Pumpkin & Nationwide: Key Differences
While Pumpkin and Nationwide 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 is right for you and your pet. Let’s dig in…
Pumpkin plans reimburse 90% of covered vet bills. Nationwide's Whole Pet plan does not.
Nationwide offers two pet insurance plans. Whole Pet reimburses 50% or 70% of eligible vet bills for accidents & illnesses and Major Medical reimburses a capped amount per condition per year, regardless of the actual vet bill. At Pumpkin, we believe every pet parent deserves to get maximum cash back on vet bills, which is why Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans have a high 90% reimbursement rate fur all! Let’s look at a hypothetical example – say your pet fractures their leg and surgery costs $5,700. Assuming you’ve already met your deductible, your Pumpkin insurance plan with a 90% reimbursement rate would pay you back for $5,130. A plan with a 70% reimbursement rate would only pay you back for $3,990.
Pumpkin plans offer flexible deductible options. Nationwide plans don’t.
Pumpkin plans cover behavioral issues. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
With an estimated 40% of pet owners reporting cats or dogs with behavioral problems,10 having coverage to treat common behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression can prove to be very valuable. Pumpkin insurance plans cover behavioral issues. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
Pumpkin plans cover congenital & hereditary conditions. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan excludes coverage for many of them.
From cleft palate, to elbow dysplasia, to polycystic kidney disease – congenital and hereditary conditions are extremely common in both dogs and cats, and can show signs at any age. Due to the prevalence of debilitating conditions like these, we recognize how crucial this coverage is for pets. It’s why all Pumpkin insurance plans cover congenital and hereditary conditions. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan excludes many of these conditions from coverage.
All Pumpkin plans cover parasite infections. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
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.17 For these reasons, Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans cover parasite infections. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
Pumpkin plans cover Rx food & supplements. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
Pumpkin plans enroll all pets, 8 weeks & up. Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not.
Veterinary care for seniors is critical, as pets are more prone to developing certain illnesses as they age. The same goes for kittens and puppies with fragile immune systems in their first year. For these reasons, we welcome all pets 8 weeks and up to enroll in a Pumpkin Pet Insurance plan. Nationwide’s Major Medical and Feline Select plans have an upper age limit of 10 years old for enrollment, while Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan has a lower age limit of 1 year old.
Pumpkin plans don’t have a 365-day waiting period for knee injury coverage.
Knee injuries, like CCL tears or meniscal ruptures, are extremely common in cats and dogs and can happen at any age. If surgery is needed to repair the knee, it can cost thousands. With a Pumpkin insurance plan, there is only a 14-day waiting period for knee injury coverage. With Nationwide Whole Pet or Major Medical insurance plans, your pet has to wait a year after they enroll to be eligible for coverage.
Pumpkin plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount. Nationwide plans offer a 5% multi-pet discount.
We know pet care can be expensive – especially when you have more than one four-legged family member to budget for. That’s why Pumpkin offers a 10% multi-pet discount for each additional pet you enroll. Nationwide offers a 5% multi-pet discount when you enroll 2-3 additional pets, and a 10% discount when you enroll 4 or more pets.
It’s ALWAYS possible to get full value each year from Pumpkin’s optional wellness package.
Pumpkin worked with leading vets to create a wellness package called Preventive Essentials. It’s not insurance, but an optional benefit you can add to your insurance plan for a monthly fee. Designed to help you plan and pay for crucial routine care that keeps your pet healthy, Preventive Essentials gives you a 100% refund each year for an annual wellness exam (we cover the exam fee), key vaccine(s), and important parasite screenings test(s). To get the most out of your package – all you have to do is use these 3 benefits.
Nationwide offers 2 optional wellness plans (Wellness Basic and Wellness Plus) that can be added to their Major Medical insurance plan for a monthly fee. They both offer reimbursement for 11 different services up to a capped amount per service, per year. The only difference is Wellness Plus has a higher monthly fee and higher reimbursement caps. These plans can be helpful if you use most of the services offered, but not everything on the menu is a typical yearly expense (e.g., deworming, microchipping, behavioral exam). Whatever benefits you don’t use in the year term, you lose – there are no carryovers.
Compare Plans
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Type of Insurance |
Accident & Illness |
Accident & Illness |
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Reimbursement Rate |
90% of covered vet bills |
Whole Pet plan: Major Medical plan: |
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Annual Coverage Limit |
$10k, $20k, or unlimited for dogs |
Whole Pet plan: Major Medical plan: |
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Deductible |
Annual Deductible options of $100, $250, $500, or $1k |
Annual Deductible of $250 for all plans |
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Illness Waiting Period |
14 days |
14 days |
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Accident Waiting Period |
14 days |
14 days; 365 days for knee ligament injuries |
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All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll |
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Major Medical plan: |
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All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health |
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Hereditary & Congenital Conditions |
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Depends on the plan |
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Chronic Conditions |
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Behavioral Issues |
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Depends on the plan |
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Dental Illnesses |
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Major Medical plan excludes gingivitis |
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Parasite Infections |
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Depends on the plan |
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Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits |
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Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests |
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Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization |
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Specialized Care |
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Alternative Therapies |
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Prescription Meds |
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Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Depends on the plan |
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Prescription Supplements to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Depends on the plan |
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Microchip Implantation |
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End of Life Services |
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Wellness Package or Plan |
Preventive Essentials package: 100% refund of the following routine care services each year: |
Wellness Basic plan: Wellness Plus plan: |
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Discount for Multiple Pets |
10% off for each additional pet |
5% off for 2 or 3 pets, |
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Money Back Guarantee |
30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim
(except in NY) |
10 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim |
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