Trupanion vs Embrace

Are high vet bills eating away at your budget?

One of the best ways to save money is choosing a suitable pet insurance provider. Two of the biggest pet insurance companies are Trupanion and Embrace. But which one offers the best terms?

We’ve done a side-by-side review of their waiting periods, costs, deductibles, and more. In our Trupanion vs Embrace comparison, you’ll also find valuable information about what’s excluded in the insurance companies’ policies.

Keep reading to find out which insurer offers the best coverage for your pet.

Embrace vs Trupanion: Pet Insurance Comparison

Your pet’s health and well-being are your main priority as a pawrent, so it’s important to understand how pet insurance works and to choose a policy that will benefit them.

Trupanion and Embrace are both excellent service providers, but they have differences that may prompt you to choose one over the other. So, take a look at the comparison below.

Waiting periods

The waiting period is the duration a policyholder must wait before all or some of their coverage comes into effect. The Embrace waiting period is two days for accidents, 14 days for illness, and six months for orthopedic issues such as hip dysplasia and luxating patellas.

On the other hand, the Trupanion waiting period is longer – five days for accidents and 30 days for illnesses. This could be an issue if you need immediate coverage. However, for orthopedic issues such as hip dysplasia or CCL surgery, you only have to wait 30 days.

Cost

Factors that affect the cost of your insurance policy are your pet’s age, gender, and species. Like most policies, the Embrace pet insurance cost will differ for cats and dogs. For cats, you can expect to pay $15 to $20 per month. And for dogs, you can pay between $30 and $40 per month.

The Trupanion pet insurance cost is based on your pet’s breed, gender, and age at enrollment, as well as your location.  For example, your Persian cat may have a different cost to a five-year-old golden retriever.

The monthly payments also depend on your deductible. You can get a personalized quote on the Trupanion website when you provide all your pet’s details.

Deductible

Embrace subtracts your deductible first before your co-payment. The rate is customizable and depends on your pet’s age. The available options are: $100, $250, $500, $750, and $1,000.

What’s more, Embrace’s annual deductible is diminishing, and it can go down by $50 each year you don’t claim. This feature is included in all Embrace policies at no extra cost.

Trupanion doesn’t offer such diminishing deductibles. Furthermore, the company doesn’t have an annual deductible. It states that it’s against making clients pay multiple times for conditions that are diagnosed once.

Trupanion has a lifetime per-incident deductible every time you visit the vet for new conditions. You can pick a rate, with options ranging from $0 to $1,000. Once your deductible is paid, your policy will begin paying out 90% for anything related to the new condition for the rest of your pet’s life.

Annual limit

Embrace offers five different annual limits with a maximum limit of $30,000, which could cause a spike in monthly premiums. The insurance company also doesn’t offer any lifetime limits. This may be a drawback to policyholders that want more coverage. While a lifetime limit is the most expensive type of coverage, it also offers the most comprehensive protection.

Trupanion offers unlimited payouts for every pet, whether you have a cat or a dog. This could help pet owners cover the most expensive vet bills as there is no limit to what can be covered.

Exclusions

The Embrace coverage excludes pre-existing cancer or pets older than 14 years. With that being said, pets that are 15 years and older are only eligible for an accident-only policy. Other limitations are:

• Deliberate injury caused by you or persons in your home
• Pregnancy, breeding or whelping
• Stem cell therapy
• Nuclear war
• Avian Flu
• Cosmetic procedures such as declawing, ear modifications, or tail docking
• Injury or illness from racing, cruelty, neglect, or fighting
• DNA cloning or testing

Trupanion has distinct illnesses that they won’t cover your pet for. Similar to many pet insurance policies, Trupanion won’t offer any coverage for pre-existing conditions. The insurance company also doesn’t cover you for routine care such as:

• Flea and tick medication
• Annual check-ups
• Vaccines
• Teeth Cleaning
• Spray or neuter

Wellness plan

Pet owners may choose one insurance policy over another if they offer wellness plans. The Embrace wellness plan reimburses you for extras such as training, grooming, and routine vet visits. You also have the opportunity to earn Embrace wellness rewards every time you opt for preventative pet care, which helps you save money.

Unfortunately, Trupanion doesn’t have a wellness plan for routine pet care such as grooming or dental care. The company only offers more expensive pet care plans such as accidents and illnesses.

BBB rating

The Better Business Bureau gives you an opinion about a company based on its services to the public.

Embrace has a BBB rating of A+ and has been an accredited service provider since 2006. On the other hand, Trupanion also has a BBB rating of A+ but has been an accredited service provider since 2008.

Mobile app

For pet owners who don’t own laptops and computers, a mobile app will be convenient to manage their policies. Fortunately, Embrace pet insurance has a mobile app for iOS and Android users where you can complete the following tasks:

• Check your claim status
• Add pets to coverage
• Change your coverage
• Submit claims
• Chat to customer care
• View and download policy documents

Trupanion also has a mobile app for iOS and Android users. With the app, you can complete the following tasks:

• Access your account
• Submit and view the status of your claims
• View your account details
• Earn rewards for referring your friends

Support

Both Embrace and Trupanion offer support for policyholders. Embrace has a contact center you can phone during its office hours: between 9 am and 8 pm Mondays to Fridays. You can also contact the company through Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn or send it an email. The Embrace pet insurance website also has an FAQ section where you can find answers to common policy questions.

Trupanion is open 24/7, and you can contact its support team through a toll-free number or via email. They also have an online chat feature you can use at any time for quick answers.

How much time does it take to process claims?

You may want to choose a pet insurance policy that processes claims quickly so that it doesn’t affect you financially after paying a vet bill.

To claim from Embrace, you’ll need to submit 12 months’ worth of vet records to the company. Accident or illness claims can take 10 to 15 days to process, with a three-day waiting period on reimbursements. However, reimbursements can take up to five days for wellness plan holders.

Trupanion pet insurance allows you to submit claims but will need 18 months of medical records. It can take up to 24 hours to process your claim, and it can be paid directly into your account. This is convenient for pet owners that need access to funds quickly.

Final Verdict

As you can see in our Embrace vs Trupanion pet insurance comparison, both service providers have pros and cons.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for pet insurance with a wellness plan, then Embrace may be suitable for you. You’ll get reimbursed for extra pet care for grooming or training.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for pet insurance with no annual limit and a shorter claims waiting period, then Trupanion is the service provider to go for.

Use this comparison review and explore other reliable options to choose the best pet insurance for your furry friend’s needs.