In a Nutshell

Pumpkin is one of the most popular pet insurance providers in the country. Pumpkin created its plans together with vets to ensure that the most common and most important pet concerns are covered. As a result, Pumpkin offers simple yet complete coverage, preventative care, and alternative therapies. With no yearly pet care requirements, upper age limits, or breed exclusions, Pumpkin is a great option for most pet parents to consider when weighing their options.

Bottom line

• Preventative care that’s affordable
• Inclusions-heavy standard plan
• Pet and vet-friendly policies

Pumpkin at a Glance

Pets covered - Dogs, cats, kittens, puppies

Waiting period - 14 days

Deductible - $100, $250, $500

Reimbursement model - 90%

Best for - Affordable preventative care, lots of inclusions bundles

Overview

Pumpkin strives to give all pets superior-quality care without breaking the bank. To that end, it has created comprehensive insurance policies designed by veterinarians to help pet parents get the coverage they’re most likely to need year in and year out. Pumpkin is known as the insurance provider that keeps pets and pet parents in mind. The policies, explanations, and even their website are all designed to make the entire insurance process easier for everyone involved.

Pumpkin also created the #ArfMeowOrVets campaign to show support for the veterinary hospitals and staff members who continue to treat our pets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Does it Cover

Pumpkin pet insurance covers more than the average. In fact, you’ll notice that the policy includes a lot of items that other companies either don’t cover at all or that they make you pay extra for. More about that later. For now, Pumpkin’s standard pet insurance policy includes coverage for the following:

• Accidents such as broken bones, poison ingestion, bite wounds
• Illnesses including skin and eye conditions, diabetes, UTIs, kidney disease, respiratory infections, and cancer
• Hereditary conditions
• Radiology, diagnostic tests, and treatments
• Prescription medications
• Emergencies
• Hospitalization
• Surgeries
• Specialized care
• Behavioral issues
• Microchip implantation
• Dental and gum care (dental and gum care includes things like X-rays, dental procedures, medications, extractions, dental illnesses, periodontal diseases).
• Sick visits and exams fees
• Advanced care (for example chemotherapy for cancer)
• Alternative therapies
• Prescription food for certain conditions

But what’s really nice about Pumpkin is that it includes things in its regular plan that aren’t normally covered. Common requests like behavioral training or alternative therapies are usually add-ons. Pumpkin’s standard plan covers both without the extra fees. Exams and dental illnesses are also unusual coverage items that Pumpkin tosses into the mix.

Insurance Plans & Pricing

Pumpkin has one basic coverage plan that includes accidents and illness. There’s also a preventive care plan that we’ll go into more detail about. The accidents and illness plan (known simply as Pet Health Insurance) has three simple options to choose from, depending on variations in the deductible. Each pet will get their own personalized quote depending on their various individual details (ex. Location, age, health conditions). Here is a quote we generated for a male, mixed-breed cat who is four years old and living in the NY area:

All plans receive the same annual coverage limits. They are $7K for cats and $10K for dogs.

Pumpkin also has a preventative care plan that you can purchase alongside your health insurance plan. The preventative care pack covers three important basics:

• Annual wellness exam: includes yearly check-up, shots, and any tests done
• Vaccines: Covers 2 vaccines of your choice (1 for cats)
• Lab tests: Includes 1 yearly blood test for heartworm screening and tick diseases (Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis) and roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms for cats

The preventative care pack also includes a yearly fecal test that checks for intestinal worms, coccidia, and giardia.

Pumpkin also gives a 10% multi-pet discount when you sign up more than one pet for insurance plans. FYI when you sign up with Pumpkin, it asks you a few additional questions about your pet to get to know them better. That’s a nice extra touch.

What is Not Covered

While Pumpkin covers a lot, there are a few exclusions worth mentioning. Notably, Pumpkin does not cover:

• Annual, non-illness related dental cleanings
• Certain cosmetic services
• Certain elective services
• Breeding costs
• Spaying or neutering
• Pre-existing conditions

A word on the pre-existing conditions exclusion: Pumpkin does not cover any condition that was symptomatic before the coverage began. However, it does cover curable pre-existing conditions as long as two conditions are met:

1.Your pet has been free from symptoms for 180 days+

2.Your pet has ceased treatment for the condition for 180+

If the condition reoccurs under these circumstances, Pumpkin will cover the treatment (minus knee and hind leg ligament conditions).

Waiting Periods

Pumpkin has a 14-day waiting period. The waiting period refers to the amount of time between paying and activating your policy. Anything that happens during this time period will not be covered by your insurance, so bear that in mind.

Coverage Limits

Pumpkin has a flat coverage limit for all pet policies of the same type. This means that all dogs get the $10,000 annual limit, and all cats get the same $7,000 annual limit. Pet parents can’t choose their own coverage limits, nor is there an unlimited coverage option. Bummer.

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Pumpkin has a flat-rate reimbursement level, unlike other pet insurance providers who give you the option to choose. Everyone receives the same 90% reimbursement level, which is very generous of Pumpkin.

In terms of deductibles, Pumpkin does offer some choices. You can choose between $100, $250, and $500. The higher your annual deductible, the lower your monthly payments will be. But it also means that your insurance policy won’t kick in until you reach that higher limit.

Here are a few examples of how reimbursements work out in real life for Pumpkin pet parents when they need it:

Pet: Charly

Diagnosis: Stomach surgery after ingesting throw pillow

Treatment cost: $3,052

Company reimbursed: $2,747

Customer paid: $305

Pet: KitKat

Diagnosis: Broken leg

Treatment cost: $2227

Company reimbursed: $2004

Customer paid: $222

Claims & Service

To file a claim with Pumpkin, you just have to fill out a quick online form. Attach a copy of your invoice for the visit, and you’re done. Pumpkin reimburses via direct deposit or checks. What’s really nice is that the company even has a direct payment option. This method makes payments easier by skipping the middle man. Instead of you paying and Pumpkin paying you back, Pumpkin will pay your vet directly.

Pumpkin customer care can be reached via phone or email with the details given below.

What You Might Like Best

• Very affordable preventative care program
• Very inclusive standard plan

What Pumpkin Could do Better

No unlimited coverage means you might get cut off

Contact Details & Address

Mon-Fri 8am-8pm EST

Phone:

1‑866‑ARF‑MEOW (1‑866‑273‑6369)

Email:

help@pumpkin.care

How Pumpkin Compares