Pumpkin & Trupanion: Key Differences

While Pumpkin and Trupanion 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. Trupanion 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. Trupanion pet insurance plans do not cover any vet exam fees.

Pumpkin plans cover preventable illnesses. Trupanion plans may not.

Trupanion insurance plans will only cover a preventable illness if your pet develops one despite taking all of your vet’s vaccine and preventive care recommendations. While we encourage you to stay up to date with any vaccinations or preventive meds your vet recommends, your Pumpkin insurance plan would not decline to cover a serious illness like parvovirus or lyme disease because you did not take certain preventive care measures with your pet.

Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover behavioral issues in any US state.

With ~40% of cat and dog owners reporting pets with behavioral problems,¹⁰ we believe coverage for behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression are a necessity, not a nice to have. It’s why Pumpkin insurance plans in all US states cover behavioral issues as a basic benefit. With Trupanion, whether or not this coverage will be included as a basic benefit of your insurance plan or an add-on benefit you’ll need to pay an extra monthly fee for will depend on which state you and your pet reside in.*

Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover alternative therapies for accidents & illnesses in any US state.

With more vets using alternative therapies like hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic to help rehabilitate pets with orthopedic injuries or manage chronic and hereditary conditions like arthritis and hip dysplasia, this coverage can be very valuable. It’s why Pumpkin insurance plans in all US states cover alternative therapies for accidents & illnesses as a basic benefit. With Trupanion, whether or not this coverage will be included as a basic benefit of your insurance plan or an add-on benefit you’ll need to pay an extra monthly fee for will depend on which state you and your pet reside in.*

Pumpkin plans don’t require a yearly dental exam to cover dental illnesses in any US state.

In order to get dental illness coverage with a Trupanion insurance plan in some states, your pet must have their teeth examined by a vet every 12 months and follow their advice about ongoing dental care, including scheduling cleanings if recommended. No matter which state you live in, your Pumpkin insurance plan would not decline to cover treatment for a serious illness like periodontal disease because your pet missed an annual dental exam.

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

Pets 14 years old and older are not eligible to enroll in Trupanion insurance plans. 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 older are welcome to enroll in Pumpkin insurance plans.

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. Trupanion 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.

Pumpkin plans don’t have ‘per condition’ deductibles in any US state.

With Pumpkin insurance plans, your 80% or 90% reimbursements kick in as soon as you pay a one-time annual deductible towards your pet’s covered vet expenses each year. The great thing about an annual deductible is that it’s easy to budget for – you must meet the same deductible amount every year regardless of how many new conditions your pet develops. In many states, Trupanion insurance plans have a per condition deductible, which means you’ll have to pay a deductible every time your pet gets diagnosed with a new condition to start receiving reimbursements.

Pumpkin plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount. Trupanion 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. Trupanion insurance plans do not offer one.

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

Trupanion 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 diseases and detecting illnesses early as we are to treating them. It’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	Either 90% of covered vet bills or 70%-100% of covered vet bills, depending on the state*
Annual Coverage Limit	$5k, $10k, $20k, or unlimited for dogs $5k, $7k, $15k, or unlimited for cats	Unlimited only
Deductible	Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options	Either a Per Condition Deductible with flexible pricing options or no deductible, depending on the state*
Illness Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	Varies by state*
Accident Waiting Period	14 days in most states*	Varies by state*
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		Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee in some states*
Dental Illnesses		Annual dental exam required in some states*
Preventable Illnesses		Only if the illness occurs despite following your vet’s vaccine & preventive care recommendations
Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits
Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests
Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization
Specialized Care
Alternative Therapies		Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee in some states*
Prescription Meds
Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions		Either covers up to 50% for 2 months or 90 days for the lifetime of the pet subject to the member’s chosen reimbursement rate, depending on the state*
Prescription Supplements 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)
Additional First Year Policy Fee	None	$35