Pets Best and Trupanion are two of the largest pet insurance companies. While both offer accident and illness policies for cats and dogs, Pets Best also offers wellness plans and accident-only coverage. Compared to Trupanion, Pets Best is much more affordable, offering comprehensive and customizable coverage at a fair price. But Trupanion stands out for its smooth claims process.
The best pet insurance company for your furry friend depends on your pet’s health, coverage priorities, and budget. Comparing costs, coverage, customer satisfaction scores, and claims processes across a handful of insurers can help you find the best policy for your needs.[?]
Trupanion premiums are triple the cost of Pets Best rates when comparing quotes for the same pet and coverage options.
Both companies offer direct vet payments, but the process can be sluggish with Pets Best.
Pets Best has a mobile app and a 24/7 vet helpline — both of which aren’t offered by Trupanion.
Pets Best vs. Trupanion: The verdict
Pets Best may be the better choice for most pet owners since the company offers comprehensive coverage and customizable policies at an affordable price and has a 24/7 vet helpline.
If you’re looking for preventative care coverage or a budget-friendly accident-only plan, Pets Best is likely the better choice. Trupanion only offers an accident and illness policy.
Compared to Pets Best, Trupanion’s premiums are very high. The company doesn’t increase premiums due to your pet’s age, but customers say Trupanion hikes up premiums for other reasons.
But if budget isn’t a concern, and you want a stress-free claims process, Trupanion could fit the bill with its reputation for fast, easy claims and a wide network of vet partners that accept direct payment.
Pets Best vs. Trupanion
Pets Best
Trupanion
How Pets Best and Trupanion compare
When choosing a pet insurance policy for your dog or cat, it’s important to consider your pet’s health needs alongside the company’s coverage and exclusions. And you’ll need to choose a pet insurance company that offers policies that fit your financial situation. Here’s how Pets Best and Trupanion compare in several different categories.
Cost of pet insurance
Pets Best charges an average monthly premium of $22 for dog insurance and $13 for cat insurance, while the average monthly cost of a Trupanion policy ranges from $47 to $137 for dogs and $28 to $45 for cats.
Pets Best offers more options for customizing your policy, including three levels of coverage and a range of reimbursement options and annual limits, while Trupanion only lets you choose your deductible.
When comparing similar policy parameters and coverage options for a 2-year-old dog, the quote for a Trupanion policy was roughly triple Pets Best’s rate. But unlike Pets Best and many other insurers, Trupanion rates don’t increase due to age.
Unfortunately, Trupanion customers say their rates still increase due to the rising cost of care. Plus, Trupanion doesn’t offer discounts for multiple pets. So generally speaking, Pets Best likely has the best overall value for the price.
Coverages and plan features
Both companies offer a comprehensive accident and illness policy, including coverage for dental illness and hereditary and congenital conditions. The Pets Best Elite plan is affordable and includes coverage for exam fees and rehabilitative care, like chiropractic and acupuncture. But Trupanion doesn’t offer exam fee coverage, and its rehabilitation policy rider is pricey.
While Trupanion only offers accident and illness coverage, Pets Best also offers wellness plans that cover routine care along with an affordable accident-only policy.
Trupanion offers an accident and illness policy that reimburses 90% of eligible vet care costs with unlimited payouts, and you can choose your deductible. Trupanion’s deductibles are lifetime, per-condition deductibles, while Pets Best uses annual deductibles.
Pets Best also allows you to customize your reimbursement level and coverage limit, which helps you control your premium. And the company has better digital tools than Trupanion, like a highly rated mobile app and a 24/7 vet helpline.
The comparison chart below shows how common features differ between Pets Best and Trupanion.
Feature | Pets Best | Trupanion |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Direct vet pay | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 pet helpline | Yes | No |
| Online policy management | Yes | Yes |
| Live customer support | Yes | Yes |
| Accident-only coverage | Yes | No |
| Exam fee coverage | Yes | No |
| Multi-pet discount | Yes | No |
Policy exclusions
Accident and illness coverage from both Pets Best and Trupanion excludes the following conditions and treatments:
Parasites and other preventable conditions
Elective or cosmetic procedures, like tail docking or ear cropping
Trupanion also excludes coverage for vet exam fees, while Pets Best includes coverage for exam fees with most pet insurance plans. Pets Best doesn’t cover prescription food, herbal therapies, vitamins, or supplements. But Trupanion provides some coverage when your vet recommends those items.
Pets Best doesn’t have upper age limits, so senior dogs and cats are welcome to enroll. Trupanion, on the other hand, caps enrollment at age 14. But the company will continue to cover your pet for life as long as you enroll before your pet’s 14th birthday.
Claims process
Pets Best and Trupanion are two of a handful of pet insurance companies that offer direct vet payment. Most pet insurers require you to submit your invoice with a claim for reimbursement, so you need to cover vet costs in the meantime. Both insurers also allow you to use a traditional claims process for vets who don’t accept direct payment.
Trupanion stands out for offering a quick and easy claims process relative to Pets Best. A quick search using Trupanion’s veterinarian search tool in major cities reveals many options for vets that already accept VetDirect Pay. Even if your vet doesn’t accept direct payment, you can receive speedy reimbursement — Trupanion pays more than 70% of claims within 24 hours.
Many customers also report satisfaction with the Trupanion claims process on Trustpilot, whereas some Pets Best policyholders complain about slow reimbursement. To receive direct vet payment from Pets Best, your veterinarian needs to sign a release form in lieu of immediate payment, so it may not be an option at every vet office or emergency care clinic.
Customer reviews
Trupanion has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on nearly 9,000 customer reviews. Customers praise the direct payment option and the quick claims process, and comments about the customer support team are generally positive. But some customers complain about premium hikes and claim denials. Others find the per-condition deductibles to mean more out-of-pocket costs.[?]
Pets Best has a rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 5,500 customer reviews. Many customers cite the comprehensive coverage, affordable pricing, and excellent mobile app as reasons for their positive reviews. But some customers complain of slow claims processing, premium increases, or poor communication from the support team.[?]
Pets Best fares better than Trupanion with the Better Business Bureau. The company has an average rating of 3.11 out of 5 stars, while Trupanion’s average rating is 1.16 out of 5 stars.
Pets Best vs. Trupanion FAQs
If you still have questions about Pets Best and Trupanion, check out the additional information below as you research coverage options for your furry companion.
Is Pets Best better than Trupanion?
Pets Best is a better choice than Trupanion for most pet owners because it offers similar coverage at a much lower price, along with customizable policies and better digital tools. But pet parents looking for the easiest claims process may prefer Trupanion.
What are the main differences between Pets Best and Trupanion insurance?
Pricing is one key difference. Trupanion’s premiums are very high, especially when you add optional coverages, though the company doesn’t increase premiums due to your pet’s age. Trupanion’s deductibles are also per-condition, which may result in higher out-of-pocket costs in your pet’s early years. But Trupanion offers an easier claims process.
How hard is it to cancel Trupanion coverage?
To cancel your Trupanion policy, you must call the customer service team. But some former customers report that their customer service representative was pushy when they called to cancel.
Who owns Pets Best insurance?
Independence Pet Holdings acquired Pets Best in 2024. The company owns many other major pet insurance brands, including Embrace, Pumpkin, and Figo. IPH is part of JAB Holding Company, the third-largest pet insurer by market share.
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