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Pumpkin & Prudent Pet: Key Differences
While Pumpkin and PrudentPet both offer pet insurance plans for accidents & illnesses and optional wellness packages, there are several key differences you should be aware of when choosing which provider is right for you and your pet. Let’s dig in…
Pumpkin plans cover illnesses preventable by vaccines. Prudent Pet plans may not.
Prudent Pet Insurance plans state that in order to have this coverage, you must keep your pet vaccinated, at your expense, as recommended by your vet. Prudent Pet plans won’t pay claims that result from or are related to an illness on their policy’s list that a vet-recommended vaccine could have prevented. Some of these illnesses include rabies in cats and dogs, canine distemper, canine parvovirus, feline panleukopenia, and feline leukemia virus (FeLV). While we strongly encourage you to stay up to date with any routine vaccines recommended by your vet, your Pumpkin Pet Insurance plan wouldn’t decline to cover a serious illness like parvovirus or rabies because you missed a vaccine.
Pumpkin plans cover parasite infections. Prudent Pet plans may not.
Heartworms, ticks, fleas, and intestinal parasites (or worms) are year-round threats to pets across the US indoors and out, and can be lethal if left untreated. While routine vaccines and preventive meds can help protect against some parasites and catch infections early, research shows that most pets will suffer from a parasite-borne illness in their lifetime.17 For these reasons, Pumpkin insurance plans cover treatment for parasite infections. Prudent Pet plans don’t cover treatment for parasite infections, or diseases caused by internal or external parasites unless there is no preventive medication for that parasite. That means that life-threatening conditions like heartworm disease are not covered, regardless of whether you take preventive measures with your pet or not.
Pumpkin plans cover Rx food for all eligible conditions. Prudent Pet plans don’t.
Rx food can be very helpful for pets suffering from a range of illnesses, from kidney disease to diabetes, but it can also be a costly recurring expense. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover any food prescribed to treat an eligible accident or illness (and not for general health or weight maintenance). Prudent Pet plans don’t cover Rx food unless it is used to dissolve existing bladder stones and crystals in urine, and only for a period of 6 months. After 6 months, your pet must be tested before further coverage for treatment is permitted.
Pumpkin plans cover microchipping. Prudent Pet plans don’t.
If pets go missing, a microchip comes in handy to help them get safely back home. Microchipping your dog or cat means that they have a small, permanent ID implanted between their shoulder blades. The microchip has important information about you and your pet that helps a shelter or veterinarian reunite you both if you are separated for any reason. Once implanted, the microchip will last for your pet’s lifetime. Pumpkin insurance plans cover microchip implantation procedures by vets. Prudent Pet plans don’t.*
Pumpkin plans don’t have a $250-$2k annual benefit limit for behavioral issues.
With an estimated 40% of cat and dog owners reporting pets with behavioral problems,10 we believe coverage for behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression is crucial. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover behavioral issues up to your plan’s overall annual limit each year (options range from $5k-unlimited). Prudent Pet plans only cover the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral disorders up to an annual benefit limit that is separate from your plan’s overall annual coverage limit. Depending on the plan you choose, the annual benefit limit for behavioral issues could range from $250-$2k.
Pumpkin plans don’t require a dental exam or cleaning in order to cover dental illnesses.
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. Prudent Pet plans require you to get “an annual dental exam and, if recommended, prophylaxis (defined as ultrasonic scaling and polishing of the teeth)” in order to be eligible for dental illness coverage. With a Pumpkin insurance plan, you are covered for dental illnesses, whether you have had a dental exam and cleaning or not.
Pumpkin plans don’t have a list of preventive care requirements for coverage.
