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Pet insurance is a great proactive solution if you sign up before a health emergency occurs with your dog. It’s your responsibility to think ahead in case something bad happens. Could you afford treatment for a cancer diagnosis?
Perhaps Trupanion or Healthy Paws is the solution you need to reduce your financial risk. Find out which pet insurance provider is the top dog. We compare features and give you a side-by-side quote comparison to show you the different options.
Visit Healthy Paws’ Website | Visit Trupanion’s Website
TRUPANION FLORIDA RESIDENTS: The plan reviewed here is not available for new customers in Florida. Contact Trupanion to learn more about what is available in your state and read the policy carefully for details.
Policy Coverage
We know it’s easier to compare 2 companies by seeing what they cover side by side. That’s why we’ve created this pet insurance comparison table to help you see the similarities and differences between Trupanion and Healthy Paws.
| Healthy Paws | Trupanion | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking in our Pet Insurance Comparison | 1st | Not Ranked |
| Blood Tests |  | |
| Cat Scans | | |
| MRI | | |
| Rehabilitation | | |
| Behavioral Therapies | |
|
| Specialized Exams | | |
| Surgery | | |
| Hospitalization | | |
| Emergency Care | | |
| Specialty Care | | |
| Hydrotherapy | | |
| Pre-existing Conditions | ||
| Check Ups, Vaccinations, Spay/Neuter, Teeth Cleaning | ||
| Non-Routine Dental Treatment | | |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 12 Months | 30 Days |
| Chronic Conditions | | |
| Illnesses Waiting Period | 15 Days | 30 Days |
| Accidents Waiting Period | 15 Days | 5 Days |
| Hereditary Conditions | | |
| Congenital Conditions | | |
| Diagnostic Treatment | | |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | | Extra Fee |
| Prescription Medications | | |
| Enrollment Fee | $25 | $35 ($25 in WA and $0 in MD and MI) |
| 30-Day Money Back Guarantee | | (30-Day Certificate) |
| Claim Limits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| BBB Rating | A+ | B+ |
| Underwriter | Westchester Fire Insurance Company/Chubb | American Pet Insurance Company |
| A.M. Best Rating | A++ | Unrated |
| No Exam Required to Set Baseline for Pet's Health | |
As you can see, Trupanion and Healthy Paws offer nearly identical coverage. The only differences are that Healthy Paws does not cover behavioral therapies and Trupanion charges extra for alternative/holistic therapy.
One main difference is that Healthy Paws has an annual deductible, whereas Trupanion’s deductible is per-condition and lifetime. This Healthy Paws feature is important if your pet experiences multiple accidents or illnesses during the policy period (one year). However, if your dog is subject to chronic conditions, like allergies, hip dysplasia, cancer, urinary tract infections, etc., then Trupanion’s per-condition deductible for the life of your pet may be a better choice.
Both companies charge a one-time enrollment fee, and Healthy Paws requires a vet exam within the last 12 months or 15 days of policy issuance for dogs younger than 6. For dogs older than 6, you must have a vet examine for your dog within the last 30 days or 15 days of policy issuance.
You’ll also notice that Healthy Paws has a better rating from the Better Business Bureau and its underwriter has an A++ A.M. Best rating, which is the best we’ve seen from any pet insurance company.
Winner: Healthy Paws & Trupanion (Tie)
Customer Service & Reputation
Customer service and reputation are often overlooked by consumers, but we think it’s one of the most important elements you should consider. We hope you never have to file a claim, but should the need arise, we want it to be as painless and easy on you as possible.
It doesn’t matter how much you pay; if you call a company and never get your questions answered or problems solved, you feel like you’ve wasted your money.
Healthy Paws has some of the best customer service we’ve seen. Just check out the reviews we’ve received from real customers raving about their experiences. Trupanion, on the other hand, has more negative reviews than we like to see.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Timeliness Of Claim Repayment
Healthy Paws pays 99% of its claims within 2 days. This is a pretty short repayment period. Just think of times when you’ve filed a claim for a car accident or on your homeowners policy. Bet it took a while for the companies to pay up.
Trupanion allows up to 60 days to pay claims. That’s a long time. If your dog required a medical emergency that cost over $1,000, would you be able to go 60 days without getting reimbursed? That being said, you should also have your vet call Trupanion’s claims center before you pay. Trupanion may be able to pay your vet directly for the covered portion of your bill so you wouldn’t have to be reimbursed at all.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Price Of Policy
To give you an example of the price difference between Trupanion and Healthy Paws, we’ve created a quote comparison for dog insurance.
