Trupanion vs. VPI/Nationwide
When looking into medical insurance for your pet, it's very important to get the facts and read the fine print. What
are the top reasons to choose Trupanion over VPI/Nationwide? Check out this video for a summary:
VIDEO
Click through or scroll down to learn more:
WE CAN PAY THE HOSPITAL DIRECTLY—USUALLY WITHIN 5 MINUTES
VPI/Nationwide can only reimburse pet owners after they paid their entire veterinary bill. Trupanion
is changing the reimbursement game by offering payment directly to the hospital, which means
pet owners aren’t out of pocket. This also means claims can be paid in as little as 5 minutes.
Read more >
WE DON’T EXCLUDE COVERED CONDITIONS AT RENEWAL
Conditions a pet develops over the past year that were covered by the VPI/Nationwide policy (or related
conditions) can become excluded from coverage at annual renewal.
Read more >
WE DON’T RAISE RATES WHEN A PET HAS A BIRTHDAY
VPI/Nationwide uses “Birthday Pricing,” where policyholder’s rates increase due
to their pet aging. These guaranteed rate increases grow by 8 - 13% over the years and are in
addition to increases from factors like inflation or cost of care.
Read more >
WE DON’T DROP COVERAGE
VPI/Nationwide has the ability to cancel a policy with only ten days’ notice for no reason
at all or choose not to renew it when a policyholder’s annual anniversary comes up.
Read more >
WE DON’T EXCLUDE CONDITIONS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO SPECIFIC BREEDS
The majority of VPI/Nationwide’s plans do not cover the things most likely to happen to specific
breeds, known as congenital or hereditary conditions. In addition, they also exclude over 182
conditions from most of their plans.
Read more >
WE DON’T SHARE MEMBERS' PRIVATE INFORMATION
Nationwide is a huge company with over 30 individual insurance products. They share policyholders'
private information with third parties to sell other products, like car and home insurance, with
no opt out option.
Read more >
WE PAY BASED ON THE ACTUAL VETERINARY INVOICE
Most of VPI/Nationwide’s plans reimburse policyholders based on a Benefit Schedule. Basically,
they decide how much a pet’s treatments should cost, not what they actually cost according
to the veterinarian.
Read more >
WE DON’T NEED TO APPROVE PETS FOR COVERAGE
When a pet owner enrolls, VPI/Nationwide’s underwriters check to make sure that a pet doesn’t
appear to be a liability for them, usually “approving” a pet within 3 days. They’ll
also make a decision about what plan a pet qualifies for.
Read more >
WE’RE HERE 24/7
VPI/Nationwide is only available M - F, 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. That means they're open less than 27%
of the week.
Read more >
WE OFFER FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY & A DEDUCTIBLE RANGE FROM $0 - $1000
VPI/Nationwide has two deductible options: $100 and $250. This gives little flexibility in making
sure coverage fits a monthly budget.
Read more >
WE DON’T COVER WELLNESS
Because we believe that we should focus on providing the coverage that gives the pet owner the most
value—covering conditions that are often the most costly to treat: injuries and illnesses.
Read more >
You’re a responsible, loving pet owner interested in getting “pet insurance.” You’ve talked to
your veterinarian, or maybe a friend or family member mentioned it. You have car insurance and your own health insurance…so
this must work just like that, right? Well, not quite.
Trupanion is medical insurance for cats and dogs—we’re NOT pet insurance. The difference is huge, and this
classification distinguishes us from other companies. Simply put, Trupanion was built by veterinarians for responsible,
loving pet owners, just like you.
We’re committed to helping all pets get the best medical care. We’re committed to being the best value proposition
for responsible, loving pet owners. And we’re committed to doing what we say, changing the industry for the
better, and focusing on what’s best for pets, pet owners, and veterinarians.
Finally, Trupanion was built for your pet’s entire life. Not for a year. Not just until your policy becomes a burden
for us. But for your pet’s entire life, through every tail wag, every kiss, every claim.
So, how does VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” stack up to Trupanion’s medical insurance?
Major medical, medical, and the majority of Nationwide/VPI's Products
VPI/Nationwide excludes conditions most likely to happen to your pet's breed
VPI/Nationwide has several pet insurance products available. The majority of their plans
do not cover the things most likely to happen to your breed, known as congenital or hereditary conditions.
These conditions are often costly to treat, and may require veterinary care for the rest of your pet’s life.
In fact, these plans combined exclude over 182 conditions. Some of these conditions are very common for many breeds.
Why pay for coverage that doesn’t cover what you need it to?
See these exclusions on VPI/Nationwide's website:
Most VPI/Nationwide plans reimburse according to a benefit schedule, not your bill
Most of VPI/Nationwide’s plans reimburse policyholders for conditions that are covered based on a Benefit Schedule.
The benefit schedule is like a menu with hundreds of items on it and a price for each. If the medical issue you are
dealing with is not on the “menu,” they simple do not pay. If your pet’s condition cost $3,000
to treat, but they think that condition should only cost $1,725, that's all they will pay. That limited payout is
not particularly helpful and will leave you majorly out of pocket.
See an example of one of VPI/Nationwide's benefit schedules:
VPI/Nationwide has lots of limits and some long waiting periods
Waiting periods aside, there are other issues to take into consideration. Think tons of restrictions, limits, caps, and
long waiting periods—like 12 months for cruciate ligament and meniscus (knee) injuries. Cruciate ligament injuries
happen to be one of the top conditions we’ve helped cover for our members, many within their first year
with Trupanion. With the majority of VPI/Nationwide plans, if your pet has a cruciate issue within the first year
of enrollment, it wouldn’t be covered.
