Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review – View Options for 2024

Nobody likes being stuck with a surprise bill they haven’t budgeted for, but these can happen more often than we like. Whether it’s an auto accident, roof damage from a hail storm, or your dog accidentally swallowing a toy, these can all add up to real money. We count on other types of insurance to help with car and home expenses, but until recently there weren’t many options for a pet owner to cover the cost of unexpected veterinary care.

Fortunately, there are now lots of pet insurance companies that offer comprehensive coverage options, and with a little research, you’re sure to find a plan that provides real savings to you as a pet parent. Read our Pumpkin Pet Insurance review to learn more about this provider and see if it may be a good fit for you.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance – Company Overview

Pumpkin Pet Insurance is a relative newcomer to the business of providing dog and cat insurance insurance policies. The company, founded by Alexandre Douzet, started back in 2020, but in the few short years since has shown itself to be a real contender among pet insurance providers. Plans are underwritten by the Independence American Insurance Company and the United States Fire Insurance Company. The company is based out of New York, NY, and you can purchase a Pumpkin Pet insurance plan in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

Pros

• No breed restrictions or age limits
• Dental accidents and illnesses included
• Prescription food and supplement coverage for covered conditions
• Alternative therapy and microchip implantation coverage

Cons

• Coverage isn’t as customizable as competitors
• Longer accident waiting period than competitors

Option to Pay Vet Directly: No
App Support: No
Accident Waiting Period: 14 Days
Illness Waiting Period: 14 Days
Orthopedic Waiting Period: 14 Days
Vet Helpline Available: No
Multi-Pet Discount: Yes
Deductible Type: Annual

Pumpkin Insurance Services prides itself on helping pet parents afford the increasing costs of veterinary care and approaching its business from a data and research approach. Its staff works closely within the field with veterinary teams to better understand what its policies should be covering and to raise awareness of the importance of pet insurance.

As one of the best pet insurance companies, competitors of Pumpkin Pet Insurance include:

• ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
• Embrace Pet Insurance
• Healthy Paws
• Lemonade Pet Insurance
• ManyPets
• Nationwide Pet Insurance
• Pet Assure
• Pets Best Insurance
• Prudent Pet
• Spot
• Trupanion

Why We Like Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Pumpkin Insurance offers solid plans with a lot of perks that give customers comprehensive coverage options. For instance, all plans pay out at a high, 90% reimbursement rate and they cover key services that many other pet insurers leave out of standard coverage such as exam fees for accidents and illnesses, alternative therapies, and dental illness. There is also no upper age limit for getting first-time insurance for your pet, and your coverage will not drop off as your pet ages.

Pumpkin Pet offers one of the best multi-pet discounts in the business, giving you 10% off each additional pet you insure. The company also has one of the shortest waiting periods for coverage for conditions like hip dysplasia or knee conditions at just 14 days. Many other companies like Healthy Paws Pet Insurance require you to wait 6 to 12 months before you’re able to submit a claim.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance – How It Works

Pumpkin offers two main types of pet insurance: standard accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats, and a preventive care option.

The standard coverage works differently than other types of coverage you may be familiar with like individual health insurance, in that you pay for the services upfront and are later reimbursed after you submit a claim. In this way, it can act more like homeowners insurance, which often requires policyholders to pay for the services they need first and only afterward submit a claim to be repaid. Some pet insurers have the option to pay a vet directly for services, but Pumpkin does not currently offer this feature.

The Preventative Essentials coverage can be added on to any existing policy to help cover the costs of routine care, but cannot be purchased on its own. For both plans, you can take your dog or cat to any licensed vet in the U.S. or Canada.

Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage

Your accident and injury policy will include the same coverage whether you’re insuring a dog, cat, puppy, or kitten, but you may use your policy in different ways based on your pet’s breed and age. However, you may wish to purchase the optional wellness coverage for your younger pet since it can help pay for the costs of routine wellness checks and vaccines which are essential to making sure your furry friend is set up for a long and healthy life.

Costs and Deductibles for Dog and Cat Insurance

For puppy and kitten care, your pet must be at least 8 weeks old to start on a plan, but there are no upper age limits on getting a new policy. That said, the earlier you start insuring your pet the better, because any pre-existing conditions will not be covered.

When shopping for a plan for your older pet, make sure the pet insurance provider actually offers coverage. For example, Embrace Pet Insurance excludes pets over the age of 14 from being eligible for full coverage. On average, older cats and dogs will cost more to insure because they tend to have more health-related concerns.

What’s Covered?

Pumpkin’s standard policy will cover the following services:

• Accidents and illnesses
• Alternative treatments like acupuncture
• Diagnostic tests like X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs
• Poisonings
• Prescription pet food, but only when used to treat a diagnosed condition
• Surgery
• Hospitalization
• Tooth extractions
• Treatment for periodontal disease
• Cancer
• Ear and skin infections
• Hip dysplasia
• Behavioral issues
• Prescription medications
• End-of-life expenses
• Microchipping

What’s Not Covered?

