, but what I am seeing are huge hikes. They said this relates to increased vet costs in my area, but I am very aware of the costs around here and they have not changed in a long time. Do the math and figure how just how soon this policy becomes useless with annual increases of 20%. Insurance is mainly necessary when the... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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TT

7/19/2016
I have no complaint about their services. However, the only drawback is they jumped up the premium by 60% this year, which really disappointed me. My cat is young and healthy. I don't have to take her to Vet visit for the past 2 years. What if my cat gets old and needs more Vet visits? Will my premium rate be increased by 200%?
1 People found this helpful.
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