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TrustedPals Pet Insurance Review
By Kat Tretina MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Marsh, an insurance broker, announced the launch of TrustedPals in 2019. TrustedPals was popular right out of the gate as a new pet insurance company covering services and treatments that other insurance companies didn’t. And it donated 1% of its profits to organizations that helped pets after natural disasters.
However, its success seems to have been short-lived. In 2022, TrustedPals posted that it was no longer accepting new clients.
In this TrustedPals review, learn about the coverage the company offered and what happens next for existing policyholders.
Table of contents
- TrustedPals pet insurance overview
- TrustedPals’ services
- TrustedPals’ credentials
- TrustedPals’ accessibility
- TrustedPals’ customer satisfaction
- TrustedPals vs. the competition
- TrustedPals FAQs
- How we evaluated TrustedPals pet insurance
- Summary
TrustedPals pet insurance overview
TrustedPals was launched in 2019 by Marsh USA, Inc, a leading insurance broker. The policies were underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company. However, as of 2022, TrustedPals is no longer accepting new customers.
If you have a TrustedPals policy, the website notes that you can still access your account online through its system called The Pawtal.
TrustedPals’ services
TrustedPals offered pet insurance plans for dogs and cats. It sold accident and illness policies, as well as wellness plans. If you had a policy or are just curious about what it offered, here’s more information.
What it offered
TrustedPals only sold one pet health insurance plan, which was an accident and illness policy.
Accident and illness
- Annual Limits: $4,000 to unlimited
- Deductible: $0 to $750
- Reimbursement Percentage: 70% to 100%
Its accident and illness plan covered vet bills related to unexpected injuries and illnesses, including chronic conditions, surgeries and hospitalizations. TrustedPals also covered some extra services, including behavioral therapy, prescription food and supplements prescribed by a licensed vet.
TrustedPals’ pet insurance policy included death and end-of-life benefits. Accident and illness coverage included the following:
- Reimbursement for expenses related to veterinarian-administered euthanasia
- Cremation and burial expenses, up to $250
- Death benefit
- Up to $150 as a death benefit if you did not pay for the pet or did not have a receipt showing the pet’s cost
- Up to $1,000 if you had a receipt for the pet’s cost
TrustedPals did not have an age limit for new enrollment.
Wellness coverage
TrustedPals sold an optional wellness plan you could add to your policy for an additional fee. It would reimburse you for up to $750 of routine care, such as annual exams, labwork or pet dental preventative care. It offered a higher-than-usual limit; other companies’ wellness plans will typically reimburse you for $500 or less.
What it didn’t offer
Although TrustedPals’ accident and illness policies covered most injuries or illnesses, it did not cover microchipping, and it had the following exclusions:
- Pre-existing conditions: Like other pet insurance companies, TrustedPals did not cover pre-existing conditions, meaning conditions that were diagnosed before the policy effective date or during the policy waiting period.
- Hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament injuries for the first 12 months: TrustedPals had a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament injuries, so you could not get coverage for treatments related to those conditions during the first year of your policy.
- Treatments not prescribed by a vet: Other treatments, including special diets, supplements or alternative therapies, were not covered if a veterinarian didn’t prescribe them.
TrustedPals didn’t offer accident-only policies either, a low-cost option issued by many companies.
TrustedPals pet insurance cost
Because TrustedPals is no longer accepting customers, it disabled its online quote tool, and information about pricing for cats and dogs is unavailable. You cannot get a quote or compare monthly premiums through its website or over the phone.
TrustedPals’ credentials
Even though TrustedPals was a young company, established brands backed it.
Licenses and registrations
TrustedPals issued policies in all 50 states. Its policies were underwritten by Zurich. In 2022, AM Best, a credit rating agency, affirmed Zurich’s A+ (superior) financial stability rating.
TrustedPals’ accessibility
During its short time in business, TrustedPals was available nationwide, but it received criticism for its lack of accessibility.
Contact information
TrustedPals was available via phone or email. To reach support, you could call 800-358-3801 or email contact@trustedpals.com.
However, we reached out to TrustedPals to get more information about its decision to stop accepting customers — and we emailed its general contact email address — and never received a response. TrustedPals also hasn’t updated its social media since 2021.
When TrustedPals was still selling policies, it had limited customer support hours. While some companies offer 24/7 support, TrustedPals only staffed its customer service lines Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. CST.
User experience
The TrustedPals website is not the easiest to navigate, and it now has several broken links. Customers frequently complained about the difficult-to-use customer portal — the Pawtal — in customer reviews, which was necessary to submit claims.
TrustedPals relied on a third-party adjuster to process and reimburse claims, and many customers had issues with delayed claims and problems reaching the adjuster.
TrustedPals’ customer satisfaction
Although TrustedPals started strong, customer reviews show that the company ran into some problems with customer satisfaction.
Customer complaints
On TrustPilot, TrustedPals has a 2.6 rating (poor) based on about 85 reviews. On its Facebook page, complaints are overwhelmingly poor, too.
The most common complaint in customer reviews concerned delays with claims processing. Customers said that claims would take two to three months — if not longer — with no way to track their claims’ status.
TrustedPals vs. the competition
While TrustedPals isn’t available to new customers, it stood out from competitors due to its high benefit limits, reimbursement percentages, low deductible options and because it covered veterinary exams — features other companies often lack. Here’s how it compared to other companies.
| TrustedPals | Trupanion | Pets Best | Embrace | |
| Medical exam | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Annual coverage limits | $4,000 to Unlimited | Unlimited | $5,000 or unlimited | $5,000 to $30,000 |
| Deductible amount | $0 to $750 | $0 to $1,000 | $50 to $1,000 | $200 to $1,000 |
TrustedPals FAQs
How we evaluated TrustedPals pet insurance
Our pet insurance reviews are conducted by assessing each company on the following factors. However, upon evaluation, we discovered that TrustedPals isn’t currently offering new policies. We provided information we found on the coverage it offered.
- Availability: Not all companies are available nationwide, but TrustedPals served customers in all 50 states.
- Reimbursement limits: While some pet insurers have per-condition limits, TrustedPals’ limits were annual. It allowed customers to choose a limit between $4,000 and unlimited.
- Deductibles: The deductible is how much you have to pay for your pet’s treatments before your insurance policy starts covering the cost. TrustedPals’ deductibles ranged from $0 to $750.
- Customer satisfaction: There are many pet insurance companies out there, and they vary significantly in customer service. Unfortunately, TrustedPals had a less-than-stellar reputation, with customers frequently complaining about long wait times for reimbursement.
Summary of Miami Herald’s TrustedPals review
When TrustedPals was launched in 2019, it looked like a promising option for pet owners. It offered unlimited reimbursement and deductibles as low as $0, and it covered some services and treatments that other companies didn’t.
However, the company had issues with customer satisfaction, and reviews frequently complained about the slow claims processing times and long waits for reimbursement. And in 2022, the company posted on its website that it was no longer accepting new customers.
Pet insurance may be worth it for you from a different company. For those looking for similar coverages and options, check out our picks for the best pet insurance companies. Spot was our top choice for unlimited coverage. It offers unlimited reimbursement and a wide range of deductibles, so it could be a good option if you want coverage and peace of mind.
