Trupanion Pet Insurance Review 2024: Updated

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Nishadh Mohammed updated on 27 June 2024

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Trupanion Pet Insurance provides comprehensive medical coverage for your pet, through a single plan offering unlimited protection with 90% reimbursement and no payout limits ever. You can adjust your deductible from $0 to $1,000 to fit your budget, and thanks to its unique lifetime per condition deductible, you only pay a deductible for new conditions your pet develops. Trupanion focuses on unexpected illnesses and injuries including advanced dentistry, so it doesn’t include wellness care or optional add-ons. With its straightforward plan and extensive coverage, Trupanion Canada is ideal for pet owners looking for thorough, reliable, and comprehensive insurance for their pets.

Trupanion Pet Insurance: Key Takeaways

  • Pets covered: Dogs, cats
  • Plans: One simple comprehensive plan
  • Annual Coverage Options: Unlimited Coverage
  • Premium: $264.02 month (Approximate: For a 4-year-old Golden Retriever, $200 deductible)
  • Reimbursement rate: 90% (Direct Vet Pay)
  • Annual deductible: $0 to $1,000 (age-based)

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Our Trupanion Pet Insurance Canada Review

Trupanion Pet Insurance, along with Fetch Pet Insurance, is one of the country's leading pet insurers. Trupanion offers a single comprehensive plan that stands out for its unlimited annual coverage offering 90% payout/reimbursement. It offers a unique deductible that applies to each condition for the life of your pet, so you only pay the deductible when your pet develops a new condition.

It has a flexible deductible that can be customized from $0 to $1,000. This flexibility lets you tailor your out-of-pocket costs according to your financial preferences, unlike some insurers like PHI Direct which offers only an 80% reimbursement and has a fixed deductible of $200.

Trupanion Canada covers a wide range of conditions, including hereditary and congenital issues, new illnesses and injuries, dental illnesses, and advanced treatments like prosthetics and physical therapy. However, Trupanion does not cover exam fees, wellness care, or elective procedures.

Trupanion has no annual or per-condition caps. This is significantly more generous than competitors like Fetch, which offers a maximum limit of $15,000, and OVMA Pet Health Insurance's $5,000-$15,000 coverage based on the plan tier. Trupanion’s unlimited coverage can be particularly advantageous for managing high-cost treatments or chronic conditions over a pet's lifetime.

The premiums of Trupanion are relatively on the higher side because of the extensive coverage and direct pay feature to vets, which eliminates waiting for reimbursements and can significantly ease the financial burden on pet owners during emergencies.

Trupanion enjoys a strong Trustpilot rating of 4.1 indicating a positive customer experience. Users often praise Trupanion for its seamless claim process, unlimited coverage, and direct vet payments. However, the lack of multi-pet discounts or add-ons for preventive care makes it less suitable for those who prefer customization of coverage.

Overall, Trupanion Pet Insurance is a compelling option for pet owners who value comprehensive and unlimited coverage with minimal hassle at the point of care. While its premium is on the higher end, the benefits of unlimited coverage and direct payment can justify the cost for those prioritizing extensive coverage and convenience.

Before you decide on Trupanion, you must compare coverage options from other providers. Click our free tool below to compare the best pet insurance plans in Canada.

Compare the best pet insurance plans on the market!

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What are the pros and cons of Trupanion Pet Insurance?

