Veterinarians recommend pet insurance - the best companies follow these 9 guidelines

“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 went with Trupanion for pet insurance. Having never used pet insurance before, I was not completely sold on the need for 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 Trupanion and I signed up. 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.”

“When we got our puppy, Hitch, our veterinarian at Pine Creek Veterinary Hospital suggested we purchase pet health insurance through Trupanion. Hitch contracted a canine papilloma virus, which is normally a minor inconvenience. This case was unlike any our veterinarian had seen before and severely disfigured our dog’s face, tongue and throat. Hitch’s treatment included a vaccine developed by Georgetown University, five surgeries scheduled five weeks apart, and immune boosting injections three times per week. Because we were insured with Trupanion, 90% of the cost was paid, which allowed us to accept the best treatment for him. We would have otherwise been forced to make some difficult decisions about the level of care he received. Quite frankly, our Trupanion policy saved his life.”

“Champ’s veterinarian, Dr. Donna Schwartz, at Coral Springs Animal Hospital recommended Trupanion to us. Trupanion initially labeled a claim preexisting due to Champ's medication. I was focused on how to pay for the surgery and I didn’t know what the outcome of our appeal would be. Dr. Schwartz wrote a letter explaining this could not be a preexisting condition—Champ could not survive two years with a mass on his liver. Trupanion reviewed the appeal and reversed their decision immediately. Trupanion covered 90% of everything after the deductible, including the ultrasound. You never know what can happen in life and if you love your pet like we love Champ, you need Trupanion in your corner. They went the extra mile to make sure things were done right.”

"The day we got Barney we immediately took him to our veterinarian. Dr. Cooper recommended we take out pet insurance 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!”

“When we adopted Chester in July, we hit the jackpot. One day we took him on a hike and later found a tick. At that point we thought a vet visit would be beneficial to make sure he was not affected. When the vet recommended Trupanion insurance, I thought, “why not?” and signed Chester up. Hours later, I received a call advising that Chester was heartworm positive. The staff warned that Trupanion may not cover the condition, but ensured they would do whatever they could to help. I hung up the phone and said, “There is no way they’ll cover his treatment. I’m sure it’ll be a pre-existing condition.” Moments later we received a phone call from Trupanion and we explained the entire situation. The kind representative was honest. She advised that she would have to look into Chester’s history and would let me know their decision. Our worries were taken away the next day when we received the call from Trupanion that Chester’s treatment would be covered. Chester has undergone multiple treatments and as of today we are overjoyed to say he is a healthy boy. There is no way to show our gratitude for the compassion, patience and financial assistance Trupanion provided.”

"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.”

“As an Animal Health Technician working in a veterinary clinic, when I adopted my kitten, Abner, enrolling him with Trupanion took place before I even booked his first vaccination appointment. Enrolling him so early in his life guaranteed me that Abner would have complete coverage for anything that could possibly happen to him. On one of Abner’s vaccine appointments, when he received the Rabies vaccine, we went home where Abner proceeded to react badly to the vaccine. Trupanion has continued to cover a series of incidents since that first year, and I know since I have Trupanion insurance I’m covered for 90% of Abner’s injuries and illnesses.”

“I was incredibly skeptical of pet insurance because of all the stories and reviews I’d read online. Our veterinarian was promoting Trupanion. He had so many great things to say about it that I decided to enroll. 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.”

“We brought Kali to Ingersoll Animal Hospital for her first checkup. As we were getting ready to leave, Dr. Peterson asked if we had taken advantage of Trupanion’s 30-day certificate. Over the next few days Kali seemed OK. When she started sneezing, we were concerned, but figured she picked up a cold. Then her breathing became labored. Kali had developed a severe case of pneumonia. She was monitored in an oxygen chamber overnight and given antibiotics to clear up her lungs. A few more days in the hospital and she was finally getting better. All of the tests and treatment gradually racked up. It was stressful to say the least. Thankfully, Trupanion paid 90% of the cost and we were able to save Kali’s life without going into debt.”