See this on VPI/Nationwide's website:
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness plans - these are not insurance
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness coverage in the form of a few plans that pay specific limits on a select list of routine
care treatments, such as vaccinations and flea and tick medications. Trupanion does not offer any wellness coverage
of any kind. Why? Because we believe that we should focus on providing the coverage that gives you, the pet owner,
the most value—and that lies in covering those conditions that are often the most costly to treat, and that
often take you by surprise, such as unexpected injuries and illnesses. That’s what insurance is for.
We also believe that insurance companies should never manage or dictate the pet owner’s relationship with their
veterinarian. Your veterinarian is the expert on your pet’s health, and they can and should choose which preventive
care programs or what treatments are best for your pet. Trupanion believes that the best treatment plan for your
pet is the one decided upon by you and your veterinarian, not an insurance company.
Plus, it just makes more sense for pet owners to pay their veterinarian directly for expected costs than to pay through
an insurance company “middleman.”
What’s more, VPI/Nationwide has a one-size-fits-all “bundle” of preventive care services that may or
may not include the best care options for a specific pet. Why pay year after year for a microchip, when your pet
only needs it one time?
When you adopt a pet from a shelter or breeder, you already know there will be some expenses—regular checkups,
vaccines, and flea control.
Medical insurance should not be purchased to cover these things, just as you wouldn’t use your pet’s insurance
to buy leashes and toys. And just as you don’t use insurance to buy new furniture for your home or an oil change
for your car. Medical insurance is to here for you to help if you must face the unexpected with your pet. Let us
do what we do best, protect you and protect your dog or cat.
Whole Pet with Wellness
One of VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” products is positioned differently from those we’ve discussed
above. This product is called “Whole Pet with Wellness”.
VPI/Nationwide's Whole Pet with Wellness plan is unavailable to
puppies younger than one year old. This is a divergence of previous iterations of their policy. If a pet owner wants coverage
for their puppy through VPI/Nationwide, they are forced to follow a benefit schedule plan.
Let's see how this plan from VPI/Nationwide compares to a Trupanion policy.
We don't exclude conditions we've covered for your pet in the past just because you renew
When you enroll with Trupanion, what you see in the policy is what you get. We pride ourselves on transparency, and making
sure you understand what you are purchasing. We design our policy to be for the life of your pet, so we don’t
punish unlucky pets by reducing coverage at any time, for any reason—especially not because you are renewing
your policy. If we covered something, we won’t make that condition pre-existing just because it’s in
our best interest. We want the policy to work for you for the life of your pet.
When you are enrolled with VPI/Nationwide and your annual renewal comes up, according to their policy, they can add even
more additional exclusions to your policy. Conditions your pet has developed over the past year that were covered
by the policy (or related conditions that could potentially develop because of that original condition) can be considered
an exclusion at your renewal because every year when you renew, you are effectively purchasing a “new”
policy. We don’t believe that’s fair to you or your pet.
VPI/Nationwide may not choose to add additional exclusions onto a pet owner’s policy at renewal, but the language
that enables them to do so is right there in the policy. You may not want to risk gambling your coverage.
And if you want to challenge the addition of the excluded condition, you must go through an administrative process where
VPI/Nationwide makes a final decision. It’s important to note that chronic conditions are never eligible for
review:
We don't raise rates just because your pet has a birthday
VPI/Nationwide participates in something we call “Birthday Pricing,” where, simply put, your rates increase
because your pet is growing older. These guaranteed rate increases would be in addition to any changes applied due
to inflation.
These birthday-induced rates grow by 8% - 13% over the years. With VPI/Nationwide, your premium is guaranteed to double
by the time your dog or cat is 6 years old, and jump by nearly 150% by the time they are 10 years old. And again,
it’s extremely important to understand that these
guaranteed rate increases are in addition to any other adjustments that may occur.
See VPI/Nationwide’s rate filing for the Whole Pet with Wellness product:
So, what we are showing above is very “insurance-y,” but we’ve included it here because it’s
the published age rating factors that VPI/Nationwide use for the “Whole Pet with Wellness” product. From
age 0 to 2, the 1.00 is the base rate of the monthly cost. As the pet ages beyond 2 years, VPI/Nationwide developed
rates associated with the age of the pet. Each increase adds to the “base rate.” As an example for dogs,
the increases amount to:
0 - 2 years =1.00 (base rate)
9% increase of the base rate on 3rd birthday
38% increase by the 5th birthday
71% increase by the 7th birthday
143% increase by the 10th birthday
229% increase by the 13th birthday
Let’s see how that compares to the rates at Trupanion over the lifetime of a pet.
In the below chart, we are looking at a pet that is enrolled at less than a year old and that stays insured over the
next 13 years. We compare the guaranteed rates when using VPI/Nationwide’s filed age rating factors (solid
lines), and then what those rates could be with the addition of a potential 10% per year inflation (dotted lines).
In reality, inflation may not change at this 10% rate, this is just for illustrative purposes.
When enrolling at less than a year old, while VPI/Nationwide and Trupanion have similar rating, VPI/Nationwide’s
monthly rates begin to increase significantly when their guaranteed birthday pricing begins to take effect.
When all monthly rates are added together and averaged over the lifetime of this example pet, which remains insured
for 13 years, a member would pay, on average:
VPI/Nationwide + 10% inflation: $274.05
VPI/Nationwide (no inflation, just guaranteed age rating): $118.44
Trupanion + 10% inflation: $129.88
Trupanion (no inflation): $65.00
VPI/Nationwide is similar to most “pet insurance” providers in that their rates automatically go up based
on age, but you might not realize this, as this fact is not easily available via their marketing materials or on
their website. And we understand that it can often be hard to plan for the future, no one is sitting around thinking
about how much medical insurance for their pet may cost three years from now. But, we believe that with such an important
decision, one that will be there for the life of your pet, it’s worth it to think about the long term.
