Pumpkin Pet Insurance Review (2023)

Pumpkin provides a user-friendly pet insurance experience with an easy sign-up tool on its website, and it offers dental coverage—setting it apart from many other insurers.

Keep reading to learn what Pumpkin brings to the table, what customers are saying about the company, and why we think it’s one of the best pet insurance companies on the market.

What impressed us the most about this insurer is its comprehensive dental coverage, which covers tooth extractions and other treatments related to gum disease or periodontal illnesses. It also covers any related dental exam fees, procedures, costs, and dental cleanings if deemed necessary to treat a covered condition.

This company scored lower than other competitors primarily for its higher prices and lack of customization. Its expensive premiums are likely due to the set 90% reimbursement rate that comes with each policy, which is usually customizable with other providers to help lower premiums.

However, Pumpkin’s pet insurance policies for cats are much more affordable than its pet insurance for dogs.

✔ Covers microchip implantation with a standard policy
✔ Has an easy online quote tool and customer portal
✔ Includes a 90% reimbursement with all policies

✘ Its prices for many dog breeds are significantly higher than most competitors
✘ Uses a third-party company for claims, billing, and customer service
✘ Doesn’t have weekend customer service availability

Pumpkin offers one Pet Health Insurance Plan that covers vet bills related to both accidents and illnesses, such as cancer, skin conditions, respiratory infections, UTIs, kidney disease, broken bones, toxic ingestions, bite wounds, and more.

Here are some examples of procedures, treatments, and other expenses that are covered in the policy:

• Alternative therapy
• Prescription medications
• Medical supplies
• Intravenous (IV) fluids
• Poison control consultation fees
• Tooth extractions
• Surgery
• Hospitalization
• Necessary dental treatments
• Stem cell therapy
• Supplements to treat a covered accident or illness
• Prescription diet foods to treat a covered accident or illness
• Microchip implantation
• Exam fees
• MRIs
• CT scans
• X-rays

The Preventative Essentials Pack is an optional add-on that offers minimal coverage for routine care. For cats, it includes the following per year:

• One fecal exam for worms or parasites
• One vaccine
• One annual wellness exam

For dogs, it covers the following items per year:

• One blood test for heartworm and tick disease
• One annual wellness exam
• Two vaccines
• One fecal test for worms or parasites

Coverage Exclusions

Like all pet insurance companies, Pumpkin doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which it defines in a sample policy as an “illness, disease, injury, or change to your pet’s health that first occurs or shows symptoms before coverage is effective or during a waiting period. This includes conditions that are related to, secondary, or resultant from a pre-existing condition.” However, it will cover cured conditions that are without treatment or symptoms for 180 days—not including ligament or knee conditions.

Here are some other exclusions listed in a Pumpkin policy:

• Anal gland expression
• Breeding or pregnancy-related issues
• Cosmetic or elective procedures
• Funeral services
• Grooming
• Herbal products
• Organ or heart valve transplants

We found that Pumpkin’s pet insurance prices are significantly higher than normal when compared with other providers. Since all policies come with a 90% reimbursement rate, you may pay less out of pocket during a claim, but the premiums start at higher rates. You can customize your monthly premium by choosing from three annual deductibles of $100, $250, or $500 and two annual limits:

• $10,000 or $20,000 for dogs
• $7,000 or $15,000 for cats

Additionally, the optional preventive care add-on comes at an extra flat rate of $18.95 per month for dogs and $11.95 per month for cats.

Sample Monthly Premiums

To give you an idea of Pumpkin plan pricing, we’ve included sample quotes below for premiums that have a $500 deductible and $10,000 annual limit for four-year-old animals in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Discounts

Pumpkin offers a 10% discount for each additional pet that you add to your policy, making it an ideal provider for anyone with multiple pets.

C&F Insurance Agency, Inc. sells pet insurance policies from the United States Fire Insurance Company through Pumpkin in all 50 states. However, specific details of each policy may vary depending on where you live.

Pumpkin Insurance Services, Inc. has an A- rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but the company doesn’t have many reviews online since it’s so new. Some customers on Yelp reference their satisfaction with the company’s fast claims process and useful preventative care plan, while others complain about disappointing customer service and denied reimbursements.

Here are some examples of Pumpkin pet insurance reviews from customers on Yelp:

Danielle V.

“Love Pumpkin! I’ve never had pet insurance before, so I had a bunch of questions when I first started using them. Their customer service was super helpful. My kitten injured her paw which required a few visits to the vet. I was extremely grateful that I decided to get insurance after not getting it with my first cat. I’d highly recommend [it] if you have a puppy or kitty that likes to get into trouble!”

Leo C.

“For one of our pups, Olive Jane, we decided to get Pumpkin coverage for her as she’s getting a bit older. After having coverage for about [three] months, she was due for her annual [checkup] with her usual vet. She had elevated liver enzyme levels, so the vet recommended further testing and an ultrasound. We, of course, agreed to this. We submitted our claim afterwards expecting for the overage after [the] deductible to be covered…but no. Pumpkin handily denied it, citing ‘pre-existing condition’ as a blanket reasoning, leaving us with over $1,000 in charges for the testing.”

Pumpkin Insurance Services, Inc. is one of the newest companies to the pet insurance industry and was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 in response to the rise in adoptions of cats and dogs across the country.

The company was started by Zoetis, which is a global veterinary drug and vaccine producer. With its new insurance arm, Zoetis aims to combat rapidly increasing vet prices, offering pet parents an affordable way to get their animals back to good health after unexpected accidents or illnesses.

Like a handful of other popular pet insurance providers, such as Spot and ASPCA, Pumpkin’s policies are underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company and provided by Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, which has an A (excellent) rating by AM Best.

This means Crum & Forster (C&F) Insurance Agency, Inc. handles claims, billing, and customer service for Pumpkin.

For pet parents looking for comprehensive dental coverage for injuries or illnesses related to their cat or dog’s teeth, we recommend checking out Pumpkin’s Pet Health Insurance Plan.

However, since all Pumpkin policies come with a 90% reimbursement percentage, they can be much pricier than what competitors offer. If you’re looking for cheap pet insurance companies, we suggest comparing prices from Lemonade or Embrace.

Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews team is dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:

• Coverage (25)
• Plan options (20)
• Monthly cost (20)
• Company reputation (15)
• Customer service (10)
• Species eligibility (10)

Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.