Purchasing a pet insurance policy is a financial decision that offers pet owners peace of mind knowing that in the event that their pet needs veterinary care, their policy will be there to provide financial protection.
Two increasingly popular pet insurance providers include Spot and Trupanion.
In this Spot vs. Trupanion comparison, we review each company’s coverage and costs to determine which is the best for pet owners.
In this comparison:
- Spot vs. Trupanion: At a glance
- Which offers better coverage?
- Which offers more affordable policies?
- Scenarios in which one provider is better than the other
- Our choice between the Spot and Trupanion
Spot vs. Trupanion: At a glance
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| Reimbursement | 70%, 80%, or 90% | 90% |
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement | |
| 70%, 80%, or 90% | 90% | |
| Benefit limit | $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited | Unlimited |
| Benefit limit | Benefit limit | |
| $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited | Unlimited | |
| Deductible | $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000 | $0 – $1,000 |
| Deductible | Deductible | |
| $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000 | $0 – $1,000 | |
| See the best pet insurance. | ||
Does Spot or Trupanion offer better coverage?
Spot and Trupanion each offer pet insurance policies for dogs and cats. While both companies offer an accident and illness policy, Spot is the only one that offers an accident-only and preventative care plan.
Since Trupanion only offers an accident and illness plan, the remainder of this section will focus on comparing this plan type. To do this, we reviewed a sample policy provided by both Spot and Trupanion to determine which company offered the more comprehensive coverage.
Our analysis concluded that Spot’s policy covered a broader range of items compared to Trupanion’s. While both policies covered the basics of accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, and chronic conditions, amongst other things, Spot went even further by also covering exam fees, microchipping, and behavioral issues.
The following table includes a list of conditions that are and are not covered by each company:
| Spot | Trupanion | |
| Accidents | Yes | Yes |
| Alternative therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Behavioral issues | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Boarding | No | No |
| Breeding | No | Optional add-on |
| Cancer treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Congenital conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Cosmetic procedures | Yes | No |
| Dental injury | Yes | Yes |
| End of life expenses | Yes | Yes |
| Exam fees | Yes | No |
| Experimental treatment | No | Unknown |
| Hereditary conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Illnesses | Yes | Yes |
| IV fluids and medications | Yes | Yes |
| Microchipping costs | Yes | No |
| MRI, CT scans, and X-rays | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-existing conditions | No | No |
| Prescription food | Yes* | 50% for up to two months |
| Prescription medication | Yes | Yes |
| Supplements | Yes* | Yes |
| Surgery and hospitalization | Yes | Yes |
| Tooth extraction | Yes | Yes (if vet recommended) |
* Only to treat covered conditions.
Are policies from Spot or Trupanion more affordable?
We compared the cost of Spot and Trupanion by submitting information through each company’s free online quote tool. To ensure a fair comparison, we reviewed four different quotes, each of which included the same policy term, benefit limit, reimbursement rate, and deductible.
In three of the four quotes, Trupanion was the more affordable option. On average, a Trupanion policy was 6.08% less expensive than a Spot policy.
Here is a full breakdown of the different quotes we received:
Quote one: Takka, a five-year-old female Weimaraner in Cornwall, Connecticut
The policy details for this quote included unlimited payouts, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a $500 deductible.
| Policy | Spot | Trupanion |
| Accident & illness | $105.25 | $99.78* |
| Accident-only | $41.46 | Not available |
| Wellness add-on | $9.95 or $24.95 | Not available |
*If you add the Recovery and Complementary Care package to match Spot’s behavioral issues coverage, the cost will be $112.49.
Quote two: Pudgy, eight-month-old male Plott Hound in Pound Ridge, New York
The policy details for this quote included unlimited payouts, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a $250 deductible.
| Policy | Spot | Trupanion |
| Accident & illness | $116.73 | $126.97* |
| Accident-only | $62.43 | Not available |
| Wellness add-on | $9.95 or $24.95 | Not available |
*If you add the Recovery and Complementary Care package to match Spot’s behavioral issues coverage, the cost will be $143.41.
Quote three: Francie, two-year-old female American Bobtail in Fargo, North Dakota
The policy details for this quote included unlimited payouts, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a $750 deductible.
| Policy | Spot | Trupanion |
| Accident & illness | $19.34 | $18.17* |
| Accident-only | $14.76 | Not available |
| Wellness add-on | $9.95 or $24.95 | Not available |
*If you add the Recovery and Complementary Care package to match Spot’s behavioral issues coverage, the cost will be $19.70.
Quote four: Madden, eight-year-old male Persian in Stamford, Connecticut
The policy details for this quote included unlimited payouts, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a $100 deductible.
| Policy | Spot | Trupanion |
| Accident & illness | $169.70 | $141.12* |
| Accident-only | $51.40 | Not available |
| Wellness add-on | $9.95 or $24.95 | Not available |
*If you add the Recovery and Complementary Care package to match Spot’s behavioral issues coverage, the cost will be $159.50.