When it comes to pricing Trupanion is different. We know medical insurance is for the life of your pet, so we
share the risk with all responsible, loving pet owners like you who enroll their pets at the same age, regardless
of whether they enrolled last month or last decade.
Now, we aren’t saying that your rates will never change if you enroll with Trupanion—we cannot guarantee that.
Like VPI/Nationwide or other companies, we too must increase or decrease rates due to changes in the cost
of veterinary care. As we mentioned before, when you enroll your dog or cat with Trupanion, we associate
him or her with a subcategory of pets. This includes things like your pet’s breed, age at enrollment,
your location, your deductible (if you choose to have one), and several other values that help us determine
an appropriate monthly payment for your pet. During your time as a Trupanion member, your monthly payment
will go up or down based upon the average costs of all pets within your subcategory. That’s how we
share the risk among everyone. A price increase ultimately means that we can continue to offer our members
the same value as we always have.
We don't share your private information
Nationwide is a huge company, with over 30 individual insurance products. Don’t be surprised if after you
enroll, they try to sell you car and home insurance. And not only that, they may also share your private
information with third parties to do so.
We believe that your private information is just that, private, and we don’t sell or share it.
We're here for you 24/7
Our call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on holidays. We know that pets can get sick or hurt
at any time, and if you need us at 3am on a Sunday because you have a question about the policy or you need
another pet lover to talk to—we’re just a phone call away.
VPI/Nationwide is only available M - F from 5:00 am - 7:00 pm (PT) and Saturdays from 7:00 am - 3:30pm (PT),
that means they’re open less than 47% of the week. VPI/Nationwide does give their policyholders access
to a customer knowledge base and a veterinary helpline 24 hours a day. But try calling their customer care
team at 3 am on a Sunday, and all you’ll get is an automated robot. Trupanion remains committed to
our members whenever they need us.
We don't need to approve you for coverage
Just like when you are purchasing a home, and the mortgage underwriter reviews your financials to make sure you
can pay, VPI/Nationwide’s underwriters check to make sure that your pet qualifies for their Whole Pet
with Wellness Plan. With Trupanion when you enroll, you’re just…enrolled. Right away, no approval
needed. Unless your pet is under 8 weeks old or 14 years or older, any dog or cat is approved for the one
simple, comprehensive plan right on the spot.
We don't drop coverage
Do you think that if you pay your monthly cost consistently when due, and follow all the rules of the policy,
that you should be able to keep your insurance for as long as you want? We do too! But VPI/Nationwide has
the ability to cancel your policy with only 10 days’ notice for no reason at all. Or they can choose
not to renew it when your anniversary comes up.
Now, they may choose not to enforce this, but then again, it’s right there in their policy. Do you really want to gamble
with your pet’s coverage, especially as they get older and you need it the most?
With Trupanion you have coverage for your pet’s entire life. It doesn’t matter how many health issues
your pet may face, or how much we need to pay out—your bill can be $100 or $100,000—we won’t
drop your coverage, and in fact, our policy does not allow us to do so.
We offer financial flexibility
VPI/Nationwide has two deductible options available to you for their Whole Pet with Wellness product, $100 and
$250. This makes it awful hard to ensure that you can fit this particular coverage into your monthly budget.
With Trupanion you can pick what you pay because you can choose your deductible, anywhere from $0 to $1,000.
Pretty neat, huh? Medical insurance doesn’t have to be out of your budget!
And let’s talk about deductibles for a minute. Trupanion has a lifetime per condition deductible—so
there’s no need to pay your deductible over and over again every year when you’ve already met
it for that condition or a related condition. A lifetime per condition deductible does not mean you must
pay a deductible every time you file a claim, instead your chosen deductible only applies when your pet is
diagnosed with a NEW condition. This is great when your pet suffers from allergies, or develops a chronic
ailment. So, if your pet is diagnosed with diabetes, for instance, and you have a $250 deductible, once you
meet the $250 deductible with Trupanion, you’ll never have to pay a deductible for claims relating
to your pet’s diabetes or any conditions relating to the diabetes that may occur ever again. For the
entire life of your pet.
Now, for a very unlucky pet that experiences several different, unrelated conditions in a single year, say diabetes
and a broken leg, the per condition deductible may prove to be a bit less effective. But we’ve found
that most pets only suffer a few different, unrelated conditions in their whole lifetime. And pet owners
that are concerned about paying a lifetime per condition deductible can choose to not have a deductible at
all when they enroll with Trupanion, which is not an option with VPI/Nationwide.
We can pay your veterinarian directly - usually within 5 minutes
We’ve mentioned this before. But we think it’s worth repeating.
Rather than the traditional insurance reimbursement model, Trupanion has changed the game and created a process
that, once again, puts our members first. We can pay your veterinarian directly, before you even leave their
hospital. No more filing paperwork, no more waiting for a check—just peace of mind that you are covered.
We don’t want you to pay out of pocket and we think you probably don’t either. We don’t want
to waste your time, and we don’t want you to have to worry about what’s going to get covered.
In many cases, our direct pay option requires no paperwork and no phone calls from the pet owner.
Ask your hospital if they have the ability to accept direct payment from Trupanion. If they don’t, ask
them to contact us so we can work with them to help ensure you’ll have the best experience possible.