Characteristics considered for these quotes:
- Neutered male Jack Russel Terrier, 2-years-old
- No microchip, multi-pet discount or pre-existing conditions
- Residency in New York (zip code 10034)
- Quote is from December 13, 2019
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 90% | $37.56 |
| Trupanion | $250 | 90% | $79.58 |
| Healthy Paws | $500 | 90% | $31.92 |
| Trupanion | $100 | 90% | $102.35 |
To see more quote comparisons, take a look at our pet insurance quotes page. You’ll find that Trupanion was consistently more expensive than Healthy Paws for every quote we ran. When you take coverage into consideration as well, you’re getting a better bang for your buck with Healthy Paws.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Coupons
Healthy Paws
Trupanion
Why Should You Get Pet Insurance?
Find out why Michael chose to get pet insurance for his pup, Bambie. He makes some pretty valid points.
What’s The Verdict?
Healthy Paws is the clear winner in this comparison. For similar coverage, better customer service reputation and a shorter claim repayment, most people can save money by choosing Healthy Paws over Trupanion.
Winner: Healthy Paws
If you’d like to see how all the national providers compare against one another, be sure to read our best pet health insurance reviews. We’ve ranked the top companies so you can see where Healthy Paws, Trupanion and all the others fall.
Which pet insurance company looks better to you and why?
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Trupanion is a waste of time and money. I tried hard to make it work, but I also had every claim denied. Every one. And there is no gray area here…just basic claims. I should’ve canceled after the first denial, but it was under the deductible and I was too busy at work to think about it. My own fault. Their processing took almost 3 weeks per claim (website says less than 1 week). Their telephone reps are trained to obfuscate and lie…and argue if need be. It’s like in the Disney movie called The Incredibles. Mr. Incredible works at an insurance company where the management lives to screw the policyholders. This is what it’s like dealing with Trupanion.
I asked my vet’s office manager what pet insurance they see working well and Trupanion was not in their top 5. I won’t mention their #1 because it might look like I work for a competitor. I don’t. I’m just a stupid consumer that woke up one day and realized I flushed a bunch of cash down the toilet and was totally aggravated in the process.
Simply mean people to deal with. I would run away from these guys.
Trupanion is a waste of money. What a scam of a company. Doesn’t really care about the wellness of your pets. Every. Single. Claim. Denied. They don’t cover office visits, they don’t cover vaccines, they don’t cover de-worming, they don’t cover when your pet gets sick. Period. How are you supposed to keep your pet healthy if the insurance company your pay hundreds for a month denies every claim? How can you say you care about pet health if your company doesn’t even cover basic wellness? Don’t ever get Trupanion insurance. It’s a total waste of your money.
Does the deductible increase for either over time as the pup ages or due to too much use?
No the deductibles won’t increase. The price per month may increase each year due to vet costs rising, location you live in, etc.
Great article! We have an 11 week old goldendoodle and I’m trying to decide between Healthy Paws and Trupanion. What exactly is the waiting period? Since we have a puppy we thankfully haven’t incurred any illnesses. How do you know which plan is right if you don’t know if you will have any chronic conditions? With Trupanion, do you pay the deductible once for each chronic condition?
With Trupanion, you will pay a deductible every time during the year. With others, you pay just once a year if you need the coverage.
Waiting periods are listed here in the table. As for chronic conditions, it just depends on your level of risk and how much you’re willing to pay if your dog is diagnosed with a chronic condition. That’s a good question about Trupanion regarding how often you pay the deductible. In my research, I haven’t read anything about only paying it once for chronic conditions, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the case. To get the answer, I’d suggest reaching out to Trupanion directly. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Trupanion only makes you pay the deductible once for each chronic condition. Example: our Yorkie had knee surgery three years ago, we paid the deductible. Three years later the plate had to be removed and they did not charge the deductible. He also has lymphangiectasia and we have had multiple visits to the University of Tennessee. We have only paid the deductible once. They are a great company and also pay within the week.
Thanks for the response and answering our question! Glad you’ve had a great experience with Trupanion!
My dog is 5 month old mini/medium goldendoodle My Vet recommended trupanion because the vet can bill directly which means I only pay my portion at the vet visit. They have a promotion if I sign up today via the email sent my dog would have immediate coverage for 30 days for free no waiting period unlike heathy paws there is a 15 day waiting period. Healthy paws for 90%coverge with $100 is $51.50 but trupanion 90%coverage with $0 deductible is $57.51. I have never had a pet in my life so I really don’t know which one to go with. Please help
I had Trupanion for my Bichon for 9 years. He recently passed due to a spinal tumor but Trupanion paid for Ct Scan, MRI and CyberKnife Treatment. He also had juvenile cataracts that Trupanion paid to have fixed. I was reimbursed before my credit card bill came in. That being said I have heard good things about Healthy Paws also but I have no direct experience. I thought Trupanion was wonderful.
