Pumpkin vs

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. 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 Comprehensive Coverage” by BusinessInsider.com.15 All Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans offer a high 90% reimbursement rate on covered vet bills and a data-backed1 annual coverage limit of $10k for dogs or $7k for cats, with higher annual limit options (including an unlimited option) for pet parents looking for added peace of mind. 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.

Pawp does not offer pet insurance plans, and so does not cover ongoing veterinary expenses related to accidents or illnesses. Instead, Pawp gives you a $3k fund that can be used for one life-threatening emergency per year. However, after you use up that $3k, you are responsible for any remaining vet bill balance. Pawp also has an app that offers digital access to veterinarians for care consultations.

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 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.

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

  1. Life-threatening emergency – must seek vet care immediately
  2. Critical – highly recommended that pet be seen within 24 hours
  3. Urgent – the pet owner can make the next available vet appointment (within 3 days)
  4. Non-urgent – may need to see a vet at some point in the future
  5. 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.
With 70% of cats and 80% of dogs suffering from some form of gum disease by age 3,11 having coverage for dental illnesses is crucial, as treatment can get very costly. 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 an estimated 40% of cat and dog owners reporting pets with behavioral problems,10 we believe coverage for behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression is a necessity, not a nice to have. 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 14-day 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 90% of any vet bills received for a covered condition. With Pawp, when an emergency happens, you have to first initiate a mandatory live face-to-face video call or send a video recording to a Pawp vet, so that Pawp can determine if it is a life-threatening emergency or not. If they determine that it is, they will release the funds and then you can go get care. You wouldn’t have access to the emergency fund if your pet is admitted before contacting a Pawp vet, or if they decide it’s not a life-threatening emergency.

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. 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).

Compare Plans

Type of Product
Accident & Illness Insurance + Optional Wellness Package
Digital Veterinary Clinic Membership + Emergency Fund
Reimbursement Rate
90% of covered vet bills
N/A
Annual Coverage Limit

$10k, $20k, or unlimited for dogs
$7k, $15k, or unlimited for cats

$3k for life-threatening emergencies
Deductible
Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options
N/A
Illness Waiting Period
14 days in most states*
14 days before you can use the emergency fund
Accident Waiting Period
14 days in most states*
14 days before you can use the emergency fund
All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll
All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health
Accidents
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Illnesses
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Chronic Conditions
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Behavioral Issues
Dental Illnesses
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Specialized Care
Only if a life-threatening emergency
Prescription Meds
Only for a life-threatening emergency
Alternative Therapies
Only for a life-threatening emergency
Prescription Supplements to Treat Covered Conditions
Only for a life-threatening emergency
Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions
Only for a life-threatening emergency
Microchip Implantation
End of Life Services

Wellness Package
(Not insurance, but an optional add-on)

100% refund of the following routine care services each year:
+ 1 Annual Wellness Exam Fee + 4 Vaccines for Puppies, 2 for Dogs, 1 for Cats
+ 1 Fecal “Poop” Test for Intestinal Worms
+ 1 Blood Test for Heartworm & Tick Diseases or Heartworm Only (for Dogs)

Discount for Multiple Pets
10% off for each additional pet
Money Back Guarantee
30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim (except in NY)
None

Ready to get started?

Help us get to know your pet, so we can help you create their plan.