Our commitment
We are Trupanion. We’re medical insurance for pets and we’re committed to helping all pets be able
to get the best medical care. We’re committed to being the best value proposition for responsible,
loving pet owners. And we’re committed to doing what we say, to changing the industry for the better,
and to focusing on what’s best for pets, pet owners, and veterinarians.
We urge all pet owners to really look at the coverage VPI/Nationwide is offering and make the decision that is
best for their pet, for their entire life—think about the restrictions and limits on most of their
plans, their ability to cancel your Whole Pet with Wellness policy at any time, and the lack of time they
make available for their customer’s needs.
Our commitment to getting this right has remained as steadfast and strong as when we first entered this industry—and
it will remain that way for as long as we’re here.
See what our policyholders are saying about us
When looking into medical insurance for your pet, it's very important to get the facts and read the fine print. What
are the top reasons to choose Trupanion over VPI/Nationwide? Check out this video for a summary:
VIDEO
Click through or scroll down to learn more:
WE CAN PAY THE HOSPITAL DIRECTLY— USUALLY WITHIN 5 MINUTES
WE DON’T EXCLUDE COVERED CONDITIONS AT RENEWAL
WE DON’T RAISE RATES WHEN A PET HAS A BIRTHDAY
WE DON'T EXCLUDE CONDITIONS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO SPECIFIC BREEDS
WE DON'T SHARE MEMBERS' PRIVATE INFORMATION
WE PAY BASED ON THE ACTUAL VETERINARY INVOICE
WE DON'T NEED TO "APPROVE" PETS FOR COVERAGE
WE OFFER FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY & A DEDUCTIBLE RANGE FROM $0 - $1000
Trupanion is medical insurance for cats and dogs—we’re NOT pet insurance. The difference is huge, and this
classification distinguishes us from other companies. Simply put, Trupanion was built by veterinarians for responsible,
loving pet owners, just like you.
So, how does VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” stack up to Trupanion’s medical insurance?
Major medical, medical, and the majority of Nationwide/VPI's products
VPI/Nationwide excludes conditions most likely to happen to your pet's breed
VPI/Nationwide has several pet insurance products available. The majority of their plans
do not cover the things most likely to happen to your breed, known as congenital or hereditary conditions.
These conditions are often costly to treat, and may require veterinary care for the rest of your pet’s life.
In fact, these plans combined exclude over 182 conditions. Some of these conditions are very common for many breeds.
Why pay for coverage that doesn’t cover what you may need it to?
See these exclusions on VPI/Nationwide's website:
Most VPI/Nationwide plans reimburse according to a benefit schedule, not your bill
Most of VPI/Nationwide’s plans reimburse policyholders for conditions that are covered based on a Benefit Schedule.
The benefit schedule is like a menu with hundreds of items on it and a price for each. If the medical issue you are
dealing with is not on the “menu”, they simple do not pay. If your pet’s condition cost $3,000
to treat, but they think that condition should only cost $1,725, that is all they will pay. That limited payout is
not particularly helpful and will leave you majorly out of pocket.
See an example of one of VPI/Nationwide's benefit schedules:
VPI/Nationwide has lots of limits and some long waiting periods
Waiting periods aside, there are other issues to take into consideration. Think tons of restrictions, limits, caps, and
long waiting periods—like 12 months for cruciate ligament and meniscus (knee) injuries. Cruciate ligament injuries
happen to be one of the top conditions we’ve helped cover for our members, many within their first year with
Trupanion. With the majority of VPI/Nationwide plans, if your pet has a cruciate issue within the first year of enrollment,
it wouldn’t be covered.
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness plans - these are not insurance
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness coverage in the form of a few plans that pay specific limits on a select list of routine
care treatments, such as vaccinations and flea and tick medications. Trupanion does not offer any wellness coverage
of any kind. Why? Because we believe that we should focus on providing the coverage that gives you, the pet owner,
the most value—and that lies in covering those conditions that are often the most costly to treat, and that
often take you by surprise, such as unexpected injuries and illnesses. That’s what insurance is for.
We also believe that insurance companies should never manage or dictate the pet owner’s relationship with their
veterinarian. Your veterinarian is the expert on your pet’s health, and they can and should choose which preventive
care programs or what treatments are best for your pet. Trupanion believes that the best treatment plan for your
pet is the one decided upon by you and your veterinarian, not an insurance company.
Plus, it just makes more sense for pet owners to pay their veterinarian directly for expected costs than to pay through
an insurance company “middleman”.
What’s more, VPI/Nationwide has a one-size-fits-all “bundle” of preventive care services that may or
may not include the best care options for a specific pet. Why pay year after year for a microchip, when a pet will
only need this one time?
When you adopt a pet from a shelter or breeder, you already know there will be some expenses — regular checkups,
vaccines, and flea control.
Medical insurance should not be purchased to cover these things, just as you wouldn’t use your pet’s insurance
to buy leashes and toys. And just as you don’t use insurance to buy new furniture for your home or an oil change
for your car. Medical insurance is to here for you to help if you must face the unexpected with your pet. Let us
do what we do best, protect you and protect your dog or cat.
Whole Pet with Wellness
One of VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” products is positioned differently from those we’ve discussed
above. This product is called “Whole Pet with Wellness”.
VPI/Nationwide's Whole Pet with Wellness plan is unavailable to
puppies younger than one year old. This is a divergence of previous iterations of their policy. If a pet owner wants coverage
for their puppy through VPI/Nationwide, they are forced to follow a benefit schedule plan.
Let's see how this plan from VPI/Nationwide compares to a Trupanion policy.