Advantages of Trupanion Canada

Disadvantages of Trupanion Canada

  • Unlimited Coverage: Trupanion provides unlimited annual and per-condition coverage, ensuring no financial cap on the care your pet can receive.
  • 90% Reimbursement: Covers 90% of eligible veterinary costs, minimizing out-of-pocket expenses for pet owners.
  • Customizable Deductible: Offers a flexible deductible from $0 to $1,000, allowing customization to fit various budgets and preferences.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Hereditary and congenital conditions, surgeries, hospital stays, advanced dentistry, and treatments like prosthetics and physical therapy.
  • Direct Payment to Vets: Features Vet Direct Pay™, paying veterinarians directly, reducing the need for out-of-pocket payments and waiting for reimbursements.
  • Advanced Dental Coverage: Covers dental illnesses and injuries, including extractions, root canals, and tooth fracture repairs.
  • Fast Claims Processing: Provides a quick claims process with many claims processed in seconds through Vet Direct Pay™.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: Offers around-the-clock customer support to assist with claims and coverage queries.
  • Higher Premiums: The average monthly premium is higher compared to many competitors.
  • No Wellness or Preventive Care: Does not cover routine wellness care or preventive procedures such as vaccinations and annual exams.
  • No Exam Fees Coverage: Excludes coverage for exam fees, which must be paid out-of-pocket by the pet owner.
  • No Discounts: Does not offer discounts such as multi-pet or membership discounts like CAA Pet Insurance or Costco.
  • Limited Plan Options: Provides only one plan option, lacking the flexibility of multiple plan tiers seen with other insurers.

What does Trupanion pet insurance cover?

Trupanion Pet Insurance covers the following comprehensive list of accidents and illnesses.

  • Illnesses & Injuries:
    • New and unexpected illnesses
    • Injuries, including bite wounds, swallowed objects, and toxin ingestion
    • Patella luxation, Kidney disease, Epilepsy
    • Lipoma, Leukocytosis, Polyp, Hyperthyroidism, Hyperglycemia
  • Hereditary & Congenital Conditions:
    • Conditions like hip dysplasia, heart disease, diabetes, and thyroid disease
  • Advanced Treatments:
    • Surgeries
    • Hospital stays
    • X-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans
    • Medications and veterinary supplements
  • Advanced Dentistry:
    • Dental illnesses and injuries
    • Extractions of both permanent and baby teeth
    • Treatments like root canals and fracture repairs
  • Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation:
    • Physical therapy
    • Prosthetic devices and carts
    • Chiropractic, acupuncture, and other alternative therapies

Specialized Treatments:

  • Specialty Coverage covered:
    • Cancer treatment
    • Nervous system issues
    • Urinary obstructions
    • Allergies and upper respiratory infections

What is the waiting period for Trunpanion coverage?

Trupanion has a straightforward waiting period: 5 days for injuries and 30 days for illnesses. It's interesting to note that, unlike many other pet insurers, Trupanion does not have different waiting periods for specific conditions or vary them based on your pet's age.

What are Trupanion Pet Insurance add-ons?

On top of the basic package, you can choose to add Recovery And Complementary Care and/or Pet Owner Assistance.

Recovery And Complementary Care Rider

You can add this coverage for $54.23/month. This includes coverage for:

  • Acupuncture
  • Arthritis treatment
  • Behavioural training
  • Constipation
  • Chiropractic therapy
  • Colloidal silver treatment
  • Herbal therapy
  • Homeopathy
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • Lyme disease treatments
  • Naturopathy
  • Photothermal cancer therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Shock-wave therapy
  • Stem cell therapy
  • Transplants: bone marrow, kidney

Pet Owner Assistance Rider

You can add this coverage for $4.95/month. This includes coverage for:

  • Advertising and reward
  • Boarding fees in the event you are hospitalized
  • Liability coverage for third-party property damage
  • Cremation or burial for deaths due to accident
  • Holiday vacation cancellation costs

What does Trupanion pet insurance not cover?

  • Exam Fees and Taxes: Routine care, like vaccinations and annual exams, are not covered.
  • Wellness and Routine Care (e.g., flea/tick control, spay/neuter, vaccinations)
  • Pre-Existing Conditions: Any conditions that existed before the policy start date are excluded.
  • Preventable Conditions (e.g., certain parasites, dental issues from lack of routine care)
  • Elective Procedures: Procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, and dewclaw removal are not covered.

Good to know

If you want a pet insurance plan with routine and wellness care, you can explore options like Fetch Pet Insurance or Costco Pet Insurance which offer add-ons for preventive care. Meanwhile, Desjardins Pet Insurance included routine care in its premier Gold Paw plan.

You can compare Trupanion's coverage to other leading pet insurance providers in Canada using our free tool below:

Compare the best pet insurance plans on the market!

