How to File a Pet Insurance Claim

Having a sick pet is no fun. But if your dog or cat is among the 6.25 million American pets covered by pet insurance, you may have less stress knowing that their treatment is covered. Still, that doesn’t mean that certain aspects of pet insurance aren’t stressful. The claims process can be a bit confusing, especially if you’re navigating it for the first time (and especially when your dog or cat is in the midst of receiving veterinary treatment).

Whether you’re wondering how to file a claim or simply want to learn more about the process, this quick guide is here to help. Let’s take a look.

How pet insurance claims work

The first thing you need to know is that pet medical insurance is not exactly like human health insurance. While it is there to help your pet get the veterinary care they need, it operates more like car or home insurance. This means that a claim will need to be made for your pet’s eligible expenses. Now, most pet insurance providers operate on a reimbursement basis. This means you’ll pay the veterinarian directly and then file a claim with your insurer to receive reimbursement.

The exact steps to follow for this can vary between different insurers. But, generally speaking, to file a claim, you'll need to submit a copy of your itemized invoice from the vet along with a brief description of the treatment your pet received.

Some companies may require additional documentation, like medical records, depending on the nature of the claim. After submitting your claim, the insurer will review the details to determine how much they’ll reimburse you based on your policy’s coverage and deductible.

How long until I get reimbursed?

Once you do file your pet insurance claim, how long can you expect to wait? It largely depends on the insurance provider you have and their specific process, but there are other factors to consider.

While the traditional pet insurance reimbursement process sounds relatively straightforward, it can take a bit of time. In many cases, you’ll need to wait 10 to 30 days to receive your reimbursement. This delay is due to the time it takes for your insurance provider to process the claim, review the documentation, and issue a check to you.

Other factors that can affect how long it takes to process your pet insurance claim include:

• Treatment / case complexity — Claims involving multiple conditions or treatments, or ones with lengthy hospitals stays could take longer to review.
• Claim volume — Many pet insurance companies have claims reviewed and processed by real humans. However, this means that it may take longer to get through your claim during busier time periods.
• Delays in verification — Contacting veterinarians and getting additional documentation may be required at times. Depending on how long this takes, more time may be needed to process your claim.
• Method of submission — This largely comes down to the options offered to you by the provider, but it’s generally faster to file a claim online than it is to do so by mail or phone.

Because wait times for claims processing can vary so much between providers, it’s a good idea to include this as something to look at when shopping for pet insurance.

How the Trupanion claims process stands out

Trupanion is unique among pet insurance providers in many ways, but one of the most notable is the claims process. With Trupanion, you’ll have three options. Regardless of which one you go with, the goal is to make it fast and easy so you can focus on your pet’s well-being instead of following a complicated pet insurance claims process.

1. VetDirect Pay™

The fastest and easiest way to file a pet insurance claim with Trupanion is to utilize VetDirect Pay™. Trupanion is the first pet insurance provider to be able to pay veterinarians directly at time of checkout from your pet’s appointment. And this is without any additional setup required on your end.

If your veterinarian is set up to receive Trupanion payments directly (a.k.a. they have the Trupanion software), you can skip the reimbursement process entirely — no need to even file a claim on your end! Your vet will instead send your pet’s bill straight to Trupanion on your behalf and receive payment for eligible costs (often within just seconds).

Find out which veterinarians are currently set up to receive VetDirect Pay™.

2. Filing a pet insurance claim through your online account

You can still see any veterinarian, even if they are not set up to receive payments directly from Trupanion. If this is the case, the fastest way to file a claim is by submitting it online through your Trupanion member account. Once you log in, simply upload the itemized invoice from your vet and provide a short description of the visit and what happened. Most claims filed online are processed within 24 hours, so you’ll get your funds quickly.

3. Manually filing a pet insurance claim

If the VetDirect Pay™ and online claim submission options will not work, you can still file your pet insurance claim by downloading a claim form and sending it via email, fax (866.405.4536), or direct mail.

Learn more about options for filing a claim with Trupanion.

What happens after my pet insurance claim is approved?

Claim review and approval will be different for each pet insurance provider as well as the plan you’ve selected. Most pet insurance providers will mail you a check for the approved claim as well as any details about the claim. With providers like Trupanion, you have the option of having your payment remitted digitally via ACH deposit into your bank account. You can set this up by calling Trupanion’s customer service team directly.

Filing a pet insurance claim shouldn’t be difficult

Filing a pet insurance claim doesn’t have to be a stressful or complicated process. So, it’s important to review your options and decide what you’re comfortable with and what may add the least amount of stress into your already-busy life. Taking care of your pet should be your top priority — let the insurance claims process be the easy part.

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