We don’t exclude condition we've covered for your pet in the past just because you renew
When you enroll with Trupanion, what you see in the policy is what you get. We pride ourselves on transparency, and making
sure you understand what you are purchasing. We design our policy to be for the life of your pet, so we don’t
punish unlucky pets by reducing coverage at any time, for any reason — especially not because you are renewing
your policy. If we covered something, we won’t make that condition pre-existing just because it’s in
our best interest. We want the policy to work for you for the life of your pet.
When you are enrolled with VPI/Nationwide and your annual renewal comes up, according to their policy, they can add even
more additional exclusions to your policy. Conditions your pet has developed over the past year that were covered
by the policy (or related conditions that could potentially develop because of that original condition) can be considered
an exclusion at your renewal because every year when you renew, you are effectively purchasing a “new”
policy. We don’t believe that’s fair to you or your pet.
VPI/Nationwide may not choose to add additional exclusions onto a pet owner’s policy at renewal, but the language
that enables them to do so is right there in the policy. You may not want to risk gambling your coverage.
And if you want to challenge the addition of the excluded condition, you must go through an administrative process where
VPI/Nationwide makes a final decision. It’s important to note that chronic conditions are never eligible for
review.
We don’t raise rates just because your pet has a birthday
VPI/Nationwide participates in something we call “Birthday Pricing”, where, simply put, your rates increase
because your pet is growing older. These guaranteed rate increases would be in addition to any changes applied
due to inflation.
These birthday-induced rates grow by 8% - 13% over the years. With VPI/Nationwide, your premium is guaranteed to double
by the time your dog or cat is 6 years old, and jump by nearly 150% by the time they are 10 years old. And again,
it’s extremely important to understand that these
guaranteed rate increases are in addition to any other adjustments that may occur.
As an example for dogs, the increases amount to:
0 – 2 years =1.00 (base rate)
9% increase of the base rate on 3rd birthday
38% increase by the 5th birthday
71% increase by the 7th birthday
143% increase by the 10th birthday
229% increase by the 13th birthday
When enrolling at less than a year old, while VPI/Nationwide and Trupanion have similar rating, VPI/Nationwide’s
monthly rates begin to increase significantly when their guaranteed birthday pricing begins to take effect.
When all monthly rates are added together and averaged over the lifetime of this example pet, which remains insured
for 13 years, a member would pay, on average:
VPI/Nationwide + 10% inflation: $274.05
VPI/Nationwide (no inflation, just guaranteed age rating): $118.44
Trupanion + 10% inflation: $129.88
Trupanion (no inflation): $65.00
VPI/Nationwide is similar to most “pet insurance” providers in that their rates automatically go up based
on age, but you might not realize this, as this fact is not easily available via their marketing materials or on
their website. And we understand that it can often be hard to plan for the future, no one is sitting around thinking
about how much medical insurance for their pet may cost three years from now. But, we believe that with such an important
decision, one that will be there for the life of your pet, it’s worth it to think about the long term.
When it comes to pricing Trupanion is different. We know medical insurance is for the life of your pet, so we
share the risk with all responsible, loving pet owners like you who enroll their pets at the same age, regardless
of whether they enrolled last month or last decade.
We don’t share your private information
Nationwide is a huge company, with over 30 individual insurance products. Don’t be surprised if, after
you enroll, they try to sell you car and home insurance. And not only that, they may also share your private
information with third parties to do so.
We believe that your private information is just that, private, and we don’t sell or share it.
We’re here for you 24/7
Our call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on holidays. We know that pets can get sick or hurt
at any time, and if you need us at 3am on a Sunday because you have a question about the policy or you need
another pet lover to talk to—we’re just a phone call away.
VPI/Nationwide is only available M-F, 5:00am – 7:00pm (PST), and Saturday 7:00am – 3:30pm (PST),
that means they’re open less than 47% of the week. VPI/Nationwide does give their policyholders access
to a customer knowledge base and a veterinary helpline 24 hours a day. But try calling their customer care
team at 3am on a Sunday, and all you’ll get is an automated robot. Trupanion remains committed to our
members whenever they need us.
We don't need to approve you for coverage
Just like when you are purchasing a home, and the mortgage underwriter reviews your financials to make sure you
can pay, VPI/Nationwide’s underwriters check to make sure that your pet qualifies for their Whole Pet
with Wellness Plan. With Trupanion when you enroll, you’re just…enrolled. Right away, no approval
needed. Unless your pet is under 8 weeks old or 14 years or older, any dog or cat is approved for the one
simple, comprehensive plan right on the spot.
We don't drop coverage
Do you think that if you pay your monthly cost consistently when due, and follow all the rules of the policy,
that you should be able to keep your insurance for as long as you want? We do too! But VPI/Nationwide has
ability to cancel your policy with only ten days’ notice, for absolutely no reason at all. Or they
can choose not to renew it when your anniversary comes up.
Now, they may choose not to enforce this, but then again, it’s right there in their policy. Do you really want to gamble
with your pet’s coverage, especially as they get older and you need it the most?
With Trupanion you have coverage for your pet’s entire life. It doesn’t matter how many health issues
your pet may face, or how much we need to pay out — your bill can be $100 or $100,000 — we won’t
drop your coverage, and in fact, our policy does not allow us to do so.
We offer financial flexibility
VPI/Nationwide has two deductible options available to you for their Whole Pet with Wellness product, $100 and
$250. This makes it awful hard to ensure that you can fit this particular coverage into your monthly budget.
With Trupanion you can pick what you pay, because you can choose your deductible, including no deductible at
$0, or anywhere from $50 to $1,000, in increments of $5. Pretty neat, huh? Medical insurance doesn’t
have to be out of your budget!
