Pumpkin & Healthy Paws: Key Differences

While Pumpkin and Healthy Paws both offer pet insurance plans that cover accidents & illnesses, there are some key coverage differences you should be aware of when choosing which plan is right for you and your pet. Let’s dig in…

Pumpkin plans cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses. Healthy Paws plans don’t.

Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans cover exam fees for accident and illness-related vet visits – in-clinic and virtual visits included! This can be a huge cost saver as exam fees typically cost $50 to $75¹⁶ and are included in nearly every vet bill. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance plans do not cover any vet exam fees.

Pumpkin plans cover dental illnesses. Healthy Paws plans don’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 expensive. Pumpkin insurance plans cover treatment for dental and periodontal illnesses. Healthy Paws insurance plans don’t.

Pumpkin plans cover behavioral issues. Healthy Paws plans don’t.

With an estimated 40% of pet owners reporting cats or dogs with behavioral problems,¹⁰ having coverage to treat common behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression can prove to be very valuable. Pumpkin insurance plans cover behavioral issues. Healthy Paws insurance plans do not.

Pumpkin plans cover preventable diseases. Healthy Paws plans don’t.

Healthy Paws insurance plans don’t cover diseases that could have otherwise been prevented by routine vaccinations or preventive medication. While we encourage you to stay up to date with your pet’s preventive care, your Pumpkin insurance plan would not decline to cover a serious illness like parvovirus or lyme disease because they missed a vaccine or dose of preventive medication.

Pumpkin plans cover Rx food & supplements. Healthy Paws plans 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. Healthy Paws insurance plans don’t offer coverage for Rx food or supplements.

Pumpkin plans don’t limit coverage options for seniors or certain breeds.

We believe all pet parents are entitled to high reimbursement rates and low annual deductibles regardless of their pet’s old age, or breed. It’s why everyone who enrolls in a Pumpkin insurance plan can choose to get 80% or 90% cash back on eligible vet bills and a $100, $250, $500, or $1k annual deductible. Healthy Paws insurance plans offer limited reimbursement rate and deductible options for older pets and certain breeds that enroll. For example, if you have a 10-year-old Pug, you are only eligible to get 50% cash back on eligible vet bills and a $1k annual deductible, but if you have a 1-year-old medium mixed-breed dog, you are eligible to get 70%-90% cash back on eligible vet bills and a $100-$500 annual deductible.

Pumpkin plans don’t just offer one annual coverage limit option.

When it comes to pet insurance, higher annual coverage limits typically result in higher insurance premiums for pet owners. Health Paws insurance plans only offer an unlimited annual coverage limit. Pumpkin insurance plans offer this too, but they also offer lower, more cost-friendly annual limits that work for a majority of pet owners. In fact, we found that less than 2% of recent Pumpkin customers with dogs typically file over $10k/yr in claims and less than 3% of recent Pumpkin customers with cats typically file over $7k/yr in claims.¹ It’s why Pumpkin plans offer standard annual limits of $10k for dogs and $7k for cats as well as lower and higher options to suit the needs of different pets and budgets.

Pets don’t have to undergo a “complete clinical exam” to be covered by a Pumpkin plan.

Healthy Paws insurance plans require that all pets under age 6 have a “complete clinical examination” at least 12 months before or 15 days after their policy effective date. If your pet is over age 6, the exam must happen at least 30 days before or 15 days after your policy effective date. Their policy states, “failure to submit your pet to a complete clinical examination may void the policy.” A clinical exam is not required to receive coverage from a Pumpkin insurance plan.

Pumpkin plans don’t have an age limit or 365-day waiting period for hip dysplasia.

Pumpkin insurance plans cover hip dysplasia in all pets 8 weeks and up. In addition, the waiting period for hip dysplasia coverage is the same as for any illness: 14 days or less, depending on your state.* Healthy Paws insurance plans only cover hip dysplasia in dogs age 6 or younger at the time of enrollment. There is also a 1-year waiting period before hip dysplasia coverage kicks in. If symptoms develop during that time, the condition would be considered pre-existing, and your pet would not be eligible for coverage.

Pumpkin plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount. Healthy Paws plans don’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. Healthy Paws insurance plans do not offer one.

Pumpkin offers an optional wellness package that refunds routine care. Healthy Paws doesn’t.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer benefits to help cover the costs of your pet’s routine preventive 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 if you want 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 Insurance	Accident & Illness	Accident & Illness
Reimbursement Rate	80% or 90% of covered vet bills for pets of all breeds, ages 8 weeks & up	50%-90% of covered vet bills; options vary based on pet age & breed
Annual Coverage Limit	$5k, $10k, $20k, or unlimited for dogs $5k, $7k, $15k, or unlimited for cats	Unlimited only
Deductible	Annual Deductible options of $100, $250, $500, or $1k for pets of all breeds, ages 8 weeks & up	Annual Deductible options from $100-$1k; options vary based on pet age & breed
Illness Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	15 days in most states;* 365 days for hip dysplasia
Accident Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	15 days*
All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll
All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health		Yes, but complete clinical exam is required prior to enrollment
Hereditary & Congenital Conditions		Pets age 6 or older are not eligible for hip dysplasia coverage
Chronic Conditions
Behavioral Issues
Dental Illnesses
Preventable Diseases		Diseases preventable by vaccines or preventive medication are not covered
Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits
Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests
Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization
Specialized Care
Alternative Therapies
Prescription Meds
Prescription Supplements to Treat Covered Conditions
Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions
Microchip Implantation
End of Life Services		Limited to euthanasia
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)	30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim (except in NY)