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What does Trupanion pet insurance cost?

Sample Trupanion pet insurance cost for a 4-year-old golden retriever in Ontario:

CoveragePayout Rate/ReimbursementDeductibleMonthly Premium
Unlimited
90%$0$457.60
Unlimited
90%$100$319.18
Unlimited
90%$200$264.02
Unlimited
90%$300$228.21
Unlimited
90%$400$201.08
Trupanion Pet Insurance Cost

How does Trupanion pet insurance work?

Imagine your pet Momo has a veterinary bill of $3,000 for a leg fracture:

  1. Veterinary Bill: $3,000
  2. Deductible: $200
    • You pay this once per condition.
  3. Trupanion’s Share: 90% of the remaining amount
    • $2,500 (90% of $2,800 after subtracting the deductible)
  4. Your Share: 10% of the bill plus the deductible
    • You pay $500 ($300 from the 10% co-pay and $200 deductible)

Note: A one-time fee is applied at checkout for new members. For more details or other deductible options, contact Trupanion’s licensed agents.

How to get a Trupanion pet insurance quote online?

You can get a free quote using the Trupanion tool online. It's easy and takes only 2 minutes to complete. All you need to do is mention the following information and receive your quote in less than 2 minutes.

  • Breed
  • Gender of the pet
  • Age of the pet at the time of enrolment
  • Veterinary care specific to your region
  • Your choice of deductible
  • Additional coverage

You must compare multiple pet insurance providers before zeroing in on one plan. You can use our free tool below to compare pet insurance quotes online.

Compare the best pet insurance plans on the market!

Get a quote

How to contact Trupanion Pet Insurance?

The easiest way to get in touch and purchase pet insurance from Trupanion is online, via their website. Here you can answer some questions about your pet and get a quick estimate. If you have more complex questions, you can also get in touch with an advisor who can give you support specific to your situation.

Here are some quick contact information for Trupanion Canada:

  • Website: trupanion.com
  • Phone: 888-733-2685 ; 855-363-2399 ; 855-210-8749 (24* Support)

How do I file a claim with Trupanion Canada?

If your vet accepts Trupanion Vet Direct Pay, just let them know you have Trupanion, and they’ll handle the invoice directly, with processing often taking just seconds.

If your vet doesn’t accept direct payments, follow these steps to file a claim:

  1. File Online:
    • Go to Trupanion's Online Claim Tool: Upload your pet’s itemized invoice, explain what happened, and submit.
    • Start Here: Online Claims
  2. Submit Manually:
    • Download and Fill Out a Claim Form (Attached below).
    • Attach Your Invoice: Take a photo or scan the filled form and your pet's itemized invoice.
    • Send the Form and Invoice:
      • Email: [email protected]
      • Fax: 866.405.4536
      • Mail: Trupanion also accepts claims by mail, though it’s slower.

Using email or fax for submissions speeds up processing.

If my pet gets sick will my premiums rise?

No, your premiums will not be affected by your pet aging or by claims made on their behalf. However, premium rates may go up in line with rising veterinary costs.

Good to know

Adjustments will be made no more than once a year and will never go up by more than 20%. Policyholders will be notified by letter at least one month before changes in rates.

Does Trupanion insurance include working animals?

Trupanion covers some working animals, though it must be specified at the time of purchasing the policies and an additional premium may be added to monthly charges. The following types of working animals are covered:

  • Breeding dogs and cats
  • Guard dogs
  • Herding and hunting dogs
  • Police dogs
  • Search and rescue animals
  • Service dogs
  • Sled dogs
  • Therapy dogs and cats

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Nishadh Mohammed
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Nishadh Mohammed is a seasoned news editor and financial writer, working with HelloSafe since May 2023. Nishadh has developed expertise in financial markets, insurance, and investment products, with a deep understanding of the Canadian financial landscape. He has honed his SEO skills and content marketing strategies while writing for Canadian publishing houses. Armed with a master's in Business Analytics and extensive journalistic experience, Nishadh uniquely combines data proficiency and thorough research to deliver comprehensive and accessible information.

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