


Veterinarians recommend pet insurance - the best companies follow these 9 guidelines
It may seem obvious, but veterinarians want to help cats and dogs get the best medical care possible. They don’t want treatments denied because pet owners can’t afford them, or provide less optimal medical care because the best treatment is too expensive. So it should come as no surprise that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) supports medical insurance for pets:
"The AVMA endorses the concept of pet health insurance that provides coverage to help defray the cost of veterinary medical care.”
According to the AVMA, medical insurance for pets is a good investment if it complies with their 9 guidelines. To help you find the best medical insurance for your cats and dogs, make sure the companies you’re considering can answer “yes” to the following questions based on the AVMA’s 9 guidelines:
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you support the relationship between pet owners and veterinarians?
- Do you collect medical records in a way that reduces strain on others?
- Do you foster communication between pet owners and veterinarians?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you cover all areas of the country?
- Are you allowed to visit any veterinarian you choose?
- Am I eligible for reimbursement if I go to a specialist or emergency hospital?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you allow my veterinarian provide the care and treatments he or she recommends?
- Will you accept my veterinarian’s advice and not request less effective procedures just because they are cheaper?
- Will you reimburse based on the actual cost of the procedures and not on what the procedure “should cost?”
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you work side-by-side with insurance regulators to offer insurance in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico?
- Are your prices fair and reasonable?
- Is your policy proven to cover all unexpected injuries and illnesses?
- Do you make your policy exclusions easy to find and understand?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you support the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics and live up to the pet health insurance industry’s ethical standards?
- Do you have a mission other than making a profit?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you use claims specialists that have worked in the veterinary field?
- Do your claim specialists understand pet medical terminology, or will my veterinarian need to call in and explain my claims?
- Do your claim specialists have any experience in a hospital environment or have veterinary credentials?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Are you clear about what you do not cover?
- Do industry experts refine your pricing structure periodically?
- Can I call you any time (mid-day or midnight) to ask questions? Is the number toll free?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you offer a sample policy so I can see for myself how transparent and reliable the coverage is?
- Do you have educational information to explain how your deductible works?
- Do you give a transparent and clear look into your claims process?
Questions to ask your pet insurance company:
- Do you have a system of checks and balances in place to help process claims in a way that is detailed and transparent?
Simply put, when a pet medical insurance policy passes these tests, it gives cats and dogs the best chance at a happy and healthy life. When it comes to Trupanion’s policy, we can confidently answer “yes” to every single one of these questions.
Veterinarians work alongside Trupanion to help keep pets happy and healthy
Veterinarians know a Trupanion policy can help your pet with unexpected injuries and illnesses. That’s why over 2,300 veterinary hospitals and over 10,000 veterinarians have partnered with Trupanion to offer Vet Direct Pay, so you don't have to be out of pocket for your entire bill.
We are honored that so many veterinarians support our mission to help cats and dogs receive the best veterinary care. In fact, the majority of our members enroll their pet in a Trupanion policy after their vet recommended insurance. Hear from some of our members who are glad they took their veterinarian's advice:

“I adopted Zeus when he was 8 months old. I was a veterinary technician working in a veterinary clinic and everyone recommended Trupanion. Zeus is now 9 years old and has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. All of his blood testing and medications are covered for life. Recently, a mild limp after a run turned into partial paralysis in all four legs. We rushed him to a specialty center where he had an MRI, a CT scan, a spinal tap, ultrasound, and endless X-rays. I could never have afforded that kind of care without our insurance. He just started regular acupuncture treatments and rehab therapy, and I have peace of mind knowing that I can afford to give him the care he needs for as long as he needs it.”

“We have three fur-babies in the family and quickly found ourselves looking for a good veterinarian. We chose Dr. Thurmond of The WellPet Center. It was upon his advice that we decided on Trupanion for pet insurance. Having never used pet insurance before, I was not completely sold on it. He assured us Trupanion had a really great program and it would be a worthwhile investment in our pets’ long-term health. It seemed that overnight our little guy went from happy-go-lucky to fighting for his life. It also seemed that the bills started to mount. Dealing with Trupanion was simple. They were a helpful extension of the great care I had already been provided. Because The WellPet Center handled the paperwork after I opened the claim, it was all very seamless. We knew we were covered. Had it not been for Trupanion, we may have had to make a very hard decision regarding TeddyBear’s care. Thankfully that was a conversation we did not need to have, and this face still greets us every morning.”

“I’ve given bad news to hundreds of people over my career as a veterinarian. But no training could prepare me for the heart-crushing news I had to deliver to myself. That little bump on my 6-year-old Labrador’s leg was cancer. In an instant I was faced with the unbearable weight of financial uncertainty. The small piece of hope I had was Trupanion. I was uneasy as I thought for sure there would be some loophole. However, within 48 hours her treatment was approved without question. All I could do was think, “thank you Trupanion for making her treatment possible.”

