Trupanion
Trupanion's stated plan terms, checked October 22, 2026. Facts only: no rating, ranking, or price.
- Accident and illness
- Optional riders
- Dogs
- Cats
- No separate condition waiting periods
- 30 day illness wait
- 30 day post-enrollment window for knees, hips, and spine in sample
- Enroll before the 14th birthday
- Exam fees not covered
- Routine care not covered
- VetDirect Pay at participating hospitals
- 12 months to file a claim
The stated facts
| Company and underwriter, as the company states it | Trupanion. Its 2019 sample policy (form TRU (D) 00001 V10.201902) says US policies are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company of Seattle; check your declarations page for the insurer on your own policy. |
|---|---|
| Species covered | Dogs, Cats |
| Plan types offered | Accident and illness medical plan; Optional riders |
| Accident waiting period, as stated | 5 days for injuries, per Trupanion's coverage start FAQ. The 2019 sample policy treats injuries in the first 5 days after enrollment as pre-existing. |
| Illness waiting period, as stated | 30 days for illnesses, per the FAQ. The 2019 sample deems illnesses that occur or recur through day 30 after enrollment to be pre-existing. |
| Orthopedic, cruciate, and other special waiting periods | No condition-specific waiting periods, per the FAQ. The 2019 sample instead excludes cruciate disease, luxating patella, and hip dysplasia, and IVDD, if signs appear before enrollment or in the first 30 days after it. |
| Eligibility, as the company states it | Dogs and cats. Trupanion's FAQ says a pet can be enrolled any time before its 14th birthday and then keeps cover for life; its puppy page says puppies can be enrolled from birth. |
| Deductible, reimbursement, and limit options, as stated | One medical plan with no annual payout limit advertised; the payout percentage and deductible you select are on the declarations page. Optional riders can be added to the core policy. |
| Wellness or preventive option | None. Trupanion's FAQ says it has made a deliberate choice not to cover wellness and preventive care or exam fees, and its 2019 sample excludes routine or preventive care. |
| Pre-existing condition rule, as stated | The 2019 sample looks back 18 months: illnesses or injuries with signs, treatment, or medication in the 18 months before enrollment, or through the waiting periods, are excluded, even if a vet never wrote them down but they would have been observable. |
No knee wait, but a 30 day exclusion window
Trupanion's FAQ says it does not use different waiting periods for specific conditions or pet ages: 5 days for injuries, 30 days for illnesses. The 2019 sample policy puts the orthopedic rules in its pre-existing section instead. Cruciate disease or tears, luxating patella, elbow dysplasia, and several eye conditions are excluded if signs appeared on either side of the pet in the 18 months before enrollment or in the first 30 days after it. Hip dysplasia is excluded if there was any sign before enrollment or in those 30 days.
Spines get their own line. IVDD is excluded if there was any sign of it in any part of the spine before enrollment or within 30 days after. For a Dachshund with one past neck episode, that wording reaches the whole back, not just the disc that was treated.
Eighteen months of history count
The 2019 form's look-back is 18 months, and it reaches signs that would have been observable or reasonably known even if they never appear in the vet record. It also excludes conditions masked by medication in that period. An owner of a Bulldog with past skin or breathing issues should expect those 18 months to be read closely, and should ask Trupanion whether the current form for their state keeps the same period.
Exam fees and taxes are outside the policy
Examinations are listed in the sample among costs Trupanion does not cover at any time, alongside taxes and administrative charges. The puppy page and the FAQ on what Trupanion covers say the same. For a breed that needs frequent diagnostic visits, the exam charge on each one stays with the owner, while the tests and treatment can be claimed.
Before the 14th birthday
The oldest-age FAQ says a pet can be enrolled any time before its 14th birthday and keeps cover after that. The puppy page says puppies can be enrolled from birth and that rates do not rise just because a pet has a birthday. Ask how rates can change at renewal for other reasons.
Paying the hospital at checkout
Trupanion's claim pages describe VetDirect Pay: at hospitals that use its software, Trupanion's share of the bill is often paid directly to the vet at checkout, so the owner pays only their portion. Elsewhere, owners file online or with a claim form and itemized invoice. The claim form FAQ allows a full 12 months from the date of service. Ask your own vet whether the hospital is set up for VetDirect Pay before a planned surgery.