And let’s talk about deductibles for a minute. Trupanion has a lifetime per condition deductible —
so there’s no need to pay your deductible over and over again every year when you’ve already
met it for that condition or a related condition. A lifetime per condition deductible does not mean you must
pay a deductible every time you file a claim, instead your chosen deductible only applies when your pet is
diagnosed with a NEW condition. This is great when your pet suffers from allergies, or develops a chronic
ailment. So, if your pet is diagnosed with diabetes, for instance, and you have a $250 deductible, once you
meet the $250 deductible with Trupanion, you’ll never have to pay a deductible for claims relating
to your pet’s diabetes or any conditions relating to the diabetes that may occur ever again. For the
entire life of your pet.
Now, for a very unlucky pet that experiences several different, unrelated conditions in a single year, say diabetes
and a broken leg, the per condition deductible may prove to be a bit less effective. But we’ve found
that most pets only suffer a few different, unrelated conditions in their whole lifetime. And pet owners
that are concerned about paying a lifetime per condition deductible can choose to not have a deductible at
all when they enroll with Trupanion, which is not an option with VPI/Nationwide.
We can pay your veterinarian directly - usually within 5 minutes
We’ve mentioned this before. But we think it’s worth repeating.
Rather than the traditional insurance reimbursement model, Trupanion has changed the game and created a process
that, once again, puts our members first. We can pay your veterinarian directly, before you even leave their
hospital. No more filing paperwork, no more waiting for a check — just peace of mind that you are covered.
We don’t want you to pay out of pocket and we think you probably don’t either. We don’t want
to waste your time, and we don’t want you to have to worry about what’s going to get covered.
In many cases, our direct pay option requires no paperwork and no phone calls from the pet owner.
Ask your hospital if they have the ability to accept direct payment from Trupanion. If they don’t, ask
them to contact us so we can work with them to help ensure you’ll have the best experience possible.
Our commitment
We are Trupanion. We’re medical insurance for pets and we’re committed to helping all pets be able
to get the best medical care. We’re committed to being the best value proposition for responsible,
loving pet owners. And we’re committed to doing what we say, to changing the industry for the better,
and to focusing on what’s best for pets, pet owners, and veterinarians.
We urge all pet owners to really look at the coverage VPI/Nationwide is offering and make the decision that is
best for their pet, for their entire life—think about the restrictions and limits on most of their
plans, their ability to cancel your Whole Pet with Wellness policy at any time, and the lack of time they
make available for their customer’s needs.
Our commitment to getting this right has remained as steadfast and strong as when we first entered this industry
— and it will remain that way for as long as we’re here.
When looking into medical insurance for your pet, it's very important to get the facts and read the fine print. What
are the top reasons to choose Trupanion over VPI/Nationwide? Check out this video for a summary:
VIDEO
Click through or scroll down to learn more:
WE CAN PAY THE HOSPITAL DIRECTLY— USUALLY WITHIN 5 MINUTES
WE DON’T EXCLUDE COVERED CONDITIONS AT RENEWAL
WE DON’T RAISE RATES WHEN A PET HAS A BIRTHDAY
WE DON'T EXCLUDE CONDITIONS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO SPECIFIC BREEDS
WE DON'T SHARE MEMBERS' PRIVATE INFORMATION
WE PAY BASED ON THE ACTUAL VETERINARY INVOICE
WE DON'T NEED TO "APPROVE" PETS FOR COVERAGE
WE OFFER FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY & A DEDUCTIBLE RANGE FROM $0 - $1000
Trupanion is medical insurance for cats and dogs—we’re NOT pet insurance. The difference is huge, and this
classification distinguishes us from other companies. Simply put, Trupanion was built by veterinarians for responsible,
loving pet owners, just like you.
So, how does VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” stack up to Trupanion’s medical insurance?
Major medical, medical, and the majority of Nationwide/VPI's products
VPI/Nationwide has several pet insurance products available. The majority of their plans
do not cover the things most likely to happen to your breed, known as congenital or hereditary conditions.
These conditions are often costly to treat, and may require veterinary care for the rest of your pet’s life.
In fact, these plans combined exclude over 182 conditions. Some of these conditions are very common for many breeds.
Why pay for coverage that doesn’t cover what you may need it to?
In our view, excluding conditions based on breed is not fair. No pet deserves to be punished for being their specific
breed. And we don’t want this to be any pet owner’s experience. That’s why Trupanion covers all
hereditary and congenital conditions in our ONE core policy.
See these exclusions on VPI/Nationwide's website:
Most of VPI/Nationwide’s plans reimburse policyholders for conditions that are covered based on a Benefit Schedule.
The benefit schedule is like a menu with hundreds of items on it and a price for each. If the medical issue you are
dealing with is not on the “menu”, they simple do not pay. If your pet’s condition cost $3,000
to treat, but they think that condition should only cost $1,725, that is all they will pay. That limited payout is
not particularly helpful and will leave you majorly out of pocket.
Basically, your insurance provider is deciding how much your pet’s treatments should cost, not what they actually
cost according to your veterinarian. Who do you trust to know what your pet’s treatments should cost?
See an example of one of VPI/Nationwide's benefit schedules:
VPI/Nationwide has lots of limits and some long waiting periods
Waiting periods aside, there are other issues to take into consideration. Think tons of restrictions, limits, caps, and
long waiting periods—like 12 months for cruciate ligament and meniscus (knee) injuries. Cruciate ligament injuries
happen to be one of the top conditions we’ve helped cover for our members, many within their first year with
Trupanion. With the majority of VPI/Nationwide plans, if your pet has a cruciate issue within the first year of enrollment,
it wouldn’t be covered.
