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At its core, Trupanion is a pet insurance policy meant to cover new and unexpected injuries or illnesses. It does not cover routine care. Instead, you would need a wellness plan, which many pet insurance companies offer at affordable prices. Available for cats and dogs, this comprehensive pet insurance plan from Trupanion features a lifetime per-condition deductible with no annual coverage limits. These per-condition deductibles make it a good choice for those who suspect their pet may suffer from a chronic condition in the future and need ongoing care.
Here's a closer look at what the policy offers.
Types of Pet Insurance from Trupanion
Coverage and exclusions
Trupanion currently only offers one pet insurance plan. However, its coverage is relatively comprehensive. Here's a closer look at the four types of medical expenses it covers:
Type of Medical Expense | Sample Coverage |
Medical Procedures |
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Hereditary Conditions |
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Congenital Conditions |
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Unidentified symptoms |
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Notably, this is an accident and illness policy, meaning pre-existing conditions and routine care costs, such as the exam costs for vet check-ups and preventive medications, are not covered. Neither are wellness costs such as spaying and neutering or routine dental care.
Deductible
Most plans charge an annual deductible, which policyholders must pay yearly. Trupanion, on the other hand, sets a lifetime, per-condition deductible, which is charged once for each health condition occurring over your pet's lifetime.
Trupanion offers a few deductible options, ranging from $0 - $1,000, except in Florida, where no deductible applies. Generally, the higher deductible you choose, the lower your monthly premium will be.
Reimbursement
Once you've met your deductible, Trupanion will reimburse you 90% of all submitted claims with no annual limit, meaning you only have to worry about paying the remaining 10% of the cost. Of note, your coinsurance rate also applies to your deductible. In other words, if you submit a $1,000 vet bill at the beginning of the year, $900 would go towards your $1,000 deductible. The additional $100 would be your share based on your 90% coinsurance. Coverage would kick in once vet bills satisfy the remaining $100 (with a 90% coinsurance rule applied).
It also offers the option to pay your vet directly, provided your vet uses its software portal.
Waiting Periods
Trupanion's insurance policy includes a 5-day waiting period for accidents and a 30-day waiting period for illnesses. Coverage would kick in once the waiting period expires. So if your pet is in an accident within the first five days, Trupanion will not cover any connected vet bills. The same applies to illnesses diagnosed or treated within the first 30 days.
Restrictions
Trupanion can insure eligible pets from birth. However, there is a maximum age limit. Therefore, the company will not insure pets after the age of 14.
Discounts
The company offers a 10% discount for insuring a service animal in every state except Washington.
It does not, however, offer a discount for adding multiple pet families. Your price per pet is the same whether you have one dog or five.
Additional Coverage Options
In addition to the policy, Trupanion offers two riders policyholders can purchase for an additional cost. In the world of insurance, "riders" are add-on packages extending the coverage provided under the policy beyond its normal limits.
Trupanion's riders both offer unlimited coverage in the following areas:
- Pet Owner Assistance Package: This rider covers fees for incidents occurring outside of the vet's office, including hospital boarding costs, advertising/reward costs if your pet gets lost, liability coverage for damage to another person's property, and cremation or burial coverage in the event of an accident.
- Recovery and Complementary Care: This rider offers coverage for complementary rehabilitative and holistic therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic services, behavioral modification, homeopathy, and physical and rehabilitative therapy.
How Much Does Trupanion Pet Insurance Cost?
Let's use the example of a family with a 3-year-old Golden Retriever living in Pennsylvania with no known health conditions. A policy with Trupanion would cost between $22-$71 per month, depending on your chosen deductible. Additionally, the pet owner's insurance rider would cost $4.95 per month, and the recovery and complementary care rider would cost $16.70 per month.
Getting a quote from Trupanion is easy. All you have to do is go to the Trupanion website and select "get a quote." From there, it will direct you to answer a few questions about your pet, including:
- Whether you have a cat or dog
- Your pet's name
- Your pet's gender
- Your pet's breed
- Your pet's age
- Your pet's spay/neuter status
- Whether your pet is an assistance animal or therapy pet
- Your zip code
- Your email
Once you fill in the information, Trupanion provides an instant quote.
