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Ralph Davidson
- April 19, 2023
With pet insurance companies popping up on every corner, Pumpkin Pet Insurance is one of the newest ones, established in April 2020. And even though this company only recently started taking care of our furry little friends, its popularity quickly skyrocketed among pet lovers.
Key Benefits
- No Age Limit
- Covers Dental Care
- Covers Advanced Treatments
- Covers Some Pre-existing Conditions
- Provides 90% Reimbursement on All Policies
TL;DR
| Policy Name | Coverage | Cost | Benefits | Claims Process | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Pet Health insurance | Accidents and illnesses | Varies by plan and pet |
|
Submit claims online or through the Pumpkin app | 4.7/5 |
| *Prices vary based on pet age, breed, and location. Pumpkin offers a variety of plans with different levels of coverage and deductibles. | |||||
Pumpkin pet insurance gives comprehensive coverage and is one of the rare few covering pet dental care.
More importantly, most people choose this insurance company for their pets because it also covers pre-existing conditions in some cases – something many other pet insurances don’t pay attention to at all!
Now, you must be wondering, “Is Pumpkin Pet Insurance good for my pet specifically?”. To answer this question as extensively as possible, we created this Pumpkin Pet Insurance review where we detailed all the essential features you need to know.
After all, it’s your pet’s health we’re talking about, so let’s get straight to it!
How Does Pumpkin Pet Insurance Work?
Like all other pet insurance companies, Pumpkin Care Pet Insurance works as a reimbursement plan. You first go to your vet and pay the bill, and after that, you send it to the company to get your money back.
One downside to this process is that you must have the money upfront. On the plus side, all you need to do to get a reimbursement is take a photo of your vet bill. Everything else, Pumpkin Pet Insurance will quickly settle online.
Unlike some insurance companies that tie their service to a particular vet clinic, Pumpkin Pet Insurance lets you freely choose your pet’s doctor. You can go to any preferred vet in your area and treat your pet. After that, you can have your money returned.
Another thing you should be on the lookout for is if the vet allows direct insurance payments. Some practices will give you the option to bill the pet insurance immediately. And in these cases, you won’t have to pay anything upfront because the insurance company will cover it.
Pros and Cons of Pumpkin Pet Insurance
There are several Pumpkin Pet Insurance reviews online, and in all of them, it’s clear that pet owners deem this company a reputable one.
Below we give you a list of all the pros this company has. But seeing that it’s important to know the cons of an insurance plan as well, we’ve narrowed down those, too.
Pros
- Covers dental care. The insurer offers complete dental coverage, with X-rays, surgery, meds, and even tooth extraction or other treatments for gum diseases;
- Provides 90% reimbursement on all policies. Regardless of the policy type you choose, you will get 90% of your money back;
- No age limit. Unlike most companies that don’t cover pets after a certain age, the 90% reimbursement refers to all pets, regardless of age;
- Covers some pre-existing conditions. Pumpkin Pet Insurance does not cover all pre-existing conditions. Still, it does cover those diseases that are easily curable or have been cured (e.g. the pet has been symptom-free and treatment-free for 180 days);
- Covers advanced treatments. Occasionally, your pet will have to undergo more advanced treatments that most pet insurances don’t cover. Well, Pumpkin exceeds in this field, too, and offers coverage for acupuncture, stem cell therapy, and even behavioral therapy.
Cons
- Very expensive. The prices of all plans Pet Insurance Pumpkin provides are a bit higher than those of other companies in this area;
- Only one reimbursement percentage. Unfortunately, you cannot customize the reimbursement percentage, which is at a standard 90%. While this is optimal for your cashback, it also means that you will have higher premiums.
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Plans
As pet insurance, Pumpkin covers both cats and dogs, including kittens and puppies. The plans vary depending on what breed and age you’re ensuring. We’ll now go over each insurance plan separately, singling out its most vital features.
Dog’s Pet Insurance Plan
If you want to cover your dog, you can go to the official website and fill in the questionnaire to curate a plan for your furry friend.
