Trupanion pet insurance rating: 1.4 out of 5 stars
Trupanion stands out for having the easiest way to get payment directly to the vet. If your veterinarian has Trupanion’s VetDirect Pay software, they can submit your claim from the office and you won’t have to pay and then wait for reimbursement. Other pet insurers that pay the vet directly typically require you or the vet to fill out extra forms.
Trupanion also has a unique lifetime per-condition deductible: You only have to meet the deductible once for a condition during your pet’s lifetime. This would be helpful if your pet develops a chronic condition that needs treatment over multiple years. On the other hand, if your pet visits the vet regularly for a variety of conditions, the per-condition deductibles could add up.
Unfortunately, Trupanion’s rates were about twice as high (96%) as the average for the pet insurance quotes we analyzed, which hurt it in our ratings. It also requires add-ons for some coverage types, which would push costs even higher.
Learn more: How does pet insurance work? A complete guide.
Pros
Can pay the vet directly
No special waiting periods for conditions like cruciate ligament problems
Deductible choices from $0 to $1,000
Herbal therapy can be covered with an add-on
Prescription supplements covered
Prescription food covered at 50%
Rider available for illnesses and injuries related to breeding
Cons
Very high average rates
No multi-pet discount
No wellness plan available for routine care costs
No coverage for vet exam fees
Relatively short 90-day window to file a claim after the treatment date
Add-on required for behavioral and alternative therapies such as chiropractic, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, and naturopathy
Add-on required for cremation or burial fees, which also includes liability coverage for third-party property damage by the pet, advertising and reward if the pet is lost or stolen, boarding fees if you’re hospitalized, and vacation cancellation costs if the pet is sick or injured
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Annual maximum limit choices: unlimited
Deductible choices: $0 to $1,000
Reimbursement choices: 90%
For accident coverage: 5 days
For illness coverage: 30 days
Special waiting period: None
Trupanion offers an accident and illness policy, which provides broad basic coverage that can be expanded with add-ons. It doesn’t sell an accident-only policy or a wellness plan. Trupanion’s base policy (without add-ons) covers:
Hereditary and congenital conditions
Cancer
Diagnostics such as X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds
Dental accidents and illnesses
Prescription drugs
Prescription food and supplements
Learn more: Your guide to what pet insurance covers
Trupanion does not cover preexisting conditions, which is a standard approach for most pet insurance companies. Although some pet insurers allow certain preexisting conditions to be considered curable after a certain period of time with no symptoms or treatment, Trupanion does not offer a “curable” preexisting condition exception.
If your pet had an illness, injury, or symptoms of a condition before your policy went into effect, anything related to that health problem would not be covered by Trupanion.
Trupanion does not offer access to a 24/7 telehealth line, although it does have a pet parent resource center with tips on behavioral training, lifestyle, and health and safety topics for cats and dogs.
Trupanion’s policies do not cover expenses such as:
The vet exam fee
Rehabilitative, behavioral, and alternative therapies (unless you buy the Recovery and Complementary Care add-on)
End-of-life-expenses (unless you buy the Pet Owner Assistance package)
Anal gland expression
Illnesses and injuries related to reckless activity
Illnesses and injuries related to breeding, whelping, and queening (unless you purchased the Breeding rider)
Injuries related to racing, such as sled or track racing
Elective, preventive, and cosmetic procedures such as microchipping and tail docking
Boarding
Also, because Trupanion doesn’t offer a pet wellness plan, the preventive services that would typically be included in a wellness plan are not covered, such as:
Wellness exams
Vaccinations
Routine tests
Want to change your coverage in the middle of a policy period? You can contact Trupanion to adjust your coverage.
Increases: Within the first 30 days after policy enrollment, you can increase your deductible or add the Recovery and Complementary Care rider. You can add a breeding rider or Pet Owner Assistance package at any time.
Decreases: Within the first 30 days after policy enrollment, you can decrease your deductible or remove the Recovery and Complementary Care rider. You can also remove a breeding rider or Pet Owner Assistance package from your policy at any time.
Unfortunately, Trupanion tops the competition for highest average cost of pet insurance in our analysis at $258.64 per month. This average is for a policy with unlimited coverage that includes a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement rate.
Trupanion’s rates are almost twice as high as the average in our evaluation.
Learn more: Is pet insurance worth it? How to decide.
