Embrace vs Trupanion Pet Insurance Comparison 2024: Pros, Cons & Verdict

Not every pet owner considers investing in pet insurance, but it can be effective when your pets have health issues. Trupanion and Embrace are among the most popular pet insurance companies, but do they provide the right options for you and your pet’s needs?

The most significant difference between the two is that Embrace allows a fair amount of customization in its plans, and Trupanion only offers one plan. There are also several differences in what each company covers — for example, Trupanion includes prescription costs and Embrace does not.

Here, we compare these two companies and cover the similarities and differences between the kinds of plans that they offer, what types of pets are covered, and how the deductibles and reimbursements work. We hope that this will help you to determine which is the right company to sign up with, so you can care for your pets without financial burden.

Embrace started in 2006 and has since grown to one of the largest and most popular pet insurance companies. It’s given over half a million dollars to charities and 100% matches its employees’ donations.

It offers different plans for dogs and cats that can be customized for your pet’s needs. You’ll receive coverage within 2 days for accidents and 14 days for illness, but it doesn’t cover wellness plans or prescriptions unless you pay extra.

When you opt for the wellness plan, it covers everything from annual exam fees and vaccinations to spaying and neutering, microchipping, grooming, and prescription food diet. But the Wellness Awards can only be purchased alongside an insurance policy.

You submit your claims through the website or a mobile app, which are processed depending on the claim. For illness or accident, they might take as long as 10 to 15 business days, and wellness claims take about 5 business days. There’s also a waiting period of 6 months for orthopedic coverage.

Trupanion was started in 2000 and is one of the fastest-growing pet insurance companies. It continues to grow and is expected to enter the global market within the next few years in Western Europe, South America, and Asia.

Trupanion has vet direct pay, which gives you the convenience of having the fees paid directly to participating clinics. This means you don’t have to pay and wait for the claim to go through, and there’s no paperwork to worry about. Trupanion covers 90% of the fees and doesn’t put any limits on the amount. It also doesn’t raise the rates as your pet ages.

It covers illnesses, accidents, dental issues, and congenital and hereditary conditions. This includes emergencies, behavioral therapy, prescriptions, clinic stay, and any necessary mobility aids. However, Trupanion doesn’t cover preventative care, spaying and neutering, and doesn’t offer a wellness plan.

If you can’t take advantage of the vet direct pay option, you’re looking at reimbursement within 2 days, but it could take longer. Claims are made with an online form, by sending an email with a claim form, or through fax or snail mail.

Other Top Rated Pet Insurance Companies

Embrace vs. Trupanion: Plans Available

Embrace

Embrace offers customizable plans with five deductibles, five annual limits, and three reimbursement amounts to choose from. Only dogs and cats under 15 years of age are eligible, but any pets older than 15 can enroll in an accident-only plan. Things like the Wellness Plan are additional expenses.

Trupanion

Trupanion only offers one comprehensive plan that covers illness, accidents, and congenital and hereditary conditions. This includes any surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, diagnostics, orthotic devices, and other fees. It does not cover any exam fees or sales tax.

Embrace vs. Trupanion: Reimbursements and Deductibles

Embrace

Embrace’s reimbursement for the accident/illness plan gives you 70%, 80%, or 90% of the veterinary fees. The accident-only plan offers 90%.

Deductibles range from $200 to $1,000 annually for the accident/illness plan, whereas the accident-only plan has an annual deductible of $100. However, for every year that no claim is filed, the deductible is reduced by $50 until it reaches $0. When you do file a claim, the reduced deductible is applied and will reset to the original amount the next year.

Trupanion

Trupanion’s reimbursement is only for 90%, as well as unlimited lifetime and annual benefits. The deductible can be $0 to $1,000, but the lower the deductible, the more the premium. It also goes by a deductible based on the condition of the pet rather than an annual deductible.

This means if your pet has two unrelated health conditions, you’ll need to pay two deductibles. However, this could actually work if your pet has a chronic illness, as you only need to meet the deductible one time for that condition. So, for a health issue that will last for years, this could be an advantage.

Embrace vs. Trupanion: Additional Perks

Embrace

Embrace offers a 10% discount if you own two or more pets and a 5% military discount if you or someone in your household is an active or former member of the Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, or Air Force. It also covers travel with your pet outside of the U.S.

The Wellness Plan is almost a perk too because many insurance companies don’t provide this kind of coverage, but it does add up financially.

Trupanion

One of Trupanion’s best features is the vet direct pay (provided that your vet subscribes to it), as you don’t have to worry about paying the bill out of pocket. It also provides 90% reimbursement without any payout limits, and there are no limits on any claims.

Company Verdict: Which One Has the Edge?

Customer Service📞

Edge: Trupanion

Both Embrace and Trupanion have excellent customer service, with mostly positive reviews online. However, Trupanion edges out Embrace for the fact that it’s reachable 24/7 by phone for assistance. Embrace follows more traditional hours of Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Price of Plans💲

Edge: Embrace

How much you pay depends on various factors, such as where you live, your deductible, your pet’s age, and breed (and dogs tend to be more expensive than cats). The cost depends on the deductible and animal, but Trupanion is probably the better option for those looking for higher payouts and for pets with chronic conditions. Embrace is best for preventative care, tends to be less expensive, and is more customizable.

Areas of Coverage🌐

Edge: Embrace

Trupanion and Embrace both offer great coverage with their respective illness and accident plans, but Embrace edges out Trupanion for its Wellness Plan. It covers exam fees as long as you opt into it, as well as other, more basic pet care.

Perks📱

Edge: Trupanion

This is a tough choice because both companies have strong perks. However, we gave it to Trupanion for the fact that it has the convenient vet direct pay option and there aren’t any claim limits.

Final Thoughts

	Embrace	Trupanion
Our Rating	Our Rating:	Our Rating:
Multi-Pet Discount	Multi-Pet Discount:	Multi-Pet Discount:
Dental Options	Dental Options:	Dental Options:
Spaying/Neutering	Spaying/Neutering:	Spaying/Neutering:
Alternative Therapies	Alternative Therapies:	Alternative Therapies:
	Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes

Both Embrace and Trupanion offer pet insurance that is affordable and provides excellent coverage for many health conditions. Trupanion is a great option for those who can’t pay hefty vet bills out of pocket after a stint at the veterinary clinic. It is also particularly great for people who need to take their pet to the veterinarian to treat chronic conditions.

That said, Embrace is recommended as the overall best pick between the two for the customizable plan option and because it offers a discount for multiple pets. Its Wellness Plan and affordable fees give this company the edge and might prove to be the best option for many pet owners.

• See also: 10 Best Insurance Providers for Cats – Reviews & Comparisons