After that, you can further customize it using the following options:
- Annual limit: $10,000, $20,000, or unlimited;
- Annual deductible: $100, $250, $500;
The reimbursement rate is a flat 90% for all animals. This plan covers all common illnesses and treatments like digestive illnesses, urinary infections, etc.
What’s more, there is an optional Preventive Essentials wellness package that goes for $18.95 per month. With this add-on, you receive one blood test for tick diseases and heartworm, one annual wellness exam, two vaccines for disease prevention, and one fecal test for intestinal worms.
Moreover, dog owners can also choose an Embark DNA Kit plan that is essentially a DNA test. It goes for $11.25 per month or $135 in total and includes a DNA test, screens for over 210 genetic health risks, and a comprehensive breed profile.
Cat’s Pet Insurance Plan
The cat’s pet insurance plan offers a set of unique features. Like the dog’s plan, you first need to go to the website and fill in the questionnaire. Then you get to customize your plan.
Here you can choose between:
- Annual limit: $7,000, $15,000 or unlimited;
- Annual deductible: $100, $250, $500.
Like the dog plan, you can add the Preventive Essentials wellness package. It costs $11.95 more than the regular plan, but it will get your cat one fecal test for intestinal worms, one vaccine, and one annual wellness exam. The reimbursement rate is a flat 90% for cats as well.
Pumpkin Pet Insurance’s plan for cats does not include a DNA test, unlike the dog’s one.
Provides 90% reimbursement on all policies
Covers Dental Care
No Age Limit
Covers some pre-existing conditions
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Coverage
Like many other pet insurances, the provider does not cover Pumpkin Pet Insurance pre-existing conditions (a.k.a. conditions that have occurred before the activation of the insurance plan). However, unlike other companies, it does cover them in certain pre-specified conditions.
Namely, it requires the vet has already cured your pet pre-existing condition and has been free of symptoms for 180 days. If the condition hasn’t turned up in 180 days, Pumpkin Pet won’t consider it a pre-existing one, i.e., it will deem it a current illness and thus treat it as such.
There is one exception to this rule – knee and hind leg ligament treatments.
In general, Pumpkin Pet health insurance covers the following:
- Eye, ear, and skin infections;
- Urinary infections;
- Hyp dysplasia;
- Swallowed objects;
- Bite wounds;
- Digestive illnesses.
The advanced treatments that it covers include:
- Radiology and diagnostic tests;
- Surgery and specialized care;
- Dental illness treatments;
- Microchipping;
- Cancer and growths;
- Alternative therapies;
- Prescribed meds;
- Hospitalization;
- Behavioral issues;
- Hereditary conditions.
Naturally, like all other insurance policies, this one doesn’t cover some options. Here we can mention pre-existing conditions that don’t fall under what we discussed above and neutering, breeding costs, non-illness-related dental treatments, and cosmetic procedures.
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Waiting Period
Many available pet insurance companies set different waiting periods ranging from a couple of weeks to a month and sometimes more. But that is not the case with Pumpkin Insurance.
Unlike insurers that take a while to process your quote, the Pumpkin Pet Insurance waiting period lasts only 14 days. What’s more, you don’t have to worry whether the waiting times differ for each check-up because these two weeks are standard for all treatments and diagnosis.
Moreover, during these 14 days, you can rest assured that everything is covered. All of this means that you can be confident that your furry friends are always safe in Pumpkin Pet’s hands!
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Pricing
As we mentioned, the Pumpkin Pet Insurance cost is higher than other insurers’. Pumpkin has a 90% reimbursement rate used for all plans and cannot fluctuate as with other companies.
The fixed reimbursement rate directly influences the premiums, so you’ll have to purchase costlier premiums. On the plus side, Pumpkin’s insurance plan covers almost all pet care essentials.
To give you a transparent view of the plans and premiums you’ll have to pay, we looked into Pumpkin’s quotes, and this is what we unveiled:
- For a one-year-old Welsh Corgie, you will have to pay $61.48 per month at an annual limit of $10,000 and a yearly deductible of $500. You can pair this plan with the wellness package, which is $18.95 per month. Another feature reserved explicitly for dog owners is the DNA test at $11.25 per month. All the above costs add up to a total of $91.68;
- For a one-year-old British shorthair, you will have to pay $31.69 per month with an annual limit of $7,000 and a yearly deductible of $500. The wellness package is also available for cats at $11.95, but there is no DNA-test coverage. If you add this package to your initial one, you will have to pay $43.64.
