Finding the best pet insurance for you and your pets can mean doing a lot of research. We want to make this process easier by providing you with information that can help you compare your options. Read on to see how MetLife Pet compares to Pumpkin and some of the ways we may stand out.
Compare Pumpkin vs. MetLife Pet Insurance**
Here’s a quick look at how some of the MetLife Pet Insurance policy provisions compare with those of Pumpkin.1
MetLife Pet’s Plan vs. Pumpkin’s Plan
| MetLife Pet Insurance |
Pumpkin |
|
|---|---|---|
| Wellness and Preventative Care |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
| Prescriptions |
Yes |
Yes |
| Holistic/Alternative Therapy |
Yes |
Yes |
| Dental Cleaning and Care |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
No (unless related to an accident) |
| 24/7 Telehealth Access | Yes2 |
No |
| Cancer Coverage | Yes |
Yes |
| Euthanasia/Cremation | Yes |
Yes |
| Grief Counseling | Yes3 |
No |
| Boarding |
Yes |
No |
| Family Plan (Multiple Pets on a Single Policy) | Yes4 |
No |
| Spaying and Neutering | Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
No |
| Includes All Ages and Breeds | Yes |
No |
| No Per-Incident Limits |
Yes |
Yes |
| Reimbursement | Flexible (50% – 90%)5 |
90% (on all pets over 8 weeks old) |
| Average Deductible | Flexible ($0 – $2,500)6 |
Flexible ($100 – $1,000) |
| 0-Day Accident Waiting Period | Yes7 |
No |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days 7 |
14 days |
| Deductible Savings | Yes8 |
No |
| Days to Reimburse | Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days) |
Check with provider |
| Days to Submit Claim | 90 |
270 |
| NerdWallet Rating9 | 5 stars |
4.0 stars |
| NerdWallet Callout9 | "Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”9 | "Pumpkin offers one comprehensive accident and illness plan that includes coverage for dental illnesses and some pre-existing conditions."9 |
A “No” accompanied with a red “X” in the above table means this is not included or that exclusions may apply
As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary and exclusions apply. See our coverage and exclusions page for more details, and learn how our pet insurance works.
Still searching for pet insurance? See how we compare to other providers.
Reasons To Consider MetLife Pet Insurance Over Pumpkin
When searching for the best pet insurance provider for your family, examine which coverage, benefits, and cost options are most important to you and your pets. Here are a few reasons you may consider MetLife Pet over Pumpkin:
- Dental cleaning and care: In addition to covering dental care related to accidents and illnesses, MetLife Pet has an optional Preventive Care plan that can cover costs for routine dental cleanings and care. Pumpkin doesn’t offer any coverage for routine dental cleanings.1
- Family plan savings: Pumpkin offers a multi-policy discount, but they don’t offer a multi-pet plan — meaning all of your pets would have separate policies and deductibles.1 However, MetLife Pet offers pet insurance for multiple pets, which allows you to enroll up to three pets on a single policy with a shared deductible.4 We also have a multi-policy discount if you choose not to have a family plan.10
- Short waiting period: MetLife Pet strives to provide quick coverage. We have one of the shortest waiting periods among pet insurance providers, with a 0-day waiting period for accidents.7 With Pumpkin, there’s a 14-day waiting period.1
Protect your Pets
If these benefits sound good, continue your research by checking out our FAQ page and getting a free quote.
Why Choose MetLife Pet Insurance?
MetLife Pet has customizable coverage that can help you care for your pet whether they’re sick or healthy. But you’re getting more than just insurance when you enroll in a policy. Keep reading for some of the ways we may align with your lifestyle, budget, and needs — so you can be proud of where you’re putting your hard-earned money.
MetLife Pet cares
About the community: We’re a pet-focused company and strive to help pets across the country. In 2023, MetLife Pet donated more than $1.3 million to our animal shelter partners to help with their pet care and operational costs. We also created our Golden Beagle Award, which gives $20,000 to an animal welfare organization helping to find homes for large-breed dogs. In addition to providing financial support, we also help educate new pet parents adopting through our partner shelters so they feel prepared to give their new companions a great life.
If you adopt a cat or dog from these partner shelters, you may be able to sign up for a MetLife Pet Insurance policy on the spot, giving your pet the care they need right from the start.
