Pumpkin & Pawp: Key Differences

Pumpkin offers pet insurance plans with extensive accident & illness coverage, as well as an optional wellness package. Pawp doesn’t offer pet insurance – they are a digital vet clinic membership with limited coverage for life-threatening emergencies. There are several key differences between Pumpkin and Pawp to be aware of when choosing which coverage solution is right for you and your pet.¹ Let’s dig in…

Pumpkin offers pet insurance plans for accidents & illnesses. Pawp offers a one-time emergency fund.

Pumpkin offers pet insurance plans with extensive coverage for accidents & illnesses, and was recently awarded “Best Pet Insurance for Unlimited Annual Coverage'' by Business Insider.² All Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans offer high 80% and 90% reimbursement rates on covered vet bills with a range of annual limit options from $5k-unlimited to choose from based on your pet’s needs and budget. If your pet gets sick or hurt unexpectedly, Pumpkin insurance plans can help you provide the best care possible, even when it comes at a high cost.

Pumpkin plans cover accidents & illnesses that aren’t life-threatening emergencies. Pawp doesn't.

Pumpkin insurance plans cover a wide range of accidents & illnesses from common everyday health issues like ear infections and indigestion, to catastrophic life-threatening emergencies like car accidents and congestive heart failure. Regardless of the severity of the incident, Pumpkin plans can cover up to 90% of eligible vet bills up to your plan’s annual limit. In addition, Pumpkin plans don’t limit the number of claims you can submit in a year.

1. Pawp’s emergency fund covers life-threatening emergencies only. They categorize the severity of emergency care into 5 levels:

2. Life-threatening emergency – must seek vet care immediately

3. Critical – highly recommended that pet be seen within 24 hours

4. Urgent – the pet owner can make the next available vet appointment (within 3 days)

5. Non-urgent – may need to see a vet at some point in the future

6. No action required – situation resolved

Pawp only releases their emergency funds for level 1 pet emergencies that are life-threatening and require immediate treatment. Critical and urgent health care issues wouldn’t be eligible for these funds. And after you use up your $3k for an eligible emergency, Pawp will not cover any subsequent vet bills.

Pumpkin plans cover treatment for accidents & illnesses beyond emergency care. Pawp doesn’t.

If your pet gets hurt or sick, your Pumpkin insurance plan can help cover their care every step of the way from the initial virtual or in-person vet visit fee, to the diagnostic tests, to the treatment – whether it requires serious surgery and rehab therapy, simple Rx medication, or advanced care like chemotherapy or stem cell therapy. Unless your pet is having a life-threatening emergency, Pawp does not cover the cost of any treatments.

Pumpkin plans cover dental illnesses that aren’t life-threatening emergencies. Pawp doesn’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! That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover dental illnesses. Pawp covers treatment for dental illnesses only if there is a life-threatening emergency.

Pumpkin plans cover behavioral issues. Pawp doesn’t.

With over 99% of U.S. dogs reported to have behavior issues in a recent study,⁴ coverage for common behavioral problems like separation anxiety and aggression can prove to be very valuable. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover behavioral issues. Pawp doesn’t cover these at all.

Pumpkin plans cover hereditary, congenital & chronic conditions that aren’t life-threatening emergencies. Pawp doesn’t.

From hip dysplasia and heart defects, to arthritis and diabetes – hereditary, congenital, and chronic conditions are extremely common. They affect both dogs and cats and can show signs at any age. We recognize how crucial this coverage is for pets – that’s why coverage for all three conditions is a basic benefit of any Pumpkin insurance plan. Pawp covers treatment for these conditions only if there is a life-threatening emergency.

When an emergency happens, Pumpkin plans don’t have a live face-to-face video call requirement to get coverage.

After you enroll in a Pumpkin insurance plan and your waiting period passes, your pet is covered for eligible accidents & illnesses. That means when there’s an emergency, you can head straight to your nearest licensed emergency clinic or vet hospital for treatment and count on your Pumpkin plan to reimburse you for up to 90% of any vet bills received for a covered condition.

Pumpkin plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount. Pawp doesn’t.

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 insurance plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount for each additional pet you enroll.⁵ Pawp doesn’t offer multi-pet discounts, but their membership can include up to 6 pets per household for no additional fee. However, you can only use the $3k emergency fund for one of those pets for one life-threatening emergency per year.

Pumpkin offers an optional wellness package that refunds routine care. Pawp doesn’t.

Pawp’s emergency fund can’t be used to help cover the costs of your pet’s routine care. At Pumpkin, we’re just as committed to preventing illnesses and detecting diseases early as we are to treating them. That’s why we worked with leading vets to create Preventive Essentials – our wellness package. It’s not insurance, but an optional benefit you can add to your insurance plan to get refunds for routine care pets need to stay healthy each year, including: your pet’s annual wellness exam fee; vaccines (4 for puppies, 2 for dogs, 1 for cats); a fecal “poop” test for intestinal worms (roundworms, hookworms & whipworms); and for dogs, a blood test for heartworm disease and diseases spread by ticks (lyme, ehrlichiosis & anaplasmosis).