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness plans - these are not insurance
VPI/Nationwide offers wellness coverage in the form of a few plans that pay specific limits on a select list of routine
care treatments, such as vaccinations and flea and tick medications. Trupanion does not offer any wellness coverage
of any kind. Why? Because we believe that we should focus on providing the coverage that gives you, the pet owner,
the most value—and that lies in covering those conditions that are often the most costly to treat, and that
often take you by surprise, such as unexpected injuries and illnesses. That’s what insurance is for.
We also believe that insurance companies should never manage or dictate the pet owner’s relationship with their
veterinarian. Your veterinarian is the expert on your pet’s health, and they can and should choose which preventive
care programs or what treatments are best for your pet. Trupanion believes that the best treatment plan for your
pet is the one decided upon by you and your veterinarian, not an insurance company.
Plus, it just makes more sense for pet owners to pay their veterinarian directly for expected costs than to pay through
an insurance company “middleman”.
What’s more, VPI/Nationwide has a one-size-fits-all “bundle” of preventive care services that may or
may not include the best care options for a specific pet. Why pay year after year for a microchip, when a pet will
only need this one time?
When you adopt a pet from a shelter or breeder, you already know there will be some expenses — regular checkups,
vaccines, and flea control.
Medical insurance should not be purchased to cover these things, just as you wouldn’t use your pet’s insurance
to buy leashes and toys. And just as you don’t use insurance to buy new furniture for your home or an oil change
for your car. Medical insurance is to here for you to help if you must face the unexpected with your pet. Let us
do what we do best, protect you and protect your dog or cat.
Whole Pet with Wellness
One of VPI/Nationwide’s “pet insurance” products is positioned differently from those we’ve discussed
above. This product is called “Whole Pet with Wellness”.
VPI/Nationwide's Whole Pet with Wellness plan is unavailable to
puppies younger than one year old. This is a divergence of previous iterations of their policy. If a pet owner wants coverage
for their puppy through VPI/Nationwide, they are forced to follow a benefit schedule plan.
Let's see how this plan from VPI/Nationwide compares to a Trupanion policy.
We don't exclude conditions we've covered for your pet in the past just because you renew
When you enroll with Trupanion, what you see in the policy is what you get. We pride ourselves on transparency, and making
sure you understand what you are purchasing. We design our policy to be for the life of your pet, so we don’t
punish unlucky pets by reducing coverage at any time, for any reason — especially not because you are renewing
your policy. If we covered something, we won’t make that condition pre-existing just because it’s in
our best interest. We want the policy to work for you for the life of your pet.
When you are enrolled with VPI/Nationwide and your annual renewal comes up, according to their policy, they can add even
more additional exclusions to your policy. Conditions your pet has developed over the past year that were covered
by the policy (or related conditions that could potentially develop because of that original condition) can be considered
an exclusion at your renewal because every year when you renew, you are effectively purchasing a “new”
policy. We don’t believe that’s fair to you or your pet.
VPI/Nationwide may not choose to add additional exclusions onto a pet owner’s policy at renewal, but the language
that enables them to do so is right there in the policy. You may not want to risk gambling your coverage.
And if you want to challenge the addition of the excluded condition, you must go through an administrative process where
VPI/Nationwide makes a final decision. It’s important to note that chronic conditions are never eligible for
review.
We don't raise rates just because your pet has a birthday
VPI/Nationwide participates in something we call “Birthday Pricing”, where, simply put, your rates increase
because your pet is growing older. These guaranteed rate increases would be in addition to any changes applied
due to inflation.
These birthday-induced rates grow by 8% - 13% over the years. With VPI/Nationwide, your premium is guaranteed to double
by the time your dog or cat is 6 years old, and jump by nearly 150% by the time they are 10 years old. And again,
it’s extremely important to understand that these
guaranteed rate increases are in addition to any other adjustments that may occur.
As an example for dogs, the increases amount to:
0 – 2 years =1.00 (base rate)
9% increase of the base rate on 3rd birthday
38% increase by the 5th birthday
71% increase by the 7th birthday
143% increase by the 10th birthday
229% increase by the 13th birthday
When enrolling at less than a year old, while VPI/Nationwide and Trupanion have similar rating, VPI/Nationwide’s
monthly rates begin to increase significantly when their guaranteed birthday pricing begins to take effect.
When all monthly rates are added together and averaged over the lifetime of this example pet, which remains insured
for 13 years, a member would pay, on average:
VPI/Nationwide + 10% inflation: $274.05
VPI/Nationwide (no inflation, just guaranteed age rating): $118.44
Trupanion + 10% inflation: $129.88
Trupanion (no inflation): $65.00
VPI/Nationwide is similar to most “pet insurance” providers in that their rates automatically go up based
on age, but you might not realize this, as this fact is not easily available via their marketing materials or on
their website. And we understand that it can often be hard to plan for the future, no one is sitting around thinking
about how much medical insurance for their pet may cost three years from now. But, we believe that with such an important
decision, one that will be there for the life of your pet, it’s worth it to think about the long term.
When it comes to pricing Trupanion is different. We know medical insurance is for the life of your pet, so we share the
risk with all responsible, loving pet owners like you who enroll their pets at the same age, regardless of whether
they enrolled last month or last decade.
