Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review 2024
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Pumpkin
4.5
/5Annual max coverage
Reimbursement rates
Deductibles
Policy highlight
About Pumpkin pet insurance
Pumpkin earned 4.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. Pumpkin pet insurance offers comprehensive insurance policies and preventive care plans for cats and dogs across the country. There’s no maximum age limit for pets to apply, and all breeds are welcome.
Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.
» MORE: The best pet insurance companies
Pumpkin pet insurance plans and coverage
Pumpkin sells plans that can cover accidents, illnesses and preventive care costs.
Accident and illness plan
Pumpkin's accident and illness plan covers:
Dental illnesses.
Behavioral issues.
Hereditary conditions.
Parasite infections.
Prescription food and supplements.
Alternative therapies.
Exam fees, surgery and hospitalization.
Cancer treatments.
Microchipping.
Diagnostic tests.
Some pre-existing conditions (only if the condition was cured and the pet is symptom-free for 180 days). This does not include knee and hind leg ligament conditions.
You can add the company’s Preventive Essentials package to your accident and illness policy. It covers one annual wellness exam, plus parasite screening and a set number of vaccines each year, depending on the type of pet.
Wellness Club
Pumpkin also offers a stand-alone preventive care plan called the Wellness Club, a subscription service designed to reimburse you for expenses such as annual exams, vaccines and flea/tick prevention.
The Wellness Club has two tiers. The Essentials option is similar to the Preventive Essentials add-on, covering:
Wellness exams.
Vaccinations.
Fecal testing.
Routine bloodwork (dogs only).
The Premium level offers higher annual limits for the services above, plus coverage for:
Flea/tick/heartworm prevention.
Spay or neuter surgery, or routine dental cleaning.
Routine bloodwork for cats.
All Wellness Club plans come with access to a 24/7 pet health line and discounts from select partner brands.
» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?
What Pumpkin pet insurance doesn't cover
Pumpkin's accident and illness policy doesn't cover:
Breeding costs.
Cosmetic or elective procedures.
Dental cleanings not related to illness.
Most pre-existing conditions.
Herbal supplements.
The Preventive Essentials add-on and Wellness Club plans don’t cover anything other than the specific services listed in each plan.
Pumpkin pet insurance plan options
Deductibles: A pet insurance deductible is the amount of your vet care you need to pay for before your insurer starts reimbursing you. With Pumpkin, you can choose an annual deductible of $100, $250, $500 or $1,000.
Reimbursement amounts: You can choose to have Pumpkin pet insurance reimburse 80% or 90% of all covered vet bills after you’ve met your deductible.
When calculating your claim payout, Pumpkin generally subtracts your deductible from your vet bill before applying your reimbursement percentage. Here’s how that could work if you had a $2,000 vet bill and a $500 deductible.
$2,000 vet bill - $500 deductible = $1,500.
$1,500 x 0.9 (90% reimbursement rate) = $1,350 reimbursement.
Watch your wallet
Many pet insurers apply your reimbursement rate to your vet bill before subtracting the deductible, which results in a smaller claim payout. Here’s how the math would work for the example above:
$2,000 vet bill x 0.9 (90% reimbursement rate) = $1,800.
$1,800 - $500 deductible = $1,300 reimbursement.
Coverage limits: You can choose an annual coverage limit of $5,000, $7,000, $15,000 or unlimited for cats. Annual coverage limits for dogs are $5,000, $10,000, $20,000 or unlimited.
Restrictions and waiting periods
Age restrictions: All dogs and cats 8 weeks and older are eligible for coverage. Pumpkin doesn’t have a maximum age limit.
Waiting periods: A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage takes effect. Pumpkin offers a 14-day waiting period for all covered accidents and illnesses, including hip dysplasia and knee injuries.
Did you know…
If your pet gets hurt or sick during the waiting period, your plan won’t pay for treatment, and the condition will be considered pre-existing going forward. Get the scoop on pre-existing conditions.
» MORE: Is pet insurance worth it?
Pumpkin pet insurance sample rates
The cost of Pumpkin pet insurance depends on where you live, the coverage limits you choose and your pet’s breed and age.
To give you a rough idea of how much you might pay, we gathered sample rates for several popular dog breeds at ages 2 and 8. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for dogs living in Katy, Texas. Our sample plan was for accident and illness coverage with a $250 deductible, $5,000 of annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. Your own price will vary.
Breed | Age 2 | Age 8 |
|---|---|---|
French bulldog | $60 | $142 |
German shepherd | $35 | $84 |
Golden retriever | $42 | $99 |
Labrador retriever | $42 | $99 |
Medium mixed-breed dog | $29 | $68 |
Poodle | $42 | $99 |
We also gathered rates for a variety of cat breeds with the same coverage limits. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for cats living in Katy, Texas.
