Trupanion Canada Dog Insurance Review 2023: Pros, Cons & Verdict - Ally Paws (2023)

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When it comes to our furry best friends, we want to ensure they are always happy, healthy, and well-cared for. Unfortunately, unforeseen accidents and illnesses can happen at any time, leading to costly vet bills that can leave a dent in your wallet.

That’s where pet insurance comes into play, providing peace of mind and financial support in those difficult moments.

Trupanion Canada is one such pet insurance provider you might be considering, but is it the right choice for you and your canine companion?

In this review, we’ll dive into the pros, cons, and overall verdict of Trupanion Canada’s dog insurance for 2023 to help you make an informed decision.

Read on to learn more about their coverage, customer experience, and whether it’s a good fit for your four-legged family member!

What is Trupanion?

Trupanion is a prominent pet insurance provider that originated in the United States and has expanded its offerings to cover cats and dogs in Canada, the US, Puerto Rico, and Australia. The company focuses on delivering comprehensive coverage for unforeseen injuries and illnesses, ensuring optimal care for your cherished pet without causing financial strain.

A distinguishing feature of Trupanion is its ability to pay your veterinarian directly, removing the burden of upfront payments and streamlining the claims process. Founded in 1998 by CEO Daryl Rawlings, Trupanion was born out of his personal experience with an unmanageable vet bill for his dog’s surgery.

Since its inception, Trupanion has been dedicated to providing top-notch medical insurance for pet owners, affording them the peace of mind they deserve.

Pros and Cons of Trupanion Dog Insurance

Pros:

• Coverage from birth: Trupanion removes the typical eight-week minimum age requirement, allowing pets to be insured from birth.
• Direct payments to veterinarians: Trupanion is one of the few companies offering direct payments, sparing you from paying upfront and waiting for reimbursement.
• Deductibles from $0 to $1,000: Trupanion allows you to choose a deductible that suits your needs, ranging from $0 to $1,000.
• Coverage for breeding: Trupanion’s breeding rider includes coverage for breeding-related illnesses and injuries, a rare feature among pet insurance companies.
• Prescription food, supplements, and herbal treatments covered: Trupanion covers these items if prescribed by a licensed veterinarian for a qualifying condition.
• 90% reimbursement with no payout limits: Trupanion offers a high reimbursement rate without limiting the payout amount.
• Optional benefits for additional expenses: Trupanion covers acupuncture, physical therapy, hydrotherapy, and behavioral modification training and therapy as optional benefits.
• Hip dysplasia coverage without age restrictions: Trupanion covers hip dysplasia with no age limitations, subject to a 30-day waiting period.
• 30-day money-back guarantee: Trupanion provides a risk-free trial period with their 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Coverage in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico: Trupanion’s coverage extends across these three regions, ensuring your pet is protected during travel.

Cons:

• Direct pay limited to partner veterinarians: Trupanion’s direct pay feature is only available if you visit a partner veterinarian.
• No wellness plans: Trupanion doesn’t offer wellness plans that cover preventative care such as vaccinations, only providing accident and illness policies.
• Policies don’t cover exam fees: Trupanion doesn’t cover emergency or exam fees for accidents or illnesses, leaving you responsible for these costs.
• Only one reimbursement option: Trupanion offers a single reimbursement option of 90%, unlike other insurers that provide a range of options.
• Higher premiums compared to competitors: Trupanion’s premiums tend to be significantly more expensive than other pet insurance companies.
• One-time $35 administration fee: Trupanion charges a one-time fee for policy administration ($25 in WA and $0 in MD and MI).
• 30-day waiting period for illnesses: Trupanion has a longer waiting period for illnesses compared to the industry average of 14 days.
• No multi-pet discount: Trupanion doesn’t offer discounts for insuring multiple pets.
• Enrollment age limit: Pets are not eligible for enrollment with Trupanion after their 14th birthday.

What Does Trupanion Dog Insurance Cover?

Trupanion offers comprehensive insurance for dogs, covering a wide range of unexpected illnesses and injuries. With their simple plan, you can rest easy knowing your furry friend is well taken care of.

Included Coverage:

• Congenital conditions developed before birth
• Hereditary conditions the breed is prone to inheriting
• Unidentified issues, even without an official diagnosis
• Surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications, and hospital stays
• Veterinary supplements

Examples of hereditary conditions and unidentified issues include:

• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Thyroid disease
• Diabetes
• Upper respiratory infections
• Cough, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight change

Trupanion’s plan covers 90% of your pet’s medical bills without any payout limits, ensuring the best possible care for your dog.

Optional Riders:

• Recovery and Complementary Care Rider: Enhance your coverage with therapies such as homeopathy, behavioral modification, hydrotherapy, naturotherapy, rehabilitative therapy, and chiropractic therapy.
• Breeding: The breeding rider covers illnesses or injuries related to breeding, like whelping for dogs.
• Pet Owner Assistance Package: This rider extends coverage beyond the vet’s office, including reimbursement for advertising and rewards for lost pets, boarding fees during your hospitalization, vacation cancellation costs, liability coverage for third-party property damage, and burial or cremation for accidental deaths.