Now, we aren’t saying that your rates will never change if you enroll with Trupanion — we cannot guarantee
that. Like VPI/Nationwide or other companies, we too must increase or decrease rates due to changes in the cost of
veterinary care. As we mentioned before, when you enroll your dog or cat with Trupanion, we associate him or her
with a sub-category of pets. This includes things like your pet’s breed, age at enrollment, your location,
your deductible (if you choose to have one), and several other values that help us determine an appropriate monthly
payment for your pet. During your time as a Trupanion member, your monthly payment will go up or down based upon
the average costs of all pets within your sub-category. That’s how we share the risk among everyone. A price
increase ultimately means that we can continue to offer our members the same value as we always have.
But it’s important to know that we promise to never increase your monthly payments due to your pet aging or just
because you’re pet has been unlucky and has faced some medical issues.
We don't share your private information
Nationwide is a huge company, with over 30 individual insurance products. Don’t be surprised if, after you enroll,
they try to sell you car and home insurance. And not only that, they may also share your private information with
third parties to do so.
We believe that your private information is just that, private, and we don’t sell or share it.
We're here for you 24/7
Our call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on holidays. We know that pets can get sick or hurt at any
time, and if you need us at 3am on a Sunday because you have a question about the policy or you need another pet
lover to talk to—we’re just a phone call away.
VPI/Nationwide is only available M-F, 5:00am – 7:00pm (PST), and Saturday 7:00am – 3:30pm (PST), that means
they’re open less than 47% of the week. VPI/Nationwide does give their policyholders access to a customer knowledge
base and a veterinary helpline 24 hours a day. But try calling their customer care team at 3am on a Sunday, and all
you’ll get is an automated robot. Trupanion remains committed to our members whenever they need us.
We don't need to approve you for coverage
Just like when you are purchasing a home, and the mortgage underwriter reviews your financials to make sure you can pay,
VPI/Nationwide’s underwriters check to make sure that your pet qualifies for their Whole Pet with Wellness
Plan. With Trupanion when you enroll, you’re just…enrolled. Right away, no approval needed. Unless your
pet is under 8 weeks old or 14 years or older, any dog or cat is approved for the one simple, comprehensive plan
right on the spot.
We don't drop coverage
Do you think that if you pay your monthly cost consistently when due, and follow all the rules of the policy, that you
should be able to keep your insurance for as long as you want? We do too! But VPI/Nationwide has ability to cancel
your policy with only ten days’ notice, for absolutely no reason at all. Or they can choose not to renew it
when your anniversary comes up.
Now, they may choose not to enforce this, but then again, it’s right there in their policy. Do you really want to gamble
with your pet’s coverage, especially as they get older and you need it the most?
With Trupanion you have coverage for your pet’s entire life. It doesn’t matter how many health issues your
pet may face, or how much we need to pay out — your bill can be $100 or $100,000 — we won’t drop
your coverage, and in fact, our policy does not allow us to do so.
We offer financial flexibility
VPI/Nationwide has two deductible options available to you for their Whole Pet with Wellness product, $100 and $250.
This makes it awful hard to ensure that you can fit this particular coverage into your monthly budget.
With Trupanion you can pick what you pay, because you can choose your deductible, including no deductible at $0, or anywhere
from $50 to $1,000, in increments of $5. Pretty neat, huh? Medical insurance doesn’t have to be out of your
budget!
And let’s talk about deductibles for a minute. Trupanion has a lifetime per condition deductible — so there’s
no need to pay your deductible over and over again every year when you’ve already met it for that condition
or a related condition. A lifetime per condition deductible does not mean you must pay a deductible every time you
file a claim, instead your chosen deductible only applies when your pet is diagnosed with a NEW condition. This is
great when your pet suffers from allergies, or develops a chronic ailment. So, if your pet is diagnosed with diabetes,
for instance, and you have a $250 deductible, once you meet the $250 deductible with Trupanion, you’ll never
have to pay a deductible for claims relating to your pet’s diabetes or any conditions relating to the diabetes
that may occur ever again. For the entire life of your pet.
Now, for a very unlucky pet that experiences several different, unrelated conditions in a single year, say diabetes and
a broken leg, the per condition deductible may prove to be a bit less effective. But we’ve found that most
pets only suffer a few different, unrelated conditions in their whole lifetime. And pet owners that are concerned
about paying a lifetime per condition deductible can choose to not have a deductible at all when they enroll with
Trupanion, which is not an option with VPI/Nationwide.
We can pay your veterinarian directly - usually within 5 minutes
We’ve mentioned this before. But we think it’s worth repeating.
Rather than the traditional insurance reimbursement model, Trupanion has changed the game and created a process that,
once again, puts our members first. We can pay your veterinarian directly, before you even leave their hospital.
No more filing paperwork, no more waiting for a check — just peace of mind that you are covered.
We don’t want you to pay out of pocket and we think you probably don’t either. We don’t want to waste
your time, and we don’t want you to have to worry about what’s going to get covered. In many cases, our
direct pay option requires no paperwork and no phone calls from the pet owner.
Ask your hospital if they have the ability to accept direct payment from Trupanion. If they don’t, ask them to
contact us so we can work with them to help ensure you’ll have the best experience possible.
Our commitment
We are Trupanion. We’re medical insurance for pets and we’re committed to helping all pets be able to get
the best medical care. We’re committed to being the best value proposition for responsible, loving pet owners.
And we’re committed to doing what we say, to changing the industry for the better, and to focusing on what’s
best for pets, pet owners, and veterinarians.
We urge all pet owners to really look at the coverage VPI/Nationwide is offering and make the decision that is best for
their pet, for their entire life—think about the restrictions and limits on most of their plans, their ability
to cancel your Whole Pet with Wellness policy at any time, and the lack of time they make available for their customer’s
needs.
Our commitment to getting this right has remained as steadfast and strong as when we first entered this industry —
and it will remain that way for as long as we’re here.