Pet owners should also know that there is a 10% discount on every additional pet you cover with Pumpkin Insurance.
Pumpkin Pet Insurance State Availability
Pumpkin Pet Health Insurance is available in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. All pet owners can easily apply for a plan through the website and can even see a policy sample before purchasing. However, you should know that policy rules and regulations vary depending on the state.
Another thing all pet owners should know is that there are no mandatory vet practices. You can choose the vet where you take your pet on your own, regardless of the State, and then apply for the cashback.
FAQ: Pumpkin Pet Insurance
The Pumpkin Pet Insurance company does not cover neutering or spaying. Aside from this, Pumpkin discloses that it won’t cover breeding costs, cosmetic procedures, and all non-illness-related dental problems.
It also won’t cover pre-existing conditions in all cases. Namely, if the vet cures the illness or the symptoms haven’t shown up in 180 days, this won’t be considered a pre-existing condition and will be treated as a part of the insurance plan.
Yes, Pumpkin is one of the few pet insurance companies that cover dental treatments. However, bear in mind that it only covers dental-related illnesses and diseases (e.g., gum diseases and tooth extraction). The policy won’t cover costs for simple dental procedures that don’t present a condition (e.g., dental checks).
Yes. If you have multiple pets, covering them with Pumpkin pet insurance will get you a discount of 10%.
You can easily purchase a policy through the website. Once you’ve completed the process for one pet, you can go through the same procedure and cover the rest, this time receiving a 10% discount for it.
Both policies for cats and dogs can have the Preventive Essentials wellness package as an add-on. The package adds $18.95 to the dog plan and $11.95 to the cat plan.
This add-on has different features depending on whether it’s for a cat or a dog.
For dogs, it incorporates one blood test for heartworm and tick diseases, two vaccines for diseases, two annual wellness fees, and one fecal test for intestinal worms.
This package includes one fecal test for intestinal worms, one vaccine for diseases, and one annual wellness test for cats.
Yes. Pumpkin pet insurance is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Moreover, it is not tied to a specific veterinary clinic, which means that pet owners can freely choose their vet.
Compare Pumpkin Pet Insurance Between
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Alternatives
To find the best Pumpkin Pet Insurance alternative for you, it’s important to compare the plans offered by different companies.
Consider your budget, your pet’s age and health needs, and the type of coverage you’re looking for. You can also read reviews of different pet insurance companies to get a better sense of their customer service and claims process.
Pumpkin Pet Insurance alternatives:
- Embrace Pet Insurance – Better coverage, with a focus on preventive care.
- Figo Pet Insurance – More customizable plans, with a wide range of coverage options to choose from.
- Healthy Paws Pet Insurance – Better rates, especially for older pets and pets with pre-existing conditions.
- MetLife Pet Insurance – Quicker coverage for unexpected accidents.
- Lemonade Pet Insurance – Better overall value, with a unique Lemonade Care policy that offers a lower premium and a higher reimbursement rate.
- Pets Best Pet Insurance – Cheaper rates, especially for young pets and pets with no pre-existing conditions.
- Spot Pet Insurance – Best for preventive care, with a unique wellness package that covers the cost of routine vet visits and vaccinations.
- Trupanion Pet Insurance – Best for lifelong coverage, with no annual or lifetime limits on benefits.
- ASPCA Pet Insurance – Best for pet parents who want to support a good cause, with a portion of every premium donated to the ASPCA.
- Nationwide Pet Insurance – Best for pet parents who want a variety of coverage options to choose from, including wellness plans, multiple pet discounts, and pre-existing condition coverage.
These companies offer a variety of pet insurance plans with different coverage levels and premiums. Some companies also offer additional benefits, such as wellness coverage, multiple pet discounts, and pre-existing condition coverage.