Unlike some other pet insurers, Trupanion does not offer a discount for households insuring multiple pets.
This is one area where Trupanion excels. If your vet is signed up to participate in VetDirect Pay and has installed Trupanion’s software, Trupanion will pay for veterinary costs covered by your policy right at checkout. A tool on Trupanion’s website lets you see if your vet takes Trupanion’s direct payments.
Learn more: Pet insurance that pays the vet directly: How does it work?
If you don’t have a vet that uses Trupanion’s VetDirect Pay, you’ll need to submit claims to Trupanion directly. You can do that either online in the member portal or by filing out the claim form and emailing to [email protected] or faxing it to 866-405-4536.
Like most pet insurance claims, you’ll need an itemized invoice that reflects what you’ve paid and some details about your visit and the pet.
Trupanion has a claims window of 90 days from the treatment or service date. This is relatively short compared to pet insurers that offer 180 days or more. Of course, if you’re using the VetDirect Pay, your claim is approved automatically and you don’t need to worry about submitting anything to Trupanion.
The turnaround time on reimbursements for claims depends on what method you used to submit your claim to Trupanion. If you see a vet who is part of the VetDirect Pay network, payment is usually immediate. If you’re submitting a claim directly, Trupanion says 70% of claims are paid within 24 hours.
Trupanion has a member portal online, but its mobile app is no longer available for download in the Apple App Sotre or Google Play store. You can submit and track claims through the online portal.
Learn more: The best pet insurance companies 2025
Yes, Trupanion covers dental illnesses and accidents. To qualify for dental illness coverage the pet’s teeth must be examined by a vet at least once every 12 months. If the pet’s teeth haven’t been examined, dental illness coverage starts from the date of the exam.
If you want to qualify for dental illness coverage, you must follow the vet’s dental advice, and the pet must get a dental cleaning.
Trupanion pet insurance only covers neutering if it’s recommended by a veterinarian following an illness or injury that damaged the reproductive organs.
No, Trupanion does not cover vaccines because they are considered routine care, which is not covered. Still, you will be responsible for getting your pet properly vaccinated. Trupanion won’t pay claims for illnesses (including treatment or diagnostics) that could have been prevented with a vaccination.
Learn more: Does pet insurance cover vaccines?
You can make claims with Trupanion for bills from any licensed veterinarian in the U.S., its territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada. If you want to find a veterinarian that accepts its VetDirect Pay, you can use the vet finder on its website.
While Trupanion doesn’t technically require a vet visit for enrollment, it does stipulate you’ll have to have your pet’s teeth cleaned once every 12 months if you’d like coverage for dental illness.
Trupanion’s customer care team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. You can reach them by phone at 855-210-8749 or chat with them online through the chat tool available on Trupanion’s website.
To cancel a Trupanion policy, contact the customer care team with your member policy number. The primary pet parent listed on the policy is the only one authorized to cancel the policy.
Canceling your policy means if you decide to return to Trupanion later, you’ll be considered a new customer and will have to restart the clock on waiting periods and what qualifies as a preexisting condition.
Amy Danise and Tim Manni edited this article.
We researched the coverage details and prices for 15 pet insurance plans. We then weighted categories, and each pet insurer was scored relative to the others to find the best pet insurance companies. Here are the factors we incorporated.
Coverage types: 40% of score. We examined the coverage provided by the base policy without the extra cost of add-ons. This encompassed coverage for alternative therapy, behavioral therapy, dental illness, euthanasia or end-of-life expenses, exotic pets, hereditary and congenital conditions, preexisting conditions, prescription food and supplements, veterinary exam fees, and advertising/reward for lost/stolen pets.
Average cost: 30% of score. We evaluated costs in five states for $5,000 and unlimited coverage for a mixed-breed dog (age 1), a French bulldog (age 5), and a Labrador retriever (age 8).
Unlimited coverage option: 10% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered an unlimited annual limit (or a $100,000 limit), which gives pet owners the most robust financial protection possible in the event of a catastrophic pet medical issue.
Direct payments to the veterinarian: 5% of score. We gave points to pet insurers that state on their websites that they accommodate direct vet payments.
No special waiting periods for special conditions: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers have no waiting periods for special conditions, such as cruciate ligament conditions.
Routine wellness plan: 5% of score. Companies that offer a routine wellness plan in addition to pet insurance received points.
Multi-pet discount: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered a discount for insuring multiple pets.