How to File a Claim
When you're ready to file a claim with Trupanion, there are two ways to do it. You can either submit a claim through your online account with the company or email Claims@Trupanion.com. If you need help throughout the process, contact Trupanion's customer service team at (888)-733-2685 or via the website chat.
Before submitting any claims, it's vital to understand Trupanion's deductible process works differently than most other pet insurance policies. While most policies charge an annual deductible, which must be paid every year, Trupanion charges a per-condition deductible, where a deductible is charged for each health condition or ailment.
If your pet has a lot of vet visits for separate issues, these charges can add up. However, Trupanion will cover claims for that condition for the remainder of the pet's life once the deductible is met. This can lead to significant savings if your pet has ongoing health issues.
Trupanion Pet Insurance FAQs
Trupanion applies a 5-day waiting period for injuries on all new policies. Buyers are also subject to a 30-day waiting period for illnesses.
Trupanion offers a lifetime, per-condition deductible. While this can become expensive if your pet is diagnosed with multiple conditions around the same time, it can save you money in the long run if your pet has a chronic disease requiring regular care.
Trupanion offers coverage for unexpected accidents and newly-occurring illnesses. However, the company doesn't currently offer coverage for routine care costs.
Trupanion offers 90% reimbursement on submitted claims. This percentage is higher than some other companies out there. For example, Nationwide offers a range of reimbursement options and will cover 50% - 90% of qualifying claims.
Methodology: How We Reviewed Trupanion
When reviewing Trupanion, we looked at its offerings individually and compared it to other reputable providers within the industry. In particular, we look at the available coverage options, possible add-ons, claim limits, coverages, exclusions, and typical policy costs.
Selecting the right policy for you and your pet is about finding one with the right type of coverage and sufficient coverage limits. It should also fit comfortably into your budget and be easy to use when submitting a claim.
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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
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Nationwide Pet Insurance
Compare Trupanion vs. Healthy Paws
All told, Trupanion and Healthy Paws offer similar pet insurance plans. Both companies offer a single plan focusing on accidents and illnesses. However, neither plan covers wellness treatments or exam fees, and the two competitors don't have any annual payout limit.
However, there are a few key differences, starting with the deductible. Healthy Paws charges an annual deductible, which means it resets every year. Trupanion, meanwhile, charges a lifetime, per-condition deductible in most states. Fortunately for Florida residents, no deductible applies in "the Sunshine State."
Some coverage options vary as well. For example, while Trupanion covers dental illnesses, provided your pet has received an exam in the last 12 months, Healthy Paws does not. At the same time, Healthy Paws includes some alternative treatments under its plan coverage. For its part, Trupanion offers coverage for alternative therapies under a rider that can be added to the policy for an additional fee.
Compare Trupanion vs. Nationwide
Nationwide is a household name, so many pet owners choose the company as their pet insurance provider. Before considering pet insurance, Nationwide auto insurance customers may receive prompts through their auto insurance portal or mobile app to bundle and save with pet insurance. While Trupanion only provides insurance to dogs and cats, Nationwide's insurance plans also extend to birds and exotic animals, like rodents, reptiles, and amphibians.
In comparison to Trupanion's singular plan, Nationwide has three plans to choose from, including:
- Pet wellness - covers routine medical care costs)
- Major medical - covers accidents
- Whole pet - covers accidents and hereditary conditions
The company also offers the option to combine its whole pet and pet wellness plans for comprehensive pet insurance coverage.
Nationwide pet insurance charges an annual deductible. This differs from Trupanion's per-condition lifetime deductible, as it's paid yearly. In comparison, the per-condition deductible only has to be met once. The claim reimbursement process works differently as well. Trupanion reimburses 90% of submitted claims with no annual limit. In comparison, Nationwide uses a benefit schedule and reimbursement options ranging from 50% - 90% to determine customer payouts. Some of its plans are also subject to a $10,000 annual limit.