Waiting Periods

There are waiting periods before your pet’s care with Trupanion is eligible for coverage, as is common in the pet insurance industry. For diseases, the waiting period is 30 days; for injuries, it is 5 days.

Cancellation Policy

Trupanion lets you try it out for free for 30 days. You have 30 days from the policy’s start date to cancel it and get a full refund of all the premiums you’ve paid, as long as you haven’t made a claim and been paid.

After the free look period is over, you can cancel your policy at any time by sending a letter by mail, fax, or email.

What Does Trupanion Dog Insurance Not Cover?

While Trupanion offers comprehensive coverage for many unexpected illnesses and injuries, there are certain exclusions in their policies. It’s essential to be aware of these limitations when considering Trupanion for your dog’s insurance needs.

Exclusions:

• Exam fees and specialist visit fees
• Treatments for conditions related to parasites
• Pre existing conditions
• Bilateral conditions
• Virtual vet visits
• Heartworm/FELV/blood/fecal exams
• Heartworm, flea, and tick prevention
• Vaccination/titer tests
• Spaying/neutering
• Microchipping

Preexisting Conditions

Trupanion, like other insurers, does not cover preexisting conditions. These are defined as conditions that showed clinical evidence during the 18 months before the policy’s effective date or during the waiting period. If your pet has a preexisting condition on one side of its body, treatment for the same condition on the other side is excluded.

Wellness and Preventative Care

Trupanion does not cover wellness and preventative care, as it focuses on emergency care. This means that routine procedures, exam fees, vaccinations, microchipping, spaying/neutering, parasite prevention, dental cleaning, and routine lab work are not included in their insurance policy.

Trupanion Dog Insurance Monthly Pricing

When it comes to the cost of Trupanion’s dog insurance, several factors come into play, including your location, chosen deductible, your dog’s breed, size, and age. The good news is that you can customize your monthly premium by selecting a deductible between $0 and $1,000.

Pricing Factors:

• Location
• Chosen deductible ($0 to $1,000)
• Dog’s breed, size, and age
• 90% reimbursement rate with unlimited annual and lifetime benefits

It’s essential to note that Trupanion’s policies are generally more expensive than other insurers. They don’t offer multi-pet discounts, multiple benefit limits, or varying reimbursement percentages. Instead, all policies provide 90% reimbursement and unlimited annual and lifetime benefits.

Per-Condition Deductible:

Trupanion uses a per-condition deductible instead of an annual deductible. This means that if your dog experiences two unrelated health issues, you’ll need to pay two deductibles.

However, once you’ve met the deductible for a specific condition, you won’t need to pay it again for any future treatments related to that condition.

Keep in mind that premiums may vary based on your location and your dog’s specific details. Always get a personalized quote to understand the exact cost for your furry friend.

Sample Monthly Premiums

To give you an idea of Trupanion’s dog insurance costs, here are some sample premiums for four-year-old dogs of different breeds in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a customized deductible set at $500:

Accident and Illness Plan:

• Medium Mixed Breed Dog: $59.30
• Golden Retriever: $73.39
• Yorkshire Terrier: $51.62

Recovery and Complementary Care Rider:

• Medium Mixed Breed Dog: $7
• Golden Retriever: $9
• Yorkshire Terrier: $6.11

It’s important to remember that these premiums are just examples, and actual costs may vary depending on factors such as zip code, pet’s age, breed, species, and gender. Be sure to request a personalized quote to get an accurate estimate for your dog’s insurance costs.

Discounts

Trupanion offers a 5% discount for qualifying assistance animals or therapy pets, which sets them apart from many other pet insurance providers. However, it’s important to note that this discount does not apply to emotional support animals and is not available to residents of Washington state.

While this discount is a valuable benefit for those with assistance or therapy pets, it’s worth mentioning that Trupanion does not provide a multi-pet discount for pet owners looking to insure multiple animals under one policy.

This is a feature that many competitors in the pet insurance industry offer, so it’s essential to consider this factor when comparing pet insurance providers and determining the best option for your specific needs.

How Does The Claim & Reimbursement Process Work?

Trupanion offers two convenient ways to handle claims, depending on whether your veterinarian partners with the company or not.

• Direct Pay: If your veterinarian is a Trupanion partner and has the company’s software, Trupanion can directly pay your vet for your pet’s care at the time of service. This eliminates the need for you to pay upfront and then wait for reimbursement.
• Reimbursement: If your veterinarian is not a Trupanion partner, you will need to pay for your pet’s care at the time of treatment. You can then submit claims for reimbursement within 90 days of the treatment date. Claims can be submitted through the online customer portal, by emailing claims@trupanion.com, or by sending a claims form through the mail to Trupanion’s designated address.

