Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Verdict
Paw Protect and Pumpkin are two fairly new companies in the pet insurance space. You get a little more flexibility with Paw Protect’s three choices of 70%, 80% and 90% reimbursement percentages, while Pumpkin’s is fixed at 90%. Paw Protect also offers a 24/7 pet telehealth line.
Here’s how the two insurers compare in more detail:
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual coverage options | $5000, $10,000, Unlimited | $10,000, $20,000, Unlimited |
| Deductible options | $100, $250, $500 | $100, $250, $500, $1,000 |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% |
| Coverage start | 14 days | 14 days |
| Maximum age at sign-up | 5 years accident and illness | No maximum |
| Vet exam fees included | ||
| Dental accidents covered | ||
| Dental illness covered | ||
| Wellness plan offered | ||
| 24/7 Telehealth | ||
| End of life coverage included | ||
| 10% Multi-pet discount | ||
| Military discount |
Information correct as of May 2023
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Claims process
Paw Protect and Pumpkin operate like traditional pet insurance companies here, meaning you pay the bill up front, then claim and wait for it to be processed before getting your money back. Both have a good reputation for timely and efficient processing and payment.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: What do the plans cover?
Price is important to pet parents looking for pet insurance, but there’s no point in saving a few bucks if whatever illness or injury befalls your favorite feline or preferred pup isn’t covered by your policy.
Paw Protect is very comprehensive and Pumpkin is comparable, with both covering the costs of accident and illness treatment, even if the conditions are hereditary, chronic or congenital.
Indeed, both plans will pay for most conditions that can afflict a pet. These include but aren’t limited to:
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Cataracts
- Dental disease
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea
- Ear infections
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastroenteritis
- Kidney disease
- Ligament injury
- Limping
- Liver disease
- Lymphoma
- Pancreatitis
- Seizures
- Vomiting
Both Paw Protect and Pumpkin will pay out for eye, ear and skin infections, broken bones, swallowed objects, bite wounds, radiology, prescription medications, alternative therapies, end-of-life expenses, diagnostics, and tooth extractions.
On top of this, Paw Protect also has an invaluable 24/7 pet telehealth line, so you can seek expert medical advice at any time.
Do Paw Protect and Pumpkin have a wellness plan?
Both companies offer an additional routine wellness plan that, used wisely, saves you a lot of money on regular and preventative care for your pet.
Paw Protect’s Wellness Rewards plan includes grooming, neutering, vaccinations, and a range of preventative therapies, including flea, tick and heartworm treatments. Its annual coverage choices are $250, $450 and $650. Wellness Rewards is offered as a supplementary, non-insurance benefit administered by Embrace Pet Insurance Agency in the United States. Wellness Rewards is not available in Rhode Island.
Pumpkin’s Preventative Essential package helps to pay for wellbeing needs such as wellness examinations, vaccines, fecal tests, and heartworm and tick treatments.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: What are the coverage limits?
Pumpkin and Paw Protect both have a range of annual coverage limits, which let you select the one that works best for your pet and finances.
Paw Protect has a choice of three limits: $5,000, $10,000 and Unlimited. Meanwhile, Pumpkin has three levels of coverage: £10,000, $20,000 and Unlimited.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Deductibles
Paw Protect offers an excellent range of deductibles – the amount you’ll pay each year towards covered vet bills before we begin to contribute. You can choose from $100, $250 and $500 per year.
Pumpkin has deductibles of $100, $250 and $500.
What are Paw Protect and Pumpkin’s reimbursement percentage options?
Pumpkin only offers one reimbursement of 90%. This means Pumpkin will pay 90% of any covered claim, after you’ve paid your deductible.
Paw Protect, meanwhile, provides 70%, 80% and 90% reimbursement options.
The lower the reimbursement amount you select, the cheaper your annual premium, and the smaller your pay-out from the insurer, will be.
Do Paw Protect and Pumpkin have any exclusions?
Exclusions are the things that an insurer will not pay out for and all insurers have them. With pet insurance, the most common exclusion is pre-existing conditions.
Both of these insurers will cover some curable pre-existing conditions if the pet hasn’t experienced symptoms or treatment for a set period of time. With Pumpkin that time period is 180 days, with Paw Protect it’s 12 months.
How expensive are Paw Protect and Pumpkin?
As you can see from their comprehensive cover, both Pumpkin and Paw Protect offer premium insurance packages. This means they tend to cost a little more than some lesser plans. If you bear in mind that one relatively modest pet illness or accident could cost thousands of dollars – the equivalent of several years’ premiums – it’s clear that pet insurance is one area that’s well worth investing in.
Both plans have a lot of flexibility in their offerings to help you control the annual cost; but, in this respect, Paw Protect, with its choice of three reimbursement levels is better positioned to help manage your outgoings.
Medium Mixed Breed Puppy
3 months old
in Los Angeles, 91010
$10,000 annual coverage
Golden Retriever
3 years old
in Orlando, 32807
$10,000 annual coverage
Chihuahua
6 years old
in Sacramento, 94211
Unlimited annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair Kitten
3 months old
in New York City, 10008
Unlimited annual coverage
Tabby Cat
3 years old
in Dallas, 75061
Unlimited annual coverage
All quotes are based on a $500 deductible and 90% reimbursement. Prices correct as of May 2023
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: How quickly are claims paid?
With regular pet insurance, reimbursement speed is a crucial factor – and the cause of many complaints on review pages. After all, people have paid big vet bills out of their own funds or borrowed the money.
Paw Protect and Pumpkin have a good reputation for paying claims promptly; with Pumpkin, for example, you can expect to wait two to three weeks for payment, if your claim is accepted. Both companies reimburse your costs more quickly if you opt for direct deposit payment, rather than payment by check.
Do Paw Protect and Pumpkin offer any discounts?
Pumpkin offers a 10% multi-pet discount, while Paw Protect delivers the same 10% multi-pet discount, plus a 5% reduction for former and active military personnel.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Standard waiting periods
Waiting periods are the intervals between taking out your pet insurance and certain elements of the cover kicking in. They vary from company to company.
With Paw Protect, there is a two-week illness waiting period which begins on your policies’ effective date. Orthopedic conditions have additional waiting or exclusion periods that vary by state.
Do Paw Protect and Pumpkin’s plans include behavioral treatments?
Well-behaved, happy pets are amazing. That means therapy and training for any cats and dogs that suffer with behavioral issues, such as anxiety or aggression, is crucial.
Paw Protect covers both behavioral therapy and training, but it must be carried out by a veterinarian for a condition covered by the policy.
Pumpkin offers behavioral treatments, but doesn’t list what’s included.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Is there a maximum age for enrollment?
At Pumpkin there’s no maximum age for enrollment. With Paw Protect, new enrollments for accident and illness cover are accepted up to 5 years.
Paw Protect vs Pumpkin: Customer reviews
Pumpkin gets some of the best reviews in the industry, with an overall Trustpilot score of 4.5. Ninety percent of its reviews are either four or five stars, so clearly most customers are very happy.