“When we adopted Truman as a puppy he seemed like a robust, healthy dog. I understood that chows have certain health issues and thought I would probably get him health insurance. My veterinarian, Dr. Lauralyn Brown of Lauralyn J. Brown Vet Hospital, recommended insurance, and I chose Trupanion. His first hip replacement went beautifully. He was up and moving very quickly. He recently finished his second surgery and his checkup went off without a hitch. I can’t say enough about Trupanion. They were professional and helpful on the phone. The claims are processed quickly and reimbursement checks are in the mail just as fast. I have not had to argue a claim or had any claim denied.”

"The day we got Barney we immediately took him to our veterinarian. Dr. Cooper recommended we take out pet insurance. We went with Trupanion on that first visit. We had researched pet insurance in the past for our previous Scotty, and previously determined it was basically useless, but we trusted Dr. Cooper’s recommendation and signed Barney up. As it turned out, poor little Barney had stomach problems from the beginning, and a biopsy finally revealed he had Inflammatory Bowel Disease, a chronic condition that requires constant, comprehensive, and very expensive care. We wind up at Dr. Cooper’s office about once a month and Trupanion has been absolutely amazing, reimbursing me for every veterinary visit, test and treatment quickly and hassle-free. Dr. Cooper’s office files every claim on our behalf and I receive an email to let me know Trupanion is working on our reimbursement. If they have questions, they let me know and contact Dr. Cooper directly. Once the claim is approved, I get an email updating me that a check is on its way. I am convinced that any other company would have cancelled us by now.”

“I had a wonderful client advocate at Newport Harbor Animal Hospital introduce me to Trupanion. Initially, I thought, “jeez, I am on social security—how am I going to afford monthly premiums?” Turns out, what I couldn’t afford was not signing up! Mercy has had multiple ailments over the years. The most recent was for a cruciate repair surgery. I was handed a $3,800 estimate, and was able to provide the care Mercy needs only because Trupanion has been there for us at every turn. I’m writing this to put the word out about the importance of pet medical insurance. But even more so, a company that will not let you down. That is Trupanion!”

"We excitedly waited for the day we could bring our Westie puppy home. Lily was eight weeks old and a bundle of furry joy! The next day at our first puppy visit to Dynamite Animal Hospital, the wonderful staff presented us with a pamphlet to apply for a 30 day certificate with Trupanion. We went home with our healthy puppy and applied for the coverage, never thinking we’d need it. On Lily’s sixth day with us, she developed diarrhea and vomiting, which led Dr. Smith to diagnose her with a parvovirus infection. For the next six days, our little puppy battled this devastating virus. She required ICU care, isolation, IV hydration and numerous medications to treat her. We were heartbroken and stressed watching her go through this. We took her home on the seventh day and continued to nurse her back to health. Trupanion was there for us throughout the entire ordeal. The veterinary hospital sent all the medical invoices to Trupanion and we received notice that coverage was in effect—we were reimbursed per their policy within a few days. Just amazing! We had researched pet medical insurance with several companies, but after our extraordinary experience with Trupanion we decided to continue our insurance with them. Trupanion is a high-principled company, one that genuinely cares for its clients, and provides exemplary service."

“I am a registered animal health technician, so I see every day the good that comes from having pet health insurance – and the bad when one doesn’t have it. It has been a Godsend for Joey! Joey was quite healthy until August. Initial bloodwork was inconclusive. Joey spent a week in the hospital on I.V. fluids while we ran almost every test in the book. Finally the consensus was to treat it as atypical IMHA (immune mediated hemolytic anemia). The bills are continuous, and without Trupanion I don’t think Joey would be here. I can’t say enough as a veterinary professional and as a pet owner (all of my pets are covered with insurance) about the peace of mind Trupanion gives when there is a question about whether to go to the veterinarian or not. Any doubts are quickly erased because we know we are covered. Thank you, Trupanion for helping keep our Joey alive.”

“I was incredibly skeptical of pet insurance because of all the stories and reviews I’d read online. Our veterinarian was promoting pet insurance. He had so many great things to say about it that I decided to enroll with Trupanion. In March, my cat Boo started having serious difficulty walking and would cry. I was panicked. Her situation called for a lot of veterinary visits. I can’t tell you how awesome Trupanion was during this scary ordeal. They were so helpful when I had to admit my girl to a neurologist and even got me a pre-approval. Boo had so many tests, an MRI, and even a spinal tap. Her bills piled up! Normally, I would have been stressed out trying to figure out how to pay this back on my credit card. With Trupanion, I didn’t even worry.”