Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review
Best for Puppies
If you’ve brought home a new puppy, you may be in for sticker shock when you take your pet to the veterinarian. From vaccinations to physical exams, young pets require a lot of care.
If you have a preventative essentials policy from Pumpkin pet insurance, you’ll get a full refund for eligible wellness visits and treatments, which could help you save money — or at least offset the cost of your premiums. Since Pumpkin also offers fine plans specifically designed for puppies, it’s one of our choices for the best pet insurance companies.
- Pumpkin Pet Insurance Pros and Cons
- Pumpkin Plans
- Pumpkin Costs/Pricing Tier
- Financial Stability
- Accessibility
- Customer Satisfaction
- How We Evaluated Pumpkin Pet Insurance
- Summary of Money’s Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review
Pumpkin Pet Insurance Pros and Cons
- Preventative care plans for puppies and kittens
- 14-day waiting period for all illnesses and accidents
- Covers advanced treatments
- No upper age limit for covered animals
- No reimbursement percentage options
- No mobile app
Pros Explained
Preventative care plans for puppies
Unusually, Pumpkin has a wellness plan specifically designed for puppies. Its preventative essentials plan is available for dogs as young as eight weeks, and it covers annual wellness exams, up to four vaccines and an annual fecal test. (The company also offers a kitten plan.)
14-day waiting period for all illnesses and accidents
Whereas most pet insurance companies have a six-month waiting period — at least for certain problems, such as knee and ligament issues — Pumpkin’s waiting period is just 14 days for all conditions. The short waiting period is especially helpful if you have a breed of pet that is susceptible to joint issues, such as hip dysplasia or luxating patella.
Covers advanced treatments
Veterinarians sometimes recommend advanced or alternative therapies for pets dealing with arthritis or chronic pain. But not all insurance companies cover these. With Pumpkin, you can get coverage for acupuncture, stem cell therapy and even behavioral therapy as long as the treatments are prescribed and performed by a veterinarian.
No upper age limit
Most insurance companies either don’t cover pets that are older than a certain age or limit the reimbursement percentage for elderly pets. But Pumpkin offers a flat 90% reimbursement for all pets, regardless of their age.
Cons Explained
No reimbursement percentage options
Pet insurance companies usually offer multiple reimbursement options, such as 70% to 90%. But Pumpkin offers only 90% reimbursement. Since such a percentage typically comes with higher premiums, this lack of choice limits your ability to adjust the reimbursement level to match your budget.
No mobile app
Most pet insurers now have mobile apps you can use to manage your policy and file a claim, but Pumpkin doesn’t have that feature. Instead, you can only manage your account online, and claims must be submitted through the website or mail.
Pumpkin Plans
Pumpkin has separate plans for dogs and cats. Its plans are accident and illness policies, but it does offer optional preventative plans.
Insurance for Dogs
- Annual Maximum: $10,000, $20,000 or unlimited
- Reimbursement Options: 90%
- Deductibles: $100, $250 or $500
Pumpkin’s insurance policies for dogs cover unexpected injuries or illnesses. You're reimbursed for up to 90% of eligible expenses, up to the annual maximum, for the diagnosis and treatment of your pet by a vet. This plan also covers the cost of microchipping the animal.
Insurance for Cats
- Annual Maximum: $7,000, $15,000 or unlimited
- Reimbursement: 90%
- Deductibles: $100, $250 or $500
The insurance plan for cats also covers unexpected accidents and injuries, but it has lower annual maximums than the plan for dogs. The insurance plan for cats also covers microchipping.
Preventative Essentials
The Preventative Essentials plan is Pumpkin’s optional wellness program. It covers some routine or preventative care expenses for your pet:
- One annual wellness checkup
- Two vaccines per year
- One annual blood test for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
- One annual fecal exam for hookworms, roundworms and whipworms
Preventative plan customers also receive a welcome box and dog toy.
