Our Pet Insurance Community

My name is Dale!

Meet Dale the Dachshund!

Hey my name is Dale! I’m one year old now.

I just love to dance and stand on my hind legs and play with squeaking toys. My owner sure does love me and my toys and my dancing!

Want to see your pet in our blog? Nominate your pet to be Pet of the Week!

September is National Pet Health Insurance Month

Pet insurance company Trupanion celebrates National Pet Health Insurance Month by taking a look back.

(PRWEB) September 7, 2010 — September is National Pet Health Insurance Month and Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance company, is celebrating by taking a look at the most expensive and interesting pet health insurance claims in the past twelve months.

Most Expensive Claims

Rampage, a Cane Corso dog received treatment for bilateral shoulder osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), a condition in which the cartilage becomes detached from the bones at joint locations. The pet insurance claim amount was $4,860.01. Trupanion repaid $4,176.94.

Rufus the Pug needed treatment for esophageal stricture. This condition occurs when the esophagus narrows and the animal has difficulty swallowing. Symptoms may also include lack of appetite, weight loss, wheezing sounds, excessive drooling, regurgitation, and crying while trying to swallow. Pet insurance claim amount totaled $14,175.22. Trupanion repaid $12,533.31.

But Georgie takes the cake. Georgie, a young Labradoodle waged a battle with liver disease and jejunal intussusceptions. Treatment for these conditions included monitoring, medications, IV fluids, anesthesia and surgery. The total pet insurance claim amount equaled $17,404.15. After the deductible, exam fees, and 10% co-pay, Trupanion repaid $15,129.67.

Most Bizarre Claims

Princess, a Cocker Spaniel, had an unfortunate run-in with a rattlesnake. The poor girl was very disoriented, panting rapidly, and on the verge of paralysis when admitted to the veterinary hospital. She went into critical care and needed various fluids, medications, and blood work. The total pet insurance claim amount was $9,234.15. Trupanion paid $8,224.80.

Two similar claims came in the same week for the same policyholder. The family owns two Golden Retrievers that are over 7 years old. Both dogs tore their ACLs and needed surgery in the same week.

Clementine tore her left cranial cruciate ligament and Winston tore his right cranial cruciate ligament. The total amount for both claims equaled $8,319.92. Trupanion repaid $7,280.92.

Sniper, a Miniature Schnauzer, found his way to some chicken bones and got pieces stuck in his esophagus, requiring emergency surgery. The total pet insurance claim amount was $6,825.16. Trupanion paid $5,558.54.

“As we look back over this year, we really feel proud of the benefits we have provided to our policyholders,” said Darryl Rawlings, Chief Executive Officer at Trupanion. “For every one of the expensive or bizarre claims we receive, we pay out hundreds of claims for everyday accidents and illnesses we all know can occur. It’s a good feeling to know that we have helped so many pets.”

National Pet Health Insurance Month has also inspired The North American Pet Health Insurance Association, of which Trupanion is a founding member, to host a contest for North America’s Favorite Pet Insurance Story. During the month of September, pet owners are encouraged to send in stories and photographs that represent their pet insurance experience. The winner will take home $1,000, and a $500 donation will be made in the name of their dog or cat to their favorite local shelter or rescue group. The runner up will receive Apple iPads.

To participate in this contest, submit your story on NAPHIA’s website, www.naphia.org.

About Trupanion™
Trupanion™ pet insurance offers cat insurance and dog insurance in the United States and Canada. Trupanion™ is self-underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company, allowing Trupanion™ to offer 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. Trupanion’s mission is to deliver fast, simple and user-friendly financial support to pet owners. For more information about Trupanion™, call 800-569-7913 or visit http://www.TrupanionPetInsurance.com.

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association
Trupanion™ is a founding member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).  Founded in 2007, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is committed to educating and promoting the values and benefits of quality pet health insurance to North American pet owners, the general public, and the veterinary community.  As an association, we are committed to high standards and transparency in all of our actions and products.  To learn more, visit the North American Pet Health Insurance Association website at http://www.naphia.org.

Louis is a Yorkie puppy who recently experienced a head injury that also affected his spinal cord (poor guy!).

It’s not stated how the injury occurred, but he had to get X-rays, a transfusion and care and spend many days in the vet hospital.

Pet insurance claim amount: $5,865.54
Deductible applied: -$0.00
Exam fees: -$90.00
10% co-pay: -$577.55
Trupanion repaid: $5,197.99

Our pet insurance covers the costs of unexpected accidents like these with no payout limits, so you can be comfortable knowing that your pet can get the best treatment in case of an accident.

Posing with the 'Run Like a Dog' mascot!

Here at Trupanion, we really enjoy getting out into the community with our pets. A couple weeks ago we attended the City Dog Muttmixer, put on by City Dog Magazine. And last week we participated in the 5th Annual Run Like A Dog Event, benefiting the Thurston County Humane Society.  