Breed | Age 2 | Age 8 |
|---|---|---|
Devon rex | $16 | $29 |
Domestic shorthair | $16 | $29 |
Exotic longhair | $29 | $53 |
Maine coon | $25 | $45 |
Persian | $25 | $45 |
Ragdoll | $16 | $29 |
Pumpkin pet insurance discounts
A 10% Fur Family Discount applies to each additional pet you enroll in a plan.
Pumpkin also offers savings for veterinary staff. And if you pay for your plan annually rather than monthly, you may be able to get a discount.
We recommend getting pet insurance quotes from at least three companies to make sure you’ve found the best deal.
State availability
Pumpkin is licensed to sell pet insurance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Digital experience
Pumpkin’s website is easy to use and includes detailed coverage information for cats, dogs, kittens and puppies. You can download a sample policy for your state, and apply for a free quote.
The company doesn't have an app, but the website is optimized for tablets and smartphones.
How to file a claim with Pumpkin
You can file claims online through Pumpkin’s website or download a form to email to the company. Pumpkin will send you a check or deposit your payout directly into your bank account, depending on which option you choose. You can track the status of your claim in your online account.
If you’re considering an expensive treatment, such as a surgery, that you’re not sure Pumpkin will cover, you can contact the company in advance to find out whether the company will reimburse you.
How to contact Pumpkin customer service
You can reach Pumpkin’s customer care team by phone at 866-273-6369 Monday to Saturday. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] and receive a reply within a day. The website also has a live chat option if you want to speak to a representative online.
Pumpkin pet insurance vs. competitors
Here’s how Pumpkin stacks up against two other popular pet insurance companies.
Pumpkin vs. Lemonade
Like Pumpkin, Lemonade sells accident and illness coverage for cats and dogs. However, Lemonade’s basic plan doesn't cover things like behavioral therapy or dental treatments. Instead, it costs extra to add them to your policy. To compare, Pumpkin includes coverage for these treatments in its standard plan.
Lemonade offers three types of preventive care packages, including one for puppies and kittens and two for adults. The puppy and kitten preventive care package comes with coverage for spaying or neutering — something Pumpkin’s wellness add-on doesn’t include. However, you can get spay/neuter coverage with Pumpkin’s more expensive stand-alone wellness plan.
Read our Lemonade pet insurance review to learn more.
Coverage options | Pumpkin | Lemonade |
|---|---|---|
Deductible range | $100 to $1,000 per year. | $100 to $750 per year. |
Reimbursement | 80% or 90%. | 70%, 80% and 90%. |
Annual limit range | $5,000 to unlimited. | $5,000 to $100,000. |
Pumpkin vs. Spot
Unlike Pumpkin, Spot pet insurance offers an accident-only plan as well as an accident and illness plan. It also has two preventive care plans to choose from. The basic preventive care plan pays for things like vaccines and a wellness exam, while the higher-priced option adds extra coverage for spay/neuter surgery, urinalysis and blood work.
Like Pumpkin, Spot has a more comprehensive accident and illness plan than most, including coverage for alternative therapy, prescription medications, stem cell therapy, behavioral issues and more, as long as it’s due to a covered condition.
Read our full Spot pet insurance review.
Coverage options | Pumpkin | Spot |
|---|---|---|
Deductible range | $100 to $1,000 per year. | $100 to $1,000 per year. |
Reimbursement | 80% or 90%. | 70%, 80% and 90%. |
Annual limit range | $5,000 to unlimited. | $2,500 to unlimited. |
How we review pet insurance
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, we consider coverage, discounts, financial strength ratings from AM Best and more to determine our star ratings.
In our evaluation, we:
Analyzed 2,100 data points.
Got 800+ quotes from pet insurers.
Compared 20+ companies.
Our rating system rewards companies that cover a wide range of potential expenses, offer many ways to customize your plan and have a strong financial rating. Within the consumer experience category, we looked at features such as mobile app ratings and whether the company offers direct vet payments. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
Dive deeper with our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.
Methodology
Pet insurance star ratings
NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, scope of coverage, the ability to customize your plan and more. Our “consumer experience” category looks at factors such as website transparency and mobile app ratings. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Pet insurance sample rates
To find sample pet insurance rates, NerdWallet gathered quotes for the base level of accident and illness coverage on each insurer’s website. Quotes reflect the monthly cost of a policy and do not include wellness coverage or other optional add-ons. Each plan for a given company had the same deductible, coverage limit and reimbursement rate for all sample pets.
These are sample rates gathered for specific pets living in Katy, Texas. Your own rates will be different.
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