Prudent Pet insurance plans require you to take several preventive care measures with your pet at your own expense, including: an annual health check; an annual dental exam; a dental cleaning if your vet recommends it; and all of your vet’s recommended preventive medication for lice, parasites, fleas, and tick-borne illnesses. Prudent Pet plans won’t pay claims for injuries that result from the failure to comply with these requirements. While Pumpkin encourages you to follow your vet’s preventive care recommendations, your Pumpkin insurance plan would never decline to pay your claim for periodontal disease or lyme disease because your pet didn’t get an annual dental exam or missed a dose of tick & flea medication.
Pumpkin plans don’t require your pet to see a vet within 48 hours of an accident or illness occurring in order to receive coverage.
Prudent Pet’s policy states that in order to be covered for an illness or injury, you must “visit a veterinary clinic within forty-eight (48) hours after first noticing clinical sign(s) relating to an illness or injury.” While Pumpkin encourages you to get veterinary advice as quickly as possible after noticing something is wrong with your pet, we understand that it can take time to observe a change in your pet’s behavior or notice a certain symptom. We also know it’s not always possible to get a veterinary appointment as soon as you need it. For any covered condition, your Pumpkin insurance plan can help even if there is a delay between your observation of a clinical sign and when you’re able to get a vet appointment.
Pumpkin plans don’t have a 180-day waiting period for knee & ligament conditions.
Knee and ligament conditions like ACL and CCL injuries are very common and can happen to any pet, at any age. If surgery is needed to repair one of these conditions, it can cost thousands. Prudent Pet plans have a 6-month waiting period before your pet is covered for knee and ligament conditions. Pumpkin insurance plans have the same waiting period for all conditions: 14 days or less, depending on your state.*
It’s ALWAYS possible to get full value each year from Pumpkin’s optional wellness package.
Pumpkin’s wellness package is called Preventive Essentials. It’s not insurance, but an optional benefit you can easily add to any Pumpkin insurance plan for a monthly fee. Designed with leading vets to help you plan and pay for crucial routine care your pet needs to stay healthy, Preventive Essentials gives you a 100% refund each year for an annual wellness exam fee, key vaccine(s), and important parasite screening test(s). To get the most out of your package – all you have to do is use these 3 benefits.
Prudent Pet has 3 tiers of optional wellness plans – low, medium, and high – that can be added to their insurance plans for a monthly fee. Each plan reimburses you for a set dollar amount per service per year from a list of up to 11 different routine care services. Plans like this can be helpful if you use most of the services offered, but not everything on the menu is a typical yearly expense (e.g., deworming, microchipping, spay/neuter procedure). Whatever benefits you don’t use in the year term, you lose – there are no carryovers.
Compare Plans
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Type of Insurance |
Accident & Illness |
Accident & Illness |
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Reimbursement Rate |
80% or 90% of covered vet bills |
70%, 80%, or 90% of covered vet bills |
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Annual Coverage Limit |
$5k-unlimited |
$2.5k to unlimited |
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Deductible |
Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options |
Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options |
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Illness Waiting Period |
14 days in most states* |
14 days in most states* |
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Accident Waiting Period |
14 days in most states* |
5 days in most states;* 180 days for knee & ligament conditions |
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All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll |
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All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health |
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Accidents |
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Illnesses |
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Hereditary & Congenital Conditions |
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Chronic Conditions |
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Behavioral Issues |
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Up to $250-$2k each year, depending on the plan |
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Dental Illnesses |
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Dental exam & cleaning (if vet recommended) required |
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Preventable Conditions |
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Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests |
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Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization |
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Specialized Care |
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Alternative Therapies |
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Prescription Medication to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Only for up to 6 months of treatment of existing bladder stones & crystals in urine |
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Microchip Implantation |
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End of Life Services |
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Depends on the plan |
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Wellness Package / Plan |
Preventive Essentials package: 100% refund of the following routine care services each year: |
Low Wellness Coverage plan: Medium Wellness Coverage plan: High Wellness Coverage plan: |
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Discount for Multiple Pets |
10% off for each additional pet |
10% off for each additional pet |
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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 payment for a claim |