Trupanion vs. Pumpkin: Which Is the Best for Your Pet? (2025)
Pumpkin’s comprehensive base coverage and option to add wellness and preventative care make it a better choice than Trupanion.
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As Trupanion and Pumpkin insure only pets, each company focuses on helping you keep your pets healthy and safe.
Trupanion stands out in having no annual limits on claims or payouts.[?] It also won’t raise premiums because of your pet’s age. But Pumpkin earns points for having a robust base policy that covers rehabilitative care and behavioral issues.[?] It also offers an optional wellness and preventative care add-on.
It can be difficult to choose between two quality pet insurance companies. Comparing rates along with customer service, discounts, coverages, and other policy details makes the decision easier.[?]
Quick Facts
Trupanion and Pumpkin insure pets against accidents and illnesses, but Pumpkin’s plan covers physical therapy and behavioral issues.
Both insurers exclude pre-existing medical conditions.
Only Trupanion has direct vet pay, but Pumpkin helps get you cash to pay large vet bills while you wait for reimbursement.
Trupanion vs. Pumpkin: The verdict
When it comes to pet insurance coverage, Pumpkin comes out ahead. Unlike Trupanion, its base policy includes physical therapy and behavioral care. Pumpkin also lets you add wellness and preventative care to your base policy, an option Trupanion doesn’t offer.
Pumpkin also helps you save money by discounting premiums by 10% for your second and subsequent pets. While Trupanion says it offers exceptional value to all pets, it doesn’t provide discounts.
Trupanion’s waiting periods are five days for accidents and 30 days for illnesses. With Pumpkin, you only have to wait 14 days after your policy starts to file a claim.
Trupanion vs. Pumpkin
Data in this table has been sourced from Insurify users who received a pet insurance quote from our partner Fletch.
Trupanion
Pumpkin
How Trupanion and Pumpkin compare
See how Trupanion and Pumpkin compare on several different metrics pet owners consider when choosing pet insurance.
Cost of pet insurance
Trupanion and Pumpkin base their pet insurance rates on what type of pet you have, its age and breed, and your location.
Although Trupanion offers just one base plan, you can choose your deductible. We averaged costs across $100, $500, and $1,000 deductibles to find that Trupanion costs an average of $88 per month for dogs and $34 per month for cats.
Pumpkin also offers customers one base plan. Pricing averages $66 per month for dog insurance and $29 per month for cat insurance.
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Coverages and plan features
Trupanion and Pumpkin offer accident and illness plans that cover hereditary, chronic, and acute conditions along with diagnostics, surgeries and hospitalizations, and medications. Both plans allow you to visit any licensed veterinary facility.
Pumpkin offers an optional wellness coverage add-on with certain services offering 100% reimbursement rates, although reimbursement rates for the base plan vary. You also get 24/7 access to a telehealth helpline.
In addition, Pumpkin’s base plan covers dental illnesses, behavioral issues, physical therapy, and prescription supplements. Trupanion’s optional recovery and complementary care package covers these items and includes alternative therapy such as chiropractic care, homeopathy, and naturopathy. Its base plan has no payout or coverage limits, but Trupanion’s care package will reimburse you 90% of your costs after you meet your deductible.
Here’s a side-by-side look at Trupanion and Pumpkin.
Feature  | Trupanion | Pumpkin |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | No | No, but website is mobile optimized |
| Mobile claims filing | Yes, using website | Yes, using website |
| Direct vet pay | Yes, for participating hospitals | No, but PumpkinNow sends you money to cover expensive vet bills within minutes |
| 24/7 pet helpline | No | Yes, through enrollment in the Wellness Club plan |
| Online policy management | Yes | Yes |
| Live customer support | Yes | Yes |
Policy exclusions
Like most pet insurers, Trupanion and Pumpkin have exclusions to be aware of. Both exclude pre-existing conditions, although Pumpkin will cover recurring issues other than knee and hind-leg ligament issues if they’re curable.
Trupanion’s coverage excludes wellness and preventative veterinary expenses. In contrast, Pumpkin offers wellness and preventative services as an add-on.
In addition, Pumpkin excludes herbs, vitamins, and supplements for general pet health. While Trupanion’s base plan also excludes them, its recovery and complementary care package covers 90% of homeopathy and naturopathy costs.
And although Pumpkin has no age restrictions, Trupanion requires that you enroll your pet before its 14th birthday.
Claims process
Trupanion and Pumpkin have similar claims processes, and both companies require you to upload your pet’s medical records. Pumpkin requires all medical records, and Trupanion requests 18 months’ worth.
If you use a participating hospital, you can use Trupanion’s VetDirect Pay, which allows the hospital to submit the invoice for you. Otherwise, you can log in to your account, upload the invoice, and provide details about your pet’s illness or injury. You can also download and print a mail-in claim form from the Trupanion website.
Pumpkin doesn’t have direct pay to vets. But with PumpkinNow, you can get a payment covering up to 90% of emergency vet bills exceeding $1,000 in minutes. You don’t need to enroll ahead of time. Just select that option from the claims area of the Pumpkin website if the need arises.
For other claims, follow the website prompts to describe the situation and upload your invoice. Pumpkin says it reimburses most claims within days.
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Customer reviews
Both insurers have high ratings on Trustpilot, but Pumpkin has the higher rating with 4.8 stars compared to Trupanion’s 4.3.
Pumpkin has many 5-star reviews with reviewers mentioning speedy, hassle-free service and fast claims processing and reimbursement. One Trustpilot user says, “The representatives are so well trained, so compassionate, so friendly, and go above and beyond to make sure my questions are thoroughly answered.”
But the company does have its share of complaints. One dissatisfied customer mentions that anything related to a pre-existing condition is excluded. Another was caught off guard by Pumpkin’s requirement to provide all their pet’s medical records.
Meanwhile, Trupanion’s positive customer reviews often mention the company’s fast procedure approval, responsive and empathetic customer service, and easy claims and reimbursements.
But one dissatisfied Trupanion customer complained that every issue has a deductible and that reimbursement doesn’t cover the whole bill. Other reviewers mentioned being denied coverage for recurring illnesses.
Trupanion vs. Pumpkin FAQs
Choosing pet insurance can be overwhelming. For more information on Trupanion vs. Pumpkin, see the answers below to several frequently asked questions.
Is Trupanion better than Pumpkin pet insurance?
Trupanion might be better than Pumpkin for some pet owners. Notably, the benefit of direct vet pay for hospital bills is significant. But the absence of wellness and preventative care coverage may be a dealbreaker for others.
What are the main differences between Trupanion and Pumpkin?
One difference between Trupanion and Pumpkin is that Pumpkin’s base plan covers physical therapy and behavioral treatments. With Trupanion, you’ll need to buy an add-on for that coverage. Another major difference is that Trupanion doesn’t offer wellness or preventative care. Pumpkin lets you buy this coverage as an add-on.
What’s the average cost of Pumpkin pet insurance?
Pumpkin pet insurance costs an average of $66 per month for dogs and $29 per month for cats. But the exact amount you pay depends on the type of pet you have, its breed and age, and where you live.
Do most vets accept Trupanion pet insurance?
Yes. Pet insurance doesn’t require you to use a specific vet. You’ll typically pay your bill and then file a claim with Trupanion. But if your vet accepts direct pay, Trupanion will pay them at the time of your vet visit.
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