Pet Insurance Q&A with Trupanion's Heather Reynolds

Banjo and Millie are very excited to introduce our readers to Trupanion's Heather Reynolds as our first guest blogger! Banjo and Millie have been considering pet insurance and wanted to know the ins and outs. We hope you find this Q&A by Heather about pet insurance (specifically, Trupanion) as informative as we have!

Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance company. Trupanion offers a simple, customizable pet insurance policy with no payout limits and 90% coverage of veterinary bills. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit. 

When I adopted my first dog in 2005 I didn’t know anything about pet insurance. Then she became seriously ill with a life-threatening liver condition and I started seeing thousands of dollars leave my bank account each month. Only then did I discover pet insurance (at which point it was basically too late).

I invested in pet insurance for my next two dogs the same week I adopted them. Those who didn’t know my history with veterinary bills were always a little skeptical of my decision. And now that I work for pet insurance company Trupanion, I get asked even more questions about how it works and why it’s beneficial. Obviously there are a lot of pet owners who need more information, so today I thought I would answer some of these common questions. At Trupanion, we really like to make things as simple as possible, but if there is something you are still confused about, please let me know.

Q: What is covered in a Trupanion pet insurance plan?
A: Trupanion covers veterinary costs that arise from a pet getting sick or injured. Your policy covers 90% of the actual cost your vet charges for diagnostic testing, treatments, surgeries, and medications less the exam fee.

Q: What is not covered?
A: Trupanion does not offer wellness coverage, including vaccinations, flea medications, and nail trims, because it doubles premiums without adding much additional value. Dental care and spay and neuter surgeries are also considered wellness procedures and are not covered.

Q: Do you cover all types of pets?
A: We only cover cats and dogs.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: Trupanion pays 90% of covered healthcare expenses for your pet, and you pay the remaining 10%, as well as your monthly premium, examination fees, and routine preventative care. Monthly premiums vary by breed, location, and any deductible you choose.

Q: What is a deductible?
A: A deductible is the amount of your veterinary bill for which you are responsible before Trupanion starts to cover your veterinary medical expenses. Once the deductible amount has been met for a specific condition, we will pay 90% of all future costs associated with that condition. You have the option of choosing any deductible from $0 up to $1,000.

Q: What does a pet insurance policy look like?
A: We include a sample policy on our website. This sample policy includes our agreement and any limitations and exclusions you may have concerns about.

Q: Will my premium increase over the years?
A: Our premiums do not increase due to a pet’s aging or because of any claims you may submit. Once enrolled, your premiums will be locked into the age category at the time of enrollment. However, premiums will increase over time based on inflation of veterinary medical costs.