Scenarios in which Spot or Trupanion are better than the other
Now that we’ve taken a look at the coverage and cost of a policy from each company, let’s see whether Spot or Trupanion would be the better option for pet owners in different situations.
- If you want exam fees to be covered
- If you want to be reimbursed for preventative care
- If you want an accident-only policy
- If you want to pay the vet directly
- If you want an annual deductible instead of per condition
- If you want a shorter waiting period
- If you have multiple pets
If you want exam fees to be covered: Spot
One thing that stood out in our comparison was exam fee reimbursement. With a policy from Spot, exam fees are covered if they are related to conditions covered under your policy.
Trupanion does not cover any exam fees, even if the exam is for a condition covered under your policy.
If you want to be reimbursed for preventative care: Spot
Preventative care consists of medical practices taken to detect and prevent disease and illness from turning into serious concerns. It includes your pet’s nutritional needs, annual wellness checks, microchipping, spaying or neutering, dental care, vaccinations, and parasite prevention.
Think of preventative care as a phrase to describe all the things responsible pet owners do anyway.
If you want to be reimbursed for the basic “wellness care” you provide your furry friend, Spot is the clear choice, as it’s the only option between the two to offer a preventative care add-on. Spot offers two preventative care policies.
If you want an accident-only policy: Spot
If you’re the owner of an active, accident-prone dog, you may want to consider an accident-only policy. Accident-only policies cover wounds, injuries, broken bones, and toxin ingestion, making them a good fit for dogs who travel or explore all things by ingesting them.
Because accident-only policies don’t include coverage for disease, illness, or preventative care, the premiums tend to be lower. If you have a rough and tumble dog who travels with you or if you are on a limited budget, this might be a good choice.
Spot is our choice for an accident-only policy because Trupanion does not offer this option.
If you want to pay the vet directly: Trupanion
Taking your pet for urgent medical care can be a stressful event. When all your focus is on ensuring your pet makes a full recovery, you don’t want the added stress of dealing with the out-of-pocket payment of that care.
This is where Trupanion stands out.
Trupanion claims to be the only pet insurance provider that can pay your veterinarian in seconds, so long as they have the necessary software on hand. Spot does not have the ability to pay the vet directly.
If you want an annual deductible, instead of per condition: Spot
The annual deductible is one area where the differences between Spot and Trupanion can make a real impact on some people’s wallets. While Trupanion has no annual payout limit per condition, your policy has a per-condition deductible. This means if your pet is diagnosed with more than one condition, you will have to meet the deductible for each new condition before you are reimbursed for care.
With Spot, you have one annual deductible. This means that once you meet your deductible in a given year, any cost associated with care for a covered injury or illness that occurs after will be reimbursed at your pre-determined percentage.
We believe Spot, which only requires you to meet your deductible annually, is the more economical choice.
If you want a shorter waiting period: Spot
A waiting period is the amount of time after your policy has been activated that you must wait to receive coverage. During this period, you’re responsible for the cost of any treatment your pet may need. Companies put these into place to protect themselves from pet owners making claims for injuries or illnesses they were aware of before purchasing insurance.
The waiting period is something to consider, particularly if you have a breed prone to specific illnesses or injuries. If you are looking for a shorter waiting period, we chose Spot because the waiting period for accidents and illnesses is 14 days, while Trupanion’s is five days for accidents and 30 days for illnesses.
If you have multiple pets: Spot
If you have more than one pet, insuring them on the same plan can save you money and lessen monthly bills.
We recommend Spot if you are seeking a multiple pet discount. Spot offers a 10% discount applied to your premium for each additional pet you enroll.
Trupanion does not offer discounts for multiple pets.
Which company is our choice between Spot and Trupanion?
Both Spot and Trupanion offer features such as the ability to choose your deductible and customize certain aspects of your plan. When selecting a plan, Spot provides more options, including an accident and illness policy, an accident-only policy, and two preventative care add-ons.
While Spot’s coverage was more comprehensive, Trupanion’s policies were 6.08% cheaper, on average, based on the quotes we received. In our opinion, the extra coverage offered by Spot was worth paying the additional premium.
Spot offered more for your money by including:
- A multiple pet discount
- Coverage for exam fees
- Coverage for behavioral issues
- Preventative care options
We chose Spot over Trupanion because it offered more comprehensive coverage, more customization in its policies, and discounts. We value a company that gives you more ways to protect what you love.
Spot earned a LendEDU rating of 4.5 out of 5. You can learn more in our Spot Pet Insurance review. Trupanion earned a LendEDU rating of 4.4 out of 5. To learn more about Trupanion, check out our Trupanion Pet Insurance review.
Interested in getting a personalized quote from Spot? Visit its website to use its free online tool.