Pumpkin & Geico: Key Differences

GEICO offers pet insurance plans through a partnership with Embrace Pet Insurance Agency, Inc., so their plans are identical to Embrace’s plans. While Pumpkin and GEICO both offer pet insurance plans for accidents & illnesses and optional wellness packages or programs, there are some key coverage differences you should be aware of when choosing which provider is right for you and your pet. Let’s dig in…

Pumpkin plans cover Rx food & supplements. The plans offered by GEICO don’t.

Rx food & supplements can be very helpful for pets suffering from a range of illnesses, from kidney disease to diabetes, but they can also be a costly recurring expense. As long as a food or supplement is prescribed to treat an eligible accident or illness and not for general health or weight maintenance, Pumpkin insurance plans can cover it. The insurance plans offered by GEICO don’t have coverage for Rx food or supplements.

Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses.

Pumpkin insurance plans cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses as a basic benefit. This can be a huge cost saver since these fees are included in nearly every vet bill. With GEICO insurance plans, coverage for vet exam fees is an optional benefit, which means you have to pay an additional monthly fee to include it.

Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover Rx meds.

Rx medication can be important for the treatment of many accidents & illnesses, whether your pet needs pain medication, help managing a chronic condition, or antibiotics for infections. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover any medication prescribed by a vet to treat an eligible condition. With GEICO insurance plans, Rx meds are an optional benefit, which means you have to pay an extra monthly fee to add this coverage to your plan.

Pumpkin plans don’t have a $1k annual reimbursement limit for dental illnesses.

70% of cats and 80% of dogs suffer from some form of gum disease by age 3,¹¹ and if your pet has a severe case that requires surgery, the vet bill can cost $2k or more! If your pet needs treatment for a dental illness, Pumpkin insurance plans will reimburse you for 80% or 90% of covered vet bills, up to your plan’s annual limit each year (options range from $5k-unlimited). The insurance plans offered by GEICO have a separate $1k annual reimbursement limit for veterinary expenses related to dental illnesses.

Pumpkin plans don’t have a 12-week time limit for alternative therapy coverage.

If your pet has an accident or illness that calls for an alternative therapy (e.g., chiropractic, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy etc.), your Pumpkin insurance plan would cover 80% or 90% of eligible vet bills for the full course of treatment recommended by your vet, up to your plan’s annual limit (options range from $5k-unlimited). The insurance plans offered by GEICO would only cover vet bills for an alternative therapy (or what they call a “complementary therapy”) if it’s related to a covered illness or surgical procedure for 12 weeks following the start of treatment.

Pumpkin plans for dogs don’t have a 180-day waiting period for orthopedic conditions.

All dogs who enroll in an insurance plan offered by GEICO have a 6-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions. These include common hereditary conditions like hip or elbow dysplasia, common injuries like ACL or CCL tears, and chronic illnesses like arthritis. To reduce the waiting period, you have to take your dog to the vet for an orthopedic exam at your own expense and complete a waiver process. If your vet finds no orthopedic condition, the 6-month waiting period can be reduced to 2 days for injuries or 14 days for illnesses. If your vet finds one, the condition will be considered pre-existing and it won’t be covered. Pumpkin insurance plans don’t have an extended waiting period for orthopedic conditions. The waiting period is the same as it is for all conditions: 14 days or less, depending on your state.*

Pumpkin plans don’t have an upper age limit for enrollment – and we’re proud of it!

The accident & illness insurance plans offered by GEICO have an upper age limit of 15 years old for new enrollments. Beyond that, your pet is only eligible for an accident-only insurance plan. At Pumpkin, we believe veterinary care for seniors is crucial, as pets are more prone to developing certain illnesses as they age. It’s why all pets 8 weeks and up are welcome to enroll in a Pumpkin accident & illness insurance plan.

It’s ALWAYS possible to get full value each year from Pumpkin’s optional wellness package.

Both Pumpkin and GEICO have optional wellness packages or programs that are not insurance, but can be added to an insurance plan for a monthly fee. With Pumpkin Preventive Essentials, you get a 100% refund for 3 of the most crucial routine care services recommended by vets each year: an annual wellness exam (we cover the exam fee), key vaccine(s), and important parasite screenings test(s). To get full value from your package each year – all you have to do is use these benefits.

With Wellness Rewards offered by GEICO, you choose an annual reimbursement allowance of $250, $450, or $650 which you pay in monthly increments over the course of the year and can use for reimbursement of any combination of 20+ different routine care services. This plan can help you save $25/yr if you use your full benefit allowance, but not all services offered are a typical yearly expense (e.g., spaying/neutering, cremation/burial, microchipping.) In addition, several services covered by Wellness Rewards are covered by Pumpkin insurance plans at no extra monthly cost, including Rx food, microchipping, radiographs, hip dysplasia exams, and acupuncture or chiropractic therapy for eligible conditions!

Compare Plans


Type of Insurance	Accident & Illness	Accident & Illness
Reimbursement Rate	80% or 90% of covered vet bills	70%, 80%, or 90% of covered vet bills
Annual Coverage Limit	$5k-unlimited	$5k-unlimited
Deductible	Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options	Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options
Illness Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	14 days in most states;* 180 days for orthopedic illnesses in dogs which can be reduced to 14 days if dog receives an orthopedic exam and no illness is found
Accident Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	2 days in most states;* 180 days for orthopedic injuries in dogs which can be reduced to 2 days if dog receives an orthopedic exam and no injury is found
All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll
All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health
Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
Chronic Conditions
Behavioral Issues
Dental Illnesses		Coverage available in most states up to $1k per year
Illnesses Preventable by Vaccines		Only if the illness occurs despite following your vet’s vaccine recommendations
Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits		Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee
Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests
Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization
Specialized Care
Alternative Therapies		Yes, but only for 12 weeks following the diagnosis of a covered condition
Prescription Meds		Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee
Prescription Supplements to Treat Covered Conditions
Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions
Microchip Implantation
End of Life Services		Limited to euthanasia
Wellness Package / Plan (Not insurance, but an optional add-on)	*Preventive Essentials 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)	*Wellness Rewards plan:* Yearly reimbursement allowance of $250, $450, or $650 for 20+ different routine care services
Discount for Multiple Pets	10% off for each additional pet	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)	30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim (except in NY)
Additional First Year Policy Fee	None	$25