There were over 350 participants in the 5k race and even more who participted in the 5k fun run/walk with their dogs. Everyone had a great time for a great cause! Last year this event raised over $10,000 for the Thurston County Humane Society. The final tally for this year is still being calculated.

Do you have a pet event you would like us to participate in? Leave a comment and let us know. We are up for almost anything!

As summer is wrapping up and we welcome the fall season, we  would like to wish you, your cats, dogs, and all of your other pets a great Labor Day weekend! May you have a fun, safe, and relaxing time with your family, friends, and pets as you enjoy one of the last weekends to jump in the pool, head to the beach, or BBQ!

What are your plans for the long weekend? Leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

If you have any questions about pet insurance in general, our policy, or you want to enroll your pet, we will be here all weekend to answer your calls, as we are available 24/7!

*Photo courtesy of RitmoBoxerDesigns

10/10 Woof!
I had been considering Trupanion for months but, it got put on the back burner. Until I needed to take my puppy to the vet and the first thing they asked was if I had insurance. $300 later, I was wishing I did have it! I did some research, made Trupanion a friend on Facebook and found a link through Dogster where I could get my first 2 months for free. Enough said….I signed up! I hope I don’t need the insurance but, since my puppy just turned 1 year old, I am thinking it will be great to have the coverage for many years to come.
-Terri B.

Consumer Reports reviews pet insurance industry.

This is the second in a series of posts on a recent Consumer Reports review of the pet insurance industry. Click to read the first post and second post in the series.

On Friday, August 13, Consumer Reports released a review of the pet insurance industry, comparing  nine policies from four companies, including Trupanion. We are happy to say that Trupanion was named as the most cost-effective pet insurance company, mirroring what Consumer Reports is looking for in a preferred plan. In previous posts we explained a few of the points made about Trupanion. Today, I want to expand on some of the points made about our competition.

First, the report states that the “ASPCA limits coverage to “reasonable costs” based on veterinary pricing in the area in which the fee was incurred.”

‘Reasonable costs’ are common in the pet insurance industry. This basically means that a pet insurance company will only pay what they think is a ‘reasonable’ charge for your claim, not the actual amount your veterinarian charged. For example, if your veterinarian charged you $1,000 for a surgery, but your insurance company feels that the charge should have been $500, you would only be reimbursed $500.  Trupanion does not believe in these conditions. We do not impose ‘reasonable costs’. We pay 90% of the actual veterinary bill for costs arising from injury or illness, less the veterinary exam fee and deductible, if selected.

Next, the report states that “VPI posts a long schedule on its website outlining the maximum payouts for each illness or injury.” This is also fairly common in the industry. This means that if your pet has a chronic problem, like diabetes, you will only be reimbursed up to a certain amount for that particular illness. So any claim you submit after that maximum payout limit will not be reimbursed. The Trupanion plan has no payout limit over the life of the pet and no limits per year, claim, illness, procedure, or condition.

Finally, the report states that “VPI has its own long list of excluded conditions,” but the report does not list out those exclusions. It is important to be aware of all exclusions in your plan, because your plan may exclude an illness or injury that is common in your pet breed. Important VPI exclusions to be aware of include congenital disorders, hereditary disorders, musculoskeletal disorders in the first 12 months (including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, aseptic necrosis, and cervical vertebral instability), two urinary tract disorders in the first 12 months, age-related ocular disorders, two endocrine disorders in the first 12 months, ACL damage in the first 12 months, collapsed trachea in the first 12 months, and histiocytosis in the first 12 months.

Trupanion, in comparison, does not exclude congenital or hereditary disorders, and the only exclusions in our plan are pre-existing conditions and hip displaysia (for which we offer optional coverage for dogs and cats enrolled before their 1st birthday).

See a full comparison of Trupanion and our competitors on our Comparison Chart. And read the full Consumer Reports review to see all they had to say about the pet insurance industry.

I recently read this great article about different dog breeds and what owning one says about its owner.

The article suggests things such as men who own Golden Retrievers are drama-free and possibly ready to settle down. It also mentions that men who own Beagles are considered the “all-American” male.

Read the rest of the article to see what else they have to say and find out what it says about you/your man!

Ladies, this one is for you! Enjoy!

A recent article by CBS highlights the dangers of driving while distracted by pets.

We all know that driving while distracted by anything else (cell phones, applying makeup, eating) isn’t a good idea, and driving with a pet on your lap or an unsecured pet can be just as dangerous.

Some ideas to lower your risks:

• Restrain your pet: think barriers. Consider installing a barrier in your car so that your pet can’t climb about and into the front seat. According to the article, only 17 percent of people restrain their dog while driving.
• Pet seat belts. Be sure that the harness is properly adjusted and fitted to your pet’s body and run the seat belt through the back of the harness so that your pet is sitting in the car seat just like a human would. This is also much safer for your pet in the case of a car accident.
• Put your pet in a carrier or booster seat.

It’s important to practice road safety when driving around with your pet, not only for your sake but for the safety of your beloved furry friend!