We read the fine print so you don't have to.
PolicyPaws exists because pet insurance is bought at the worst possible time, either in a hurry with a new pet or in a panic after a scare, and the industry's marketing is optimized for exactly those moments.
What we do
We compare US pet insurance policies the way an engineer reads a spec: structure first, marketing never. Every insurer we cover is scored on the same 12 factors, and the reviews say plainly where each product wins and where it doesn't, including our top pick, whose gaps we list just as plainly.
Our 12-factor methodology
Factors are weighted by how much they matter when a pet is actually sick, not how well they demo on a pricing page:
- Payout caps (heaviest weight): annual, lifetime, or per-condition limits
- Deductible structure: annual reset vs. per-condition lifetime
- Reimbursement rate, and whether it degrades with pet age
- Exclusion breadth: what the policy quietly carves out
- Hereditary & congenital coverage
- Claims mechanics: direct vet pay vs. front-the-money reimbursement
- Waiting periods
- Premium stability: what raises your rate, and what doesn't
- Enrollment limits: age windows and lifetime coverage guarantees
- Add-on honesty: whether tiers exist to serve you or to confuse you
- Support access: 24/7 availability, human reachability
- Financial backing: underwriter strength and track record
Scores update when policies change materially. Pricing figures on this site are typical ranges for context, not quotes. Your real number requires a real quote.
How we make money
The plain version: when you click a "Get a Quote" button on this site and enroll with Trupanion (or another partner), we earn a referral commission. You pay nothing extra; the price is identical to going direct.
This is the site's only revenue. No sponsored placements, no pay-for-ranking, no selling your data. We don't even collect your email.
Two commitments that keep the incentive honest:
- Rankings are set by the methodology, then monetized, never the reverse. Insurers we have no commercial relationship with appear in our rankings on the same scoring basis as those we do.
- Every page that contains an affiliate link says so, in the banner at the top and the footer at the bottom, per FTC guidelines.
What we are not
PolicyPaws is an independent editorial site published by Myna Bird LLC. We are not an insurance agency, broker, producer, or provider; nothing here is individualized insurance advice. Policies change and vary by state; confirm current terms directly with any insurer before enrolling.
Contact
Corrections, feedback, or policy changes we should know about: hello@policypaws.com.
We think Trupanion's worth two minutes of your time.
That's the whole pitch. Free quote, no obligation, and yes, we earn a commission if you enroll.
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