Preventative Essentials for Puppies
The Preventative Essentials plan for puppies provides extra coverage. It’s designed for pets under six months of age, and will reimburse you for the following expenses:
- One wellness checkup
- Four puppy vaccines
- One fecal exam
Pumpkin Costs/Pricing Tier
Although Pumpkin wasn’t one of the companies included in the past price survey, we researched Pumpkin’s pricing and found it to be higher than average, but that’s partially because Pumpkin has a 90% reimbursement percentage. To give you a snapshot of its rates, we requested quotes for dogs and cats of different breeds and ages.
Rate quotes are for a dog owner in Orlando, FL, and are based on a $10,000 annual reimbursement limit, a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement percentage. Your premiums may vary since they’re dependent on your pet’s species, breed, age and location.
Sample monthly pricing for dogs
| 1 year old | 5 years old | 10 years old | 15 years old | |
| Cocker Spaniel | $54.04 | $65.62 | $138.97 | $193.01 |
| Labrador Retriever | $54.04 | $65.62 | $138.97 | $193.01 |
| Pomeranian | $38.88 | $47.21 | $99.98 | $138.86 |
For cat policies, the quotes below are based on a $7,000 annual limit, 90% reimbursement percentage and $500 deductible.
Sample monthly pricing for cats
| 1 year old | 5 years old | 10 years old | 15 years old | |
| Domestic Shorthair | $17.53 | $20.45 | $36.51 | $65.72 |
| Maine Coon | $26.04 | $30.38 | $54.26 | $97.66 |
| Russian Blue | $17.53 | $20.45 | $36.51 | $65.72 |
Discounts
Pumpkin offers a 10% discount off your premiums when you enroll two or more pets.
Pumpkin's Financial Stability
Before selecting a pet insurance company, it’s a good idea to check out AM Best’s Financial Strength Ratings (FSR). They rate companies on their stability and ability to pay future claims, so you can feel confident in your decision knowing the insurer can afford to pay out claims you may submit.
Pumpkin’s pet insurance policies are underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company. The company holds an AM Best rating of A (Excellent).
Pumpkin Accessibility
Similar to other pet insurance companies, Pumpkin has a blog with educational articles and an online quote tool. Pumpkin does have an online chat feature, but it doesn’t have a mobile app, nor does it offer 24/7 customer support like some other companies.
Availability
Pumpkin’s policies are available to residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. You can use your coverage to get treatment for your pet at any licensed veterinarian in the U.S. or Canada, which not every U.S. insurer allows.
Contact Information
Customer support is available by phone, online chat or email. To contact customer service, call 1-866-273-6369 or email help@pumpkin.care.
Customer service is only available during the following times:
Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m until 8:00 p.m. EST
User Experience
As a Pumpkin policyholder, you can manage your pet’s policy through Pumpkin’s website by creating an online account. You can make payments, download policy documents and submit a claim through the site.
Coverage Limitations
Pumpkin only insures dogs and cats. All other animals, including birds or reptiles, are ineligible for coverage.
Pumpkin Customer Satisfaction
As a newer insurance company, there are fewer Pumpkin pet insurance reviews than there are for other companies. On TrustPilot, Pumpkin’s TrustScore is 4.6 (excellent) out of 5 based on approximately 60 reviews. Pumpkin is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it has an above-average score of 4.47 out of 5 based on 15 customer reviews.
How We Evaluated Pumpkin Pet Insurance
To review Pumpkin pet insurance, we looked at the following factors:
- Typical premiums
- Plan options
- Reimbursement amounts
- Annual and lifetime caps
- Policy exclusions and restrictions
- Wellness benefits
- Customer support
- Customer reviews
- Third-party ratings
Summary of Money’s Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review
Pet ownership can be expensive, and that’s especially true when you’re bringing home a new puppy. Puppies need a lot of care and veterinary visits early in their lives, which can be costly. Pumpkin’s pet insurance and preventative care plans can help you cover some of those expenses.
Pumpkin doesn’t have an upper age limit, and it has a relatively short waiting period for accidents and illnesses. However, it has limited annual benefits and only one reimbursement percentage, so its premiums may be higher than you’d get elsewhere.
Before selecting an insurer and enrolling your pet in a plan, it’s a good idea to compare policies from multiple pet insurance companies to ensure you pick the right company for you and your pet.