[Rilbie Dilbie]

I’m trying to get rid of my Trupanion policy, but before I do – how difficult is it to switch to a new provider? And it just occurred to me maybe I should do that before I cancel my existing policy? I’m well versed in how this works in human healthcare, but would appreciate some pointers as to the best way to do this with my dog’s healthcare policy. Thanks in advance!

[Kimberly Alt]

Great questions! Switching to a new provider is easy because you’re just signing up for pet insurance like you did with Trupanion. However, suppose your pet has been diagnosed with any condition while insured with Trupanion (or before insurance kicked in). In that case, it may be excluded by the following company you sign up with.

Maintaining your Trupanion policy is wise until all waiting periods have passed with the new insurer you sign up with. That way, you aren’t uncovered if your pet suffers an accident or illness. This will result in you paying two pet insurance premiums for a short period.

[Sadie Cornelius]

Yes, as Kimberly pointed out you can switch pet insurance providers at anytime, but be aware that different companies have different coverage based on the policy, so make sure you read the fine print and understand what the new plan will reimburse you for. And if your dog has any preexisting conditions those could be excluded. For instance, we got Pet’s Best pet insurance for our dog when he was a puppy, and since has been diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease and so whenever we go to the cardiologists for annual check ups, we can submit claims for his exam fees and echocardiograms which can be expensive (especially in our area). If we were to move to another company, then those most likely will not be eligible since it’s a known condition and pet insurance typically doesn’t cover things that are already on their record. Hope that helps but let us know if you have any other questions!

[Rilbie Dilbie]

Very helpful feedback, thanks so much Kimberly and Sadie! I’ll make sure we keep our old policy until our new one is active and ask all the questions regarding pre-existing conditions.

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