Pet Insurance Comparisons

Looking for information about insuring your pet? Then you’ve come to the right place. When considering providers of pet insurance, the first thing you should do – before enrolling with any provider – is to ask the following questions:

  1. What is and what is not covered by the policy?
  2. Are there any payout limits Help on the coverage to care for your pet?
  3. What are the co-insurance Help and deductible Help options for the policy?
  4. Can I take my pet to any licensed veterinarian, clinic or hospital of my choice?
  5. Does the policy pay on the actual costs of treatment for my pet, or is it based on a pre-determined benefits schedule Help?
  6. Will my rates go up because I make too many claims, or make claims over a certain amount of money?
  7. Is my pet’s breed excluded from coverage, or are there any breed-specific limitations?
  8. How are “pre-existing conditions” defined?
  9. Will a re-occurrence of a past injury or illness to my pet (previously covered by the provider) ever be considered a pre-existing condition in the future?
  10. What waiting periods are associated with your coverage?

We at Trupanion are confident that if you ask these important questions to any group of providers, you will see that we deliver the most comprehensive coverage and the best value in the industry.

Pet Insurance Providers Coverage Comparison

This comparison chart provides a quick glance of the benefits for each of the below providers*.

Click here to view a larger version of the comparison chart.

  Trupanion Embrace PetFirst Petplan PurinaCare VPI Healthy Paws 24Pet Watch Pets Best ASPCA
Provides 90% coverage for treatments of injuries & illnesses Green checkmark 31 Depends upon the specific plan Depends upon the specific plan Depends upon the specific plan Red x 25 Red x 25 Depends upon the specific plan Red x 25 Red x 25 Depends upon where you live
Has no financial limits: Per year, per illness or per pet Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25
Covers approved surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications & hospital stays Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Depends upon the specific plan
Covers therapeutic pet foods & dietary supplements Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Red x 25
Pays customer based on actual veterinarian bill – NOT on pre-determined benefits schedule Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25
Freedom to use any veterinarian at any clinic or hospital of your choice Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31 Green checkmark 31
Allows customers to choose their own deductible amount
(including a $0 deductible)		 Green checkmark 31 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25 Red x 25

These comparisons are based on written documentation from each of the above companies’ public-facing websites and Policy Wordings as of January 2, 2013, as well as a series of provider-specific phone interviews and internal research conducted from January 7-16, 2013. Coverage options are interpreted by American Pet Insurance Company as being comparable, and American Pet Insurance Company recognizes that alternate policies, coverages, deductible levels and co-insurance levels may be available from these providers for different premium costs.

* ASPCA underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company
Embrace underwritten by RLI Insurance
Healthy Paws underwritten by ACE Group or Markel Corporation
PetFirst underwritten by American Alternative Insurance Corporation (a subsidiary of Munich Re)
Petplan underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company
Pets Best underwritten by Aetna Insurance company of Connecticut
PurinaCare underwritten by Central States Indemnity Co. of Omaha
DVM Insurance Agency (VPI) underwritten by National Casualty Company
24PetWatch underwritten by Praetorian Insurance Company

If you have any questions for us, or need help understanding anything relating to coverage for your pet, please call Trupanion’s pet-loving customer care team at 800.569.7913. We love talking about pets!

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The Right Questions to Ask

Questions to Ask About the Provider
Questions to Ask About the Policy

Do You Need Pet Insurance?

Pet Insurance Comparison Study Video

Dr. Jim Humphries of the Veterinary News Network compares four pet health insurance companies, including Trupanion.