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Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review October 2024

Pumpkin Pet Insurance review
Key Takeaways
  • Pumpkin Pet Insurance offers a comprehensive accident and illness plan that covers most injuries, hereditary conditions, behavioral issues and more.
  • It also offers an optional wellness add-on to cover things like routine well-checks and vaccinations.
  • Policy exclusions include all pre-existing conditions with the exception of curable conditions that have been asymptomatic and treatment-free for 180 days.
  • With Pumpkin, pet owners pay vet bills up front and then file a claim to receive 90% reimbursement.
  • Coverage costs depend on several factors including the level of coverage desired, pet size and breed and geographic location.
  • To see how Pumpkin prices compare to other pet insurance providers, use our online comparison tool. This will allow you to compare personalized quotes side by side.
SUMMARY

From accident-and-illness insurance to a wellness add-on, Pumpkin aims to help pet owners give their cats and dogs of all ages and breeds a chance to be healthy and happy.

The best way to figure out which plan to purchase and how much coverage you need is to read through this Pumpkin Pet Insurance review.

We’ll cover how Pumpkin works, what it covers, how much it costs and more. Read on to find out which Pumpkin Pet Insurance plan is right for you and your pet.
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via Petinsurer.com's secure website
4.2
Maximum annual coverage 
$10,000 - Unlimited
Reimbursement choices 
90%
Deductible choices 
$100, $250, $500, $1,000

About Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Pumpkin Pet Insurance was created by Zoetis, a company specializing in animal pharmaceuticals, and by former Ollie cofounder and CEO Alexandre Doucet.

Pumpkin says its pet insurance policies are centered on three core principles:

Pumpkin offers several policy types. The main policy offering includes comprehensive coverage for sick care, illness and injury. There is also an add-on policy option called Preventative Essentials. This care plan covers wellness visits and preventative care, including vaccinations, routine check-ups and important tests such as parasite screenings.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance pros & cons

Get to know Pumpkin’s policy through this list of pros and cons.

Pros
  • It’s available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
  • The insurance plan includes reimbursement for up to 90% of the total cost of care.
  • A standard policy includes coverage for microchipping.
  • Optional wellness package covers check-ups, like wellness exams.
  • Issues such as hip dysplasia and knee injuries are not subject to any additional waiting period.
  • Owners insuring multiple pets may be eligible for a discount.
Cons
  • It doesn’t have 24/7 support, and customer service is only available on weekdays.
  • It doesn’t have a branded mobile app.
  • There’s no coverage for spaying/neutering or dental procedures unrelated to illness.
  • The extended 14-day waiting period is more than the 1- and 2-day waiting periods offered by many competitors.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans & coverage

There are two types of pet insurance available from Pumpkin. Or, more accurately, there is a main care plan and an add-on plan.

Accident and illness policy

The standard Pumpkin plan is an accident and illness plan. As the name suggests, it provides coverage for accident and illness-related claims.

Pumpkin accident and illness policy

  • Most injuries, including broken bones and retrieving swallowed objects
  • Exam fees for accidents and illnesses
  • Hereditary and congenital conditions
  • Eye and skin infections
  • Digestive and respiratory illnesses
  • UTIs, Kidney disease and diabetes
  • Parasites
  • Orthopedic injuries
  • Behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression
  • Alternative therapies, such as massage and acupuncture
  • Cancer treatment
  • Dental illnesses, such as periodontal disease and related extractions
  • Emergency visits
  • Hereditary conditions
  • Diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, CT scans and MRIs
  • Surgery and hospitalization, including IV fluids and medical supplies
  • Specialized care, such as visits to an oncologist or neurologist
  • Prescription medications
  • Prescription food and herbal supplements used to treat covered conditions
  • Microchipping
  • End-of-life services, such as euthanasia and cremation

Preventative Essentials Pack

Pumpkin’s Preventive Essentials Pack offers wellness coverage for an additional fee of around $12 per month for cats and around $20 per month for dogs.

Benefits differ between animals. You can find what’s included in each policy below.

  • Optional add-on

Pumpkin wellness policy for dogs

  • One wellness exam per year
  • One annual heartworm test, tick disease blood test and fecal parasite test per year
  • Two vaccines
  • Optional add-on

Pumpkin wellness policy for cats

  • One wellness exam per year
  • One annual fecal test for intestinal worms including roundworms, hookworms and whipworms
  • One vaccine

Pumpkin Pet Insurance exclusions

Like many pet insurance companies, Pumpkin has specified some conditions and scenarios not subject to coverage.