By offering these two options, Trupanion aims to make the claims process as smooth and stress-free as possible for pet owners.

Trupanion Pet Insurance Reviews and Testimonials

Trupanion pet insurance has earned a solid 4.2 overall rating on Trustpilot, based on over 4,600 reviews. Of these, an impressive 81% are 5-star reviews, while 11% are 1-star reviews.

Many positive reviews praise Trupanion’s prompt and efficient customer service, as well as their seamless assistance with claims processing. Customers frequently express gratitude for Trupanion’s coverage, which has made costly surgeries and medical treatments for their pets more manageable.

On the other hand, some negative reviews bring attention to the company’s waiting periods, which have led to claim denials due to the timing of a pet’s injury or illness. A few customers also faced challenges in modifying or adding coverage after their policy was already in effect, prompting them to seek alternative insurance providers.

In conclusion, the majority of Trupanion’s customers are delighted with the company’s service, coverage, and customer support. However, a small number of customers have encountered issues with waiting periods and policy adjustments, resulting in negative feedback.

Alternatives to Trupanion Dog Insurance

Trusted Pals

Trusted Pals provides pet insurance with a few notable benefits over Trupanion, such as shorter waiting periods for illnesses and exam coverage. Plus, Trusted Pals does not impose a maximum enrollment age for pets.

However, Trupanion has an edge over Trusted Pals when it comes to the waiting period for injuries, boasting a mere 5-day wait compared to Trusted Pals’ 14 days.

Lemonade

Lemonade, another alternative to Trupanion, stands out with a faster average claim turnaround time and reduced waiting periods for both illness and injury. However, unlike Trupanion, Lemonade does not include dental illness coverage, which may be a crucial consideration for some pet owners when selecting pet insurance.

Both Trusted Pals and Lemonade offer certain advantages over Trupanion, such as shorter waiting periods for illnesses and improved claim processing times. Nonetheless, Trupanion’s shorter waiting period for injuries and dental illness coverage can make it a more suitable choice for some pet owners.

Ultimately, it’s important to carefully compare each company’s coverage and features to find the pet insurance that best caters to your furry friend’s needs.

Final Verdict

Trupanion can be an excellent choice for pet owners who want comprehensive coverage and the convenience of direct payments to their veterinarian, especially for those who don’t want to worry about paying for expensive emergency procedures upfront. This unique benefit sets Trupanion apart from many other pet insurance providers that only work via reimbursement.

Additionally, Trupanion is an appealing option for breeders or pet owners who have adopted very young pets, as it allows enrollment from birth, minimizing the risk of preexisting conditions and ensuring coverage for hereditary or congenital issues.

However, Trupanion’s plans can be more expensive than those of its competitors, and it doesn’t offer policyholders the option of adjusting reimbursement percentages or annual benefit maximums to lower their premiums.

Before committing to Trupanion, it’s essential to compare rates and coverage options from other pet insurance companies to find the right balance of coverage and affordability that meets your needs and budget.

FAQs

Does Trupanion cover preexisting conditions?

No, Trupanion, like other pet insurance providers, does not cover preexisting conditions. These are defined as conditions that showed clinical evidence during the 18 months before the policy’s effective date or during the waiting period.

How does the Trupanion claim and reimbursement process work?

Trupanion offers two ways to handle claims: direct pay and reimbursement. If your veterinarian is a Trupanion partner, the company can directly pay your vet at the time of service. If your veterinarian is not a Trupanion partner, you need to pay for your pet’s care upfront and then submit a claim for reimbursement within 90 days of the treatment date.

Are there any waiting periods for Trupanion pet insurance?

Yes, Trupanion has waiting periods before your pet’s care is eligible for coverage. For illnesses, the waiting period is 30 days, and for injuries, it is 5 days.

Does Trupanion offer any optional riders for additional coverage?

Trupanion offers three optional riders for additional coverage: Recovery and Complementary Care Rider, which covers therapies such as homeopathy and hydrotherapy; Breeding Rider, which covers breeding-related illnesses and injuries; and Pet Owner Assistance Package, which covers expenses beyond the vet’s office like advertising for lost pets and boarding fees during your hospitalization.

Does Trupanion cover an MRI

Yes, Trupanion covers MRI scans as part of their diagnostic testing coverage. If your pet requires an MRI for a covered condition, Trupanion will reimburse 90% of the cost, helping to alleviate the financial burden of this expensive diagnostic procedure.

Are there any special considerations for Trupanion policies in Canada?

Trupanion’s policies in Canada generally follow the same coverage and features as those in the United States. However, Canadian pet owners should be aware that some policy details may vary due to regional regulations and differences in veterinary practices. It’s essential to carefully review your policy documents and consult with a Trupanion representative to understand any specific variations or exclusions that may apply to your pet’s coverage in Canada.