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You turned your back for one minute and now Fido has a stomach full of bathroom trash. Yuck! You know this isn’t going to be good. You take him to the vet and have an x-ray done and see all the q-tips, bobby pins and, oh no, a part of an old razor blade. Things just got really scary for you. The vet performs surgery and thankfully, Fido will be okay. However, your bank account is in some real pain now. Had you signed up for pet insurance, you may not have had to pay as much for the vet bills. That’s where Trupanion comes into play.
Trupanion offers pet insurance to help you cover your dog’s vet fees. Depending on the plan you choose, you could have nearly all of your vet bills covered. We’re going to look at Trupanions pros, cons, price quotes, what they do/don’t cover and more to help you decide if they’re the right provider for your dog.
Review Overview
Policy Coverage
Customer Service & Reputation
Customer Service & Reputation
Price of Policy
3.75/5.00
Trupanion does a great job paying claims in a timely fashion and they cover a large amount of illnesses and accidents. Their prices are where their weakness lies. They could have more competitive prices.
Spay/Neuter Limitation
If your pet has not been spayed or neutered by their first birthday or 60 days after adoption, “no coverage shall apply for illness related to prostate problems, hormonal skin conditions, testicular tumors, perianal tumors, mammary tumors, uterine and ovarian conditions, birthing, or injury due to fighting, collision with a motor vehicle or aggressive behavior.” So be sure to abide by this rule.
Pros | Cons |
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Pricing
As a Trupanion subscriber, you are able to customize your Tru-panion plan to suit your budget and type(s) of care and coverage desired. Your Trupanion pet insurance policy cost will vary depending on a variety of factors; such as the age of your pet when you sign up, the deductible amount you choose (anywhere from $0-$1,000), and the type of optional riders you select. No matter which plan you select, remember that there are no coverage limits on the Trupanion core plan or riders.
Below are some example monthly premiums for various pets in different geographic locations.
| Breed | Labrador Retriever (female) | German Shepherd (male) | Yorkshire Terrier (female) | Mixed Breed Cat (male) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 4 Months | 2 Years | 6 Months | 4 Years |
| Location | New York City (zipcode: 10005) | Los Angeles (zipcode: 90010) | Chicago (zipcode: 60604) | Miami (zipcode: 33114) |
| Reimbursement Level | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Annual Deductible | $200 | $200 | $200 | $500 |
| Price Per Month | $103.59 | $93.37 | $43.63 | $36.87 |
Coupon Code
There are not any active Trupanion coupon codes at this time.
What Does Trupanion Cover?
After the deductible and exam fee, even with the basic, or “core” plan, Trupanion pays 90% of actual veterinary bills for approved illness and accident claims, whether from the veterinary hospital, specialty animal hospital or emergency care center. While it is great that Trupanion covers 90% of the bill, other pet insurance providers are more flexible, allowing customers to choose their reimbursement level. This could mean a lower monthly premium for you. Below is a full list of what Trupanion does and does not cover.
| Covered by Trupanion | Not Covered by Trupanion |
|---|---|
| Surgeries | Pre-existing conditions |
| Hospitalization | Wellness visits (preventative or routine care) |
| Cancer | Vaccinations |
| Prescription medications | Teeth cleaning |
| Diagnostic treatment and testing (x-rays, blood tests, etc.) | Spay/neuter procedures |
| Injuries | Veterinary exam or office visit fees |
| Illnesses | Parasite control |
| Congenital conditions | |
| Hereditary conditions | |
| Chronic conditions | |
| Accidents | |
| Emergency care | |
| Alternative treatment |
Pet Owner Assistance Add-On Package
The Pet Owner Assistance package costs $4.95/month in addition to the core plan premium.
- Boarding fees during owner hospitalization
- Liability coverage for third-party property damage
- Vacation cancellation costs
- Cremation or burial fees
- Advertising and reward
Recovery and Complementary Care Rider
The price of this plan can vary anywhere from a couple of dollars towards $30 and is in addition to the core plan premium.
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- Homeopathy
- Hydrotherapy
- Physical and rehabilitative therapy
- Behavioral modification
About Trupanion Pet Medical Insurance
Trupanion pet medical insurance was founded in Canada in 1998 as VetInsurance. In 2005, VetInsurance expanded to the U.S. and re-branded in 2008 as Trupanion. For the last decade, American Pet Insurance Co. (APIC), a subsidiary, has performed the underwriting duties for Trupanion. Many pet insurance providers do not have their own underwriter, Trupanion claims that this allows them to pay back 70 cents for every dollar spent in premiums. The U.S. branch is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and was named one of Washington state’s Best Workplaces in 2013.
Compare Trupanion to Other Leading Pet Insurance Providers
Visit our Pet Insurance Reviews page to see a comprehensive comparison of the leading insurance providers for pets. See how Truepanion stacks up against the competition and if they’re the right pick for you.
Why are you thinking of getting pet insurance through Trupanion?
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11 Comments on "What Makes Trupanion Pet Insurance Unique?"
Trupanion is one of the worst pet insurance companies in the world. They do have a lot of paid reviewers though. The truth is that the company does not cover a single known and valid pet health concerns including things like Giardia or sickness. The company itself is fraudulent and terrible to deal with. I have proof of constant rejection, false advertisement. Please don’t trust the comments posted here and save your money today.
Look up the definition of pre-existing. Signs or symptoms that show prior to getting a policy with any company will be denied. How can hundreds of thousands of customers with that company get reimbursement for medical conditions but yet they singled you out to not pay your claims? Not the case. Dogs get small signs and symptoms that can be the start of a serious issue, that’s why you don’t wait to get insurance.
It is true what you are saying they spend most of their time rejecting paying these people must be fak
This may seem like a odd question. If there is a deductible by incident/illness/injury would you have to pay this more than once a year. Lets say your pet is having a really bad year. It breaks it leg, eats something it shouldn’t have and needed stitches. Would you have to pay the deductible in each case?