Trupanion Pet Insurance Review 2024

Trupanion offers coverage for unexpected illness and injuries under one comprehensive plan that includes:

Dental Illness and Injury

Comprehensive coverage for new, unexpected dental illness and injury (not cleanings), including:

• Extractions of permanent and baby (deciduous) teeth
• Coverage for retained baby teeth (if enrolled by six months of age)
• Advanced dentistry, including caps (crowns)
• Endodontic treatments, including root canals
• Fractured jaw and/or fractured tooth repair
• Tooth resorption and tooth root abscesses

Your pet must have an annual dental examination to remain eligible for coverage.

Hereditary Conditions

• Elbow and hip dysplasia
• Diabetes
• Upper respiratory infections
• Thyroid disease

Congenital Conditions

• Heart disease
• Nervous system issues
• Cataracts
• Liver disease

Unidentified Issues

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Change in weight

Trupanion covers the required medical procedures for those unexpected illnesses and injuries, such as:

• Diagnostic testing
• Surgery, including cruciate repairs
• Hospital stays
• Medications
• Veterinary supplements
• Herbal therapy
• Prosthetic devices and carts
• Prescription food (up to 50% for two months)

When it comes to alternative medicine and therapies, Trupanion’s core policy coverage is extensive and includes bone marrow transplants, colloidal silver treatments, gold seed therapy, herbal therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, kidney transplants, platelet rich plasma injections, polyethylene glycol medication and stem cell therapy.

In addition, Trupanion gives pet parents extra benefits that can be added to a policy at an additional cost. These benefits include:

Recovery and Complementary Care Rider

This add-on covers complementary, non-clinical procedures, including:

• Acupuncture
• Behavioural modification
• Chiropractic
• Homeopathy
• Hydrotherapy
• Naturopathy
• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitative therapy

Pet Owner Assistance Package

This additional coverage helps pay for expenses outside of veterinary costs, including:

• Advertising and reward for lost pets
• Boarding fees in the event you are hospitalized
• Liability cover for third-party property damage
• Cremation/burial for deaths due to an accident
• Holiday vacation cancellations costs

Breeding Rider

This unique add-on covers illnesses and injuries related to breeding, whelping and queening. Most pet insurance companies do not cover breeding, so this is a great add-on if pups are in your pet’s future.

Like all pet insurance companies, Trupanion does not cover pre-existing conditions, defined as any illness or injury that exhibited symptoms within 18 months before enrollment, even without an official diagnosis.

In addition, Trupanion does not cover:

• Exam fees
• Wellness and preventative care, including parasite control, spaying/neutering and vaccinations.
• Elective, cosmetic or preventative procedures, including tail docking, ear cropping, declawing, dewclaw removal, microchipping.
• Cremation, burial and other post-mortem costs.

Pet insurance companies have what’s called a waiting period, which is the amount of time before your policy is effective and you can be reimbursed for claims.

Trupanion’s policy has a five-day waiting period for injuries and a 30-day waiting period for illnesses. This means that injuries that happen five days after enrolment and any illnesses that develop 30 days after enrolment are eligible for coverage, as long as there’s no evidence that the illness or injury already existed in the 18 months prior. These waiting periods are longer than most other pet insurers, which average two days for injuries and 14 days for illnesses.

Maximum annual limit options
Unlimited

Reimbursement options
90%

Deductible options
Customizable from $0 to $1,000

The Recovery and Complementary Care rider costs an additional $116.59 per month at $0 deductible and $35.42 per month at $700 deductible.

Trupanion does not offer any discounts.

Trupanion offers 90% coverage in one simple plan and includes unlimited payouts for the things most likely to happen to your pet. This unlimited payout structure covers your “worst case scenario” costs, so you can choose the best care possible without worrying about hitting a financial ceiling. You control your deductible and monthly price and your price will never automatically increase just because your pet gets older. With vet direct pay, there’s no more waiting for reimbursement. Trupanion was founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 2000 and provided coverage for just 19 pets. Now headquartered in Seattle, WA, Trupanion insures more than 800,000 pets and has paid out over $2 billion (USD) over its 20-year history.

Trupanion is partnered with the Canadian Kennel Club to give CKC Breeder Members priority access to the Trupanion Breeder Support Program. The core of the program is the “Go Home Day” special offer, which enables breeders to give their buyers 30 days of insurance coverage with no waiting periods.

To find the best pet insurance we reviewed each company’s policy wording and used data provided by PetInsurer.com to score each pet insurance company based on the following:

Pet insurance rates: 40% of score. We calculated average rates for plans with $5,000 or unlimited coverage, a $100 deductible and an 80% reimbursement level, or the closest options available. 

Special waiting period: 10% of score. Many pet insurance companies have a special waiting period for problems such as cruciate ligament issues and hip dysplasia. Plans that had no waiting period, a waiting period of six months or less, or the ability to have the waiting period waived scored higher.

Direct payment to vet: 10% of score. Pet insurance companies that have the ability to pay a vet directly earned points.

24/7 vet health line: 10% of score. Insurers that provide access to a 24/7 vet health line scored in this category.

Routine wellness plans: 10% of score. Insurers that offer wellness plans, either included with a plan or as a rider, earned points.

Dental coverage for illness: 10% of score. While most insurers cover dental accidents, not all insurers cover dental illnesses, such as gum disease or cleanings. Plans with more extensive dental coverage scored higher.

Pet ownership assistance: 5% of score. Insurers that include coverage for pet owner expenses, such as advertising and reward for lost pets, boarding for medical emergencies, end of life expenses and/or vacation cancellation, scored in this category.

Any discount: 5% of score. Insurers that offer any kind of discount, including a multi-pet discount, healthy pet discount, loyalty discount, etc., earned points.