Pumpkin & Chewy: Key Differences

Chewy offers pet insurance plans through a partnership with Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. and Lemonade Insurance Agency, LLC. While Pumpkin and Chewy both offer pet insurance plans for accidents & illnesses and optional wellness packages or plans, there are some key coverage differences you should be aware of when choosing which provider and plan is right for you and your pet.¹ Let’s dig in…

Pumpkin plans cover treatment for parasite infections. Chewy plans don’t.

Heartworms, ticks, fleas, and intestinal parasites (or worms) are year-round threats to dogs and cats across the US, indoors and out. While routine vaccines and preventive meds can help protect against some parasites and catch infections early, research shows that most dogs and cats will suffer from a parasite-borne illness in their lifetime.² For these reasons, Pumpkin insurance plans cover eligible treatments for parasite infections. Chewy insurance plans generally don’t offer coverage for parasite infections.

Pumpkin plans cover dental illnesses. Some Chewy plans don’t.

70% of cats and 80% of dogs suffer from periodontal disease by age 3³ – and severe cases requiring surgery can cost $2k or more! Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans automatically include dental illness coverage in every plan. Chewy insurance plans provided by Lemonade exclude it, while plans provided by Trupanion include it, but may require a routine dental cleaning first – if recommended by your veterinarian – to maintain coverage eligibility.

Pumpkin plans cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses. Some Chewy plans don’t.

All Pumpkin insurance plans cover exam fees for accident and illness vet visits as a standard benefit, with both in-clinic and virtual visits included! This can be a huge cost saver as exam fees typically range from $53 to $174⁴ and are included in nearly every vet bill. With Chewy, whether exam fee coverage is included will depend on the plan you choose. For instance, it’s excluded in their Accident Only, Essential, and Essential Plus insurance plans provided by Trupanion, and their Base plan provided by Lemonade. It is included, however, in their highest-priced plan option provided by Trupanion, the Complete plan, as well as their Value and Value Plus plans provided by Lemonade.

Pumpkin plans cover behavioral issues. Some Chewy plans don’t.

With an estimated 40% of cat and dog owners reporting pets with behavioral problems,⁵ we believe coverage for behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression is a necessity, not a nice to have. That’s why all Pumpkin insurance plans cover behavioral issues as a standard benefit. With Chewy, whether coverage for behavioral conditions is included will depend on the plan you choose. For instance, it’s excluded in Chewy’s Accident Only, Essential, and Essential Plus insurance plans provided by Trupanion, and their Base and Value plans provided by Lemonade. It is included, however, in their highest-priced plan options – the Complete plan provided by Trupanion, and the Value Plus plan provided by Lemonade.

Pumpkin plans cover rehabilitation therapies for accidents & illnesses. Some Chewy plans don’t.

With more vets using rehabilitation and alternative therapies like acupuncture and chiropractic to help rehabilitate pets with orthopedic injuries or to manage chronic conditions like arthritis, this coverage can prove to be extremely valuable. That’s why all Pumpkin insurance plans include coverage for rehabilitation therapies for accidents & illnesses as a standard benefit. With Chewy, whether coverage for rehabilitation therapies is included or excluded varies from plan to plan. For instance, it’s excluded in Chewy’s Accident Only, Essential, and Essential Plus insurance plans provided by Trupanion as well as their Base and Value plans provided by Lemonade. It is included, however, in their highest-priced plan options – the Complete plan provided by Trupanion, and the Value Plus plan provided by Lemonade.

Pumpkin plans cover prescription food for covered conditions. Some Chewy plans don’t.

Rx food can be very helpful for pets suffering from a range of illnesses, from kidney disease to diabetes, but it can also be a costly recurring expense. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover any food prescribed to treat an eligible accident or illness (and not for general health or weight maintenance),⁶ without a time limit specifically for Rx food coverage. Chewy insurance plans provided by Lemonade exclude Rx food coverage. Their plans provided by Trupanion include it, but there is a time limit of up to 120 or 180 days when the Rx food is purchased from the Chewy store, or up to 60 or 90 days when purchased from any other retailer.

Pumpkin plans cover eligible end-of-life expenses. Some Chewy plans don’t.

Losing a pet is utterly heartbreaking. During such a sad time, taking care of your pet’s end-of-life expenses is a very emotional and difficult thing for any pet parent to face. While nothing can fully ease this pain, Pumpkin insurance plans offer coverage for end-of-life services including cremation, burial, and euthanasia. Chewy insurance plans provided by Trupanion don’t offer this coverage. Their plans provided by Lemonade do offer coverage for euthanasia – but not cremation or burial.

Pumpkin plans offer a wide range of annual limit options based on your budget and pet’s needs.

When it comes to pet insurance, higher annual coverage limits typically result in higher insurance premiums for pet owners. Chewy insurance plans either offer a $20k annual limit or an unlimited annual limit. Pumpkin insurance plans offer these too, but they also offer lower, more cost-friendly annual limits that work for a majority of pet owners. In fact, we found that less than 2% of recent Pumpkin customers with dogs typically file over $10k/yr in claims and less than 3% of recent Pumpkin customers with cats typically file over $7k/yr in claims.⁷ It’s why Pumpkin plans offer standard annual limits of $10k for dogs and $7k for cats as well as lower and higher options to suit the needs of different pets and budgets.