We feel that Healthy Paws provides better coverage than Trupanion. In our experience, offers that require you to sign up immediately can cause rash decisions that end in regrets. Let me know if you have any specific questions about the two companies that I can help answer.
I read that Healthy Paws increase premium over the years quite high. I am trying to find out which company will not raise way too high over the years so that it can be affordable
Where did you read this? I thought I read that Healthy Paws and Trupanion were the only two companies that did not increase the rate that much as the pet aged? Now I am so confused.
Here is an article that details the most recommended pet insurances for 2020. I hope this helps!
That was messed up for real. She was sharing her feelings about a different company and you have to come in telling her she’s wrong and that we should go to the one you’re promoting. Even the video that’s supposed to be an unbiased comparison video is FROM the Healthy Paws Youtube Channel.
Nobody said that anybody was wrong. You seem like an internet troll with this nonsense comment. And if you honestly think that anyone is “promoting”, then you probably don’t have much experience dealing directly with Trupanion, and furthermore, you probably haven’t read much about other people dealing with Trupanion. Stop being a troll.
I ran the quote for my 9 year old Labradoodle last night. Healthy Paws will only cover 60% with a $750 deductible which was the only option offered. Trupanion will cover 90% with a $700 deductible (comparing apples to apples) and still cost $14/mo less than Healthy Paws. I also had 2 additional options for lower deductibles but the monthly premium was higher. Maybe Trupanion is a better option for older pets?
CAREFUL now. Beware of the fine print. Trupanion probably didn’t mention HOW MANY deductibles that they would surprise you with on ONE claim. How many deductibles can they stack on one claim? Cheaper seems great until you can’t get Trupanion to give you the coverage that you think you are paying for.
I found this site today while doing a search for “Trupanion alternative”. I have two dogs, each with a Trupanion policy, for almost five years. Policies started when they were puppies. Today I am considering dropping Trupanion insurance even if there is no alternative. I have decided that Trupanion is just a waste of money that adds to my annual cost of dog ownership. I’ve dealt with a broken bone, broken teeth, pancreas problems, choking with overnight emergency room sleepover, eye problems, and that’s just a few examples off the top of my head that SHOULD be covered by pet insurance.
Trupanion will deny your claims and jerk you around to avoid paying you. Imagine paying $1000 to deal with extracting a broken fang. I did. Now think of your $750 deductibles. Now hold on, is it A $750 deductible, OR, is it $750 PER deductible? Now, instead of Trupanion paying your claim on this condition, Trupanion decides to spread your claim out over THREE conditions: “broken tooth”, dental disease”, and “tooth misalignment”. I just needed a fang removed. No dental disease treated, and no doggie braces to deal with any misalignment. Just extract the broken fang. So Trupanion hit me with three deductibles for three different mouth-related problems. Two issues unrelated to claim. I paid out towards all three deductibles, and in the end, you can guess what Trupanion paid me. I hope you see the game unfolding.
This actually is my breaking point with Trupanion. It’s always the same nonsense like this with them. If you want functional insurance that that will do what you expect insurance coverage will do, then Trupanion is a waste of your time. Years of experience with two dogs.
I found the same with my older dog. I heard good things about both from friends in vet med but because of my dog’s age (9), Trupanion appears to be the best choice.
I have had both Trupanion (1st year of my two golden retriever‘s lives) and then Healthy Paws for almost 9 years. Trupanion promised not to increase premiums more than veterinary inflation. That first year, veterinary inflation was 5%. My premium increase was almost 100%. I was actually lucky; others had 396%. Yes, I typed that correctly (go to yelp and look at the hidden reviews). I had been happy with Healthy Paws until recently. I will say that their premiums do increase more than veterinary inflation & warn you they have increasedly greatly with my dogs advancing age, now almost 10. Both of my goldens have pigmentary uveitis and as with most Veterinary Specialists, their ophthalmologist provides a combined fee for the diagnosis & exam, but presents you a letter for insurance companies to split it out. Healthy Paws has paid the diagnosis fees for the last three years. Until NOW. They tell you to contact the state insurance commissioner. I will. But I also want to warn everyone that this is how pet insurance tends to work. I think part of the problem is that they use finance professionals to set up their pricing when they need to use Actuaries. I do know that Embrace pet insurance is run by an Actuary. I hope this information helps you.
Great analysis Veronica. Yes, Healthy Paws sets some limits for older dogs. If you enroll your dog after his/her 8th birthday the only option you have is 60% with a $750 deductible. In this instance Trupanion may offer a better option for you. However, if you enroll your dog prior to his/her 8th birthday you will have all the options generally provided by Healthy Paws and they don’t limit your dog’s coverage once he/she turns 8. It just depends if you have a policy prior to your dog’s 8th birthday. I hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any other questions.