Trupanion vs Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Trupanion has unlimited payouts. Pumpkin makes you choose

Both Trupanion and Pumpkin offer unlimited payouts. However, this doesn’t mean they’re the same experience. Trupanion has one simple plan where everybody enjoys unlimited payouts for eligible pet medical costs, no matter how many times your pet needs care or how much treatment they need.

Pumpkin’s unlimited option is only available to members who opt for their highest premium cost. For those who do not, they also offer plans that max out at $15,000 for cats and $20,000 for dogs.

Trupanion can pay veterinarians directly at checkout. Pumpkin cannot

Pumpkin has a vet direct pay option, but they cannot pay your bill at checkout from your pet’s appointment. Instead, you can request that your vet clinic be reimbursed directly after filing a claim with Pumpkin (this is only possible if the hospital allows delayed payments). Like almost all pet insurance providers, Pumpkin’s other option is to pay your veterinary bill upfront, then submit a claim and wait to get reimbursed personally.

Trupanion is the only provider that can pay its portion of your bill directly to the hospital at time of checkout from your pet’s appointment — often in just seconds. You can go to any veterinary hospital (including emergency and specialty care) you like with Trupanion, though it’s worth noting not all are set up for direct payment. Even so, most claims in these cases are still processed within 24 hours.

Don’t want to wait to get your vet bills paid? It’s easy to find a hospital that’s set up for Trupanion’s Vet Direct Pay.

Trupanion won’t raise rates due to pet aging. Pumpkin might

The majority of pet insurance companies will raise your coverage rate simply due to your pet getting older. Pumpkin is no exception to this practice, known as “birthday pricing.” Though birthday pricing may not affect your rate every single year, it is likely to happen multiple times over the duration of your pet’s life, regardless of whether you filed a claim. Birthday pricing is often in addition to economic inflation and other pricing increase factors.

Trupanion is one of the only pet health insurance providers that does not practice birthday pricing. While your cost with can still change over time due to things like inflation and fluctuating veterinary costs, Trupanion will never increase it just because your pet gets older.

Trupanion offers 24/7 live support. Pumpkin has limited hours

You never know when your pet is going to become ill or injured, just as you never know when you may have questions about your coverage. Unfortunately, Pumpkin only offers live call support Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., EST. They also offer live chat, but only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. They are closed on weekends.

Trupanion meanwhile offers live support every hour of the day, seven days a week, every day of the year (including holidays) and is available both via phone and online chat.

Deductibles: more options with Trupanion than Pumpkin

Having a deductible that fits your budget is important, as this is the amount you are responsible for paying before coverage kicks in. Trupanion puts the power in your hands by letting you choose the deductible that works best (anywhere from $0 to $1,000). Trupanion’s deductible is also lifetime per condition, which means you only need to meet it once for each covered injury or illness. After that, your pet is covered for that condition for life.

Pumpkin meanwhile has only three deductible options: $100, $250, and $500. While not per condition, the Pumpkin deductible is annual, which means you’ll have to meet it every year in order to get coverage.