• Pre-existing conditions*
• Cosmetic surgeries and procedures
• Boarding
• Breeding or pregnancy-related expenses
• Anal gland expression
• Preventive dental cleanings
• Grooming
• Training
• Spaying and neutering

*There is an exception made for a pre-existing condition that’s considered “curable.” For example, if your cat or dog suffered from a UTI or paw fracture and has since been cured and treatment-free for 180 days, this condition would no longer be classified as pre-existing and would be eligible for coverage if it were to happen again. However, this exception does not apply to incurable conditions that can occur to the knee and hind leg ligaments.

Preventative Essentials

The Pumpkin Preventive Essentials plan is a wellness package and works in a different way than standard pet health insurance. In fact, it’s not really insurance at all. Rather, it’s a fund you pay into each month that you can then be reimbursed in full from, much like an HSA.

Preventative Essentials

Pumpkin Preventive Essentials coverage includes services like:

• Annual wellness exam
• Vaccines (cat coverage includes one vaccine, dog coverage includes two, and puppy coverage includes four)
• Annual screening for parasites
• Annual screening for heartworm (dogs only)

Additionally, the company has partnered with many pet hospitals around the country to create a Preventative Essentials Pack which is designed specially for your pet, and when you follow these recommendations you’ll save even more. Plus, you can start using your wellness coverage right away as it is not subject to any waiting periods.

How Much Does Pumpkin Pet Insurance Cost?

For either a three-year-old, medium-sized mixed breed dog or a three-year-old domestic shorthair cat, you’ll pay an average of $62/month with a $10,000 annual limit and a $500 deductible. Your total monthly Pumpkin Pet Insurance cost can be lowered by increasing your deductible or decreasing your maximum annual payout. All of Pumpkin’s plans pay out at a 90% reimbursement rate after you meet your deductible (meaning you’ll only be responsible for paying 10% of any eligible service).

When you sign up for a new policy, you’ll have to choose your deductible and your annual coverage limit. You have four deductible options at $100, $250, $500, or $1,000, and coverage limit options of $10,000, $20,000, or unlimited coverage for dog insurance, or $7,000, $15,000, or unlimited coverage for cats.

How To Get Started

To get a quote, the best place to start is on the company’s website by clicking on the yellow quote tab. You’ll be asked to enter basic information about your pet including their age, breed, and gender as well as personal information about yourself including your zip code.

How To Submit a Claim

The best way to submit a claim is online through your customer account. Although there is no mobile app available at this time, the website is mobile-optimized so you’ll have no trouble accessing it from your phone. When you’ve logged in to your account, you’ll be prompted to start your claim which will require you to upload a photo of your paid, itemized invoice, as well as details about the claim and treatment including past medical records if necessary.

You’ll be able to track the status of your claim through your online member account or by calling the customer service team at 1-866-ARF-MEOW. If you’d rather fill out a paper form for your claim, you can download the relevant documents from your account and then send all the paperwork via email to claims@pumpkin.care.

How To Cancel Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Cancellation requests can be made at any time. Most customers who cancel within the first 30 days and have not yet filed a claim will receive a full refund. Certain state laws may apply to you, but in general, any amount you’ve overpaid at the time of your cancellation will be returned to you at a prorated level.

You can also cancel just your Preventive Essentials package while still keeping your standard Pumpkin Pet insurance policy. You can cancel by phone, email, or in writing.

How To Contact Customer Service

There are a few ways to get a hold of Pumkin’s customer service team.

• Call: 1-866-ARF-MEOW (1‑866‑273‑6369)
  • Monday – Friday: 8 am – 8 pm EST
  • Saturday: 9 am – 5pm EST
• Email: help@pumpkin.care
• Chat online: Live Chat is available Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm EST

You can call the company at 1-866-ARF-MEOW, Monday – Friday 8 am – 8 pm EST, and Saturday 9 am – 5 pm, email at help@pumpkin.care, or chat online through the company’s website Monday – Saturday, 9 am-5 pm EST.

Is Pumpkin Pet Insurance Right for Me?

Finding the best pet insurance for your needs can feel overwhelming, and you may be wondering, “Is pet insurance worth the cost?” There’s no easy answer to this question. However, when many pet owners sit down and estimate how much they’re likely to pay out of pocket without insurance, they typically find that they’ll save money by taking out a pet insurance policy.

Pumpkin Insurance Services is a good choice if you’re looking for broad coverage that includes services like exam fees and alternative therapies, but the average monthly premiums do tend to be higher than many other providers. However, the company has become quite popular in just a few short years, with a majority of positive ratings from customers. As always, it’s in your best interest to compare a few different policies to get a better idea of your coverage options before making a final decision.