What’s not covered

  • Pre-existing conditions that were discovered (or were symptomatic) before the policy effective date or during the mandatory waiting period*
  • Dental cleanings unrelated to illness
  • Any and all costs related to breeding, whelping, pregnancy, etc.
  • Tail docking, ear cropping and other cosmetic/elective procedures
  • Alternative therapies and other procedures that could be considered experimental
  • Boarding
  • Grooming
  • Vet bills that fall under the umbrella of “administrative costs,” such as taxes, printing of medical records and medical waste fees

*There is an exception to the pre-existing condition policy for curable conditions. Pumpkin will cover curable pre-existing conditions as long as the pet has not shown symptoms or undergone related treatment for at least 180 days.

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How much does Pumpkin Pet Insurance cost?

To give you an idea of how much Pumpkin Pet Insurance costs, we got online quotes for popular dog and cat breeds.

This table shows our quotes for dog insurance.

Dog breed Monthly cost for a one-year-old dog Monthly cost for a five-year-old dog
French Bulldog $104 $135
Golden Retriever $76 $99
Chihuahua $47 $61

We applied the following terms to the dog insurance quotes shown above:

This table shows our quotes for cat insurance.

Cat breed Monthly cost for a one-year-old cat Monthly cost for a five-year-old cat
American Shorthair $25 $28
Ragdoll $25 $28
Maine Coon $37 $41

Since cat insurance offers different annual limit options, we used slightly different details for the cat insurance quotes above:

Keep in mind that how much you’ll pay for pet insurance depends on several factors, including:

  1. Your pet’s breed
  2. Your pet’s age
  3. Your desired level of coverage
  4. Your location

Does Pumpkin offer any discounts

Pumpkin offers a 10% discount to multi-pet households looking to purchase more than one policy. Note, however, that discounts may be capped regardless of the total number of pets.

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Pumpkin Pet Insurance coverage options

Pumpkin offers several policy tiers, some of which differ depending on whether you’re seeking coverage for a dog or cat.

Deductible options

All insurance plans require policyholders to pay a certain amount toward vet bills before coverage kicks in.

Pumpkin offers three deductible levels:

Reimbursement levels

All Pumpkin policies come with a 90% reimbursement level. You’ll pay your vet bills upfront and then submit a claim. If that claim is approved, you’ll be reimbursed for the vast majority of the money you gave directly to your vet. If you are looking for pet insurance that pay your vet directly, we recommend reading our other article.

Annual limits

There will be a cap on how much Pumpkin will reimburse over the course of the year.

For dogs, the annual limit choices are:

For cats, the annual limit choices are:

Keep in mind that the higher the annual limit, the more you’ll pay in terms of monthly premiums.

How do Pumpkin plan options compare to other providers?

The table below compares Pumpkin coverage options to other popular pet insurance providers.

Provider Deductible Options Reimbursement Percentage Options Annual Limit Options
Pumpkin $100-$1,000 90% $7,000-Unlimited
Embrace $100 70%, 80% and 90% $5,000-Unlimited
Lemonade $100-$500 70%, 80% and 90% $5,000-$100,000
Spot $100-$5,000 70%, 80% and 90% $2,500-Unlimited

Pumpkin’s generous reimbursement percentage may result in higher premiums, but saving an extra 10% to 20% can add up quickly if your pet needs frequent veterinary care.

For instance, imagine your pet’s cancer treatment costs $8,000. With Pumpkin’s 90% reimbursement, your claim would be paid off with a check or direct deposit of $7,200. A competitor with a 70% reimbursement rate would only pay back $5,600. That’s a difference of $1,600.

If you want to compare multiple coverage options and find the best pet insurance for your needs, try using our online comparison tool.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance waiting period and age restrictions

Before enrolling your pet in a plan with Pumpkin, you should know the company’s waiting period and age restrictions.

Waiting period: All Pumpkin policies come with a waiting period of 14 days. That means all newly covered pets must wait two weeks after policy activation to seek care or risk not being eligible for reimbursement. There are no special waiting periods for specific illnesses or injuries, such as orthopedic issues.

Age restrictions: All pets must be at least eight weeks old to meet eligibility requirements, but there is no maximum age for coverage. This is a major perk compared to many other pet insurance companies that either offer zero coverage for elderly pets or restrict older pets to accident-only coverage.

How does Pumpkin Pet Insurance coverage compare?

Use this table to compare Pumpkin Pet Insurance coverage to other top competitors like Metlife Pet Insurance, Pet’s Best Insurance, and many others.
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Pumpkin Pet Insurance MetLife Pet Insurance
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Compare Coverage
Accident & Illness Plan
Available
Available
Accident-Only Plan
Not Available
Not Available
Surgery
Covered
Covered
Hereditary and Congenital Conditions
Covered
Covered
Chronic Conditions
Covered
Covered
Dental Disease
Covered
Covered
Allergies
Covered
Covered
Cancer Treatment
Covered
Covered
Physical Therapy
Covered
Covered
Alternative Therapies
Covered
Covered
Behavioral issues
Covered
Add On
Breed Specific Issues
Not covered
Covered
Emergency Vet Visits
Covered
Covered
Telehealth Visits
Not covered
Covered
24/7 Vet Chat
Not covered
Covered
Specialist Visits
Covered
Covered
Exam Fees
Covered
Add On
Blood Tests
Covered
Covered
Laboratory Testing
Covered
Covered
X-Rays & CT Scans
Covered
Covered
Wellness Coverage
Add On
Add On
Prescription Medication
Covered
Covered
Prescription Food
Covered
Covered
Microchipping
Covered
Not covered
Boarding
Not covered
Not covered
Euthanasia
Covered
Covered
Max Enrollment Age
No Max
No Max
Accident Waiting Period
14 days
Midnight on Same Day
Illness Waiting Period
14 days
14 days
Orthopedic Waiting Period
14 days
14 days
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Pumpkin Pet Insurance reviews

One of the best ways to understand the full impact of these plans is to look at some Pumpkin Pet Insurance reviews.

Pumpkin has 875 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average score of 4.6 out of 5. This rating is considered “excellent.” Customers praise Pumpkin’s transparency and customer service and say that the company has a straightforward and easy-to-understand claim process.

Here’s one example of a real Trustpilot review of Pumpkin Pet Insurance:

Pumpkin consistently goes above and beyond our expectations. Their claim process is incredibly straightforward, and every claim we have submitted has been approved and reimbursed promptly. Having Pumpkin as our pet insurance gives us peace of mind, knowing that we can take care of our cat’s veterinary expenses should an emergency or unexpected illnesses arise. Highly recommend this company! - Amy A.

On Yelp, Pumpkin has a lower rating of 2.5 out of 5, with 91 total reviews. Here is one of the more positive reviews left by actual Pumpkin customer:

I found the whole process of submitting a claim easy and expeditious.  It was honored as scheduled and I had the funds deposited directly into my account. Everyone with whom I spoke on the phone proved polite and capable.  The whole experience has been just fine from the start. - Cyril L.

The negative reviews mention issues with customer service and claim denials customers believed to be unfair.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance FAQs

Does Pumpkin pay the vet directly?

Pumpkin does not pay vet bills directly to the veterinarian. Instead, policyholders must pay their bills up front and then file a claim for reimbursement. Depending on the type of claim, reimbursement may be made via direct deposit, check or eCheck.

Can I use Pumpkin Pet Insurance at any vet?

Thanks to Pumpkin’s reimbursement-based policies, pet owners can seek care from any licensed veterinarian, emergency clinic or vet specialist. The coverage area is limited to qualified providers in the United States and Canada.

How do I file a claim with Pumpkin Pet Insurance?

Pumpkin policyholders can submit their claims online. Simply sign into your account, enter your claim information and upload your vet bill plus any other relevant documentation. All approved claims will be paid out via direct deposit or check.

How do I cancel Pumpkin Pet Insurance?

You can cancel a new Pumpkin plan within 30 days of signing up and receive a full refund (with the exception of policyholders in the state of New York). Cancellations outside of that initial 30-day period will result in a prorated refund of the monthly premium based on how many days are left in the month.

About the Author

Alana Luna (Musselman)
Alana Luna (Musselman) Writer & Content Strategist

Alana Luna (Musselman) is a versatile storyteller with over a decade of writing experience. She is passionate about helping people build their business through unique and engaging content.

Some examples of her current freelance projects include building content strategies for small businesses, completing industry research to build case studies, crafting buyer guides and more.

She has a passion and keen ability to simplify complex ideas through storytelling to make it easier for readers to understand hard-to-digest information. To accomplish this, Alana’s writing holds strong three principles – content that educates, engages and entertains.

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