About our customers: When it comes to our customers, MetLife Pet offers benefits that can make life a bit easier for you and your pet. For example, we can provide boarding cost coverage for your pet while you’re in the hospital. We can also cover grief counseling to help you navigate the loss of a pet.3
Discounts
Discounts11 are available to policyholders who work in certain industries and those who enroll through specific avenues — like their employer or online.12,13 In addition to being the only provider that has a multi-pet insurance policy, we also offer a multi-policy discount if you have separate policies for your pets.9,10
We even have discounts for individuals who are:
- Military members: This discount is available to eligible retired or active military members, veterans, and first responders.14
- Animal care workers: A 10% discount on monthly premiums is available for animal care workers — such as shelter staff, vet technicians, veterinarians, and more.16
- Healthcare workers: This discount is available to workers in the healthcare industry — like nurses, therapists, physicians, and more.14
Then, we have discounts that can help support those who don’t hold a job in the above-mentioned industries. These include a:
- Deductible discount: Your pet's deductible automatically decreases by $50 each policy year you don't receive a reimbursement for a submitted claim.8
- Employer discount: Individuals who enroll in a policy through their employer may receive a discount on their premium.12
- Internet purchase discount: By purchasing a policy online, you may be eligible for a discount on your premiums for the first year.13
Free mobile app
MetLife Pet has a comprehensive mobile app that can help you manage your pet’s vet records, submit and track claims, access a 24/7 vet chat2 to get quick answers to your questions, and receive articles specifically chosen based on your pet’s needs. Our mobile app is free for policyholders and can make your experience as both a MetLife Pet customer and a pet parent easier.
Preventive Care plan
Our pets deserve the best care, even when they’re healthy. That’s why we offer an optional Preventive Care plan to help cover routine vet costs that can help maintain your pet’s health — or catch a sickness before it gets worse. To enhance your standard policy’s coverage, we can typically cover things like teeth cleanings, spay or neuter procedures, vaccinations, routine vet exams, and parasite prevention and treatment with our wellness add-on.
Holistic coverage
Alongside great medical care, some pets may benefit from a holistic approach to health. Alternative therapies and holistic remedies — such as chiropractic care, laser or hydrotherapy, CBD products, vet-prescribed food, and other herbal therapies — can aid in recovery or help manage a pet’s health. These are just some of the things that can be covered by our policies.
Success stories
MetLife Pet has over 15 years of experience as a pet insurance provider — which means we have lots of wonderful success stories to share. If you’re still wondering whether pet insurance is worth it for you, take a look at one of these stories to see how MetLife Pet coverage helped someone from our pack.
Young dogs can be notorious for eating things they shouldn’t. That’s exactly what happened with a 1-year-old pup, Koda, from Virginia. When his parents noticed him acting a bit lethargic and having trouble going to the bathroom, they knew something was up. After a trip to the vet, X-rays showed his favorite ball was unfortunately stuck in his intestinal tract. One removal surgery later, and their vet bill came to almost $4,600. With their dog insurance policy from MetLife Pet, Koda’s parents were reimbursed over $4,100, and little Koda is back to his playful self.16
Imagine having pet insurance that goes beyond coverage for illnesses and accidents — like Koda’s — with wellness benefits, discounts, family plans, and initiatives that give back to the community. If MetLife Pet seems like the right choice for your family, start your enrollment today by getting a free, personalized quote.
Take the Next Step in Your Research
Coverage is subject to the language of the policies as actually issued. This comparison or description of Pumpkin’s policy(ies) was not furnished by Pumpkin. It was prepared solely by MetLife Pet Insurance based publicly available summary information about competitors' offerings and highlights selected coverages of the policies referenced as of March 2024 and is subject to change without notice. It may not be completely accurate and should not be the sole source of information relied upon in deciding which insurance coverage to purchase. To receive the latest information about other providers' available plans, please visit their website. If you have questions regarding the illustration or about a particular competitor’s policy or coverage, please contact a representative of Pumpkin. Referenced publicly- available material for Pumpkin sample plan. For completely reliable benefit comparisons, insurance departments (including North Dakota’s) advise that you obtain the benefit schedules directly from each applicable insurance company.
**As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn how MetLife Pet Insurance works, and review our coverage and exclusions.
1 Based on a Pumpkin sample plan, retrieved from https://www.pumpkin.care/sample-plan/ and information found across the Pumpkin website.
2 Virtual veterinary services are available through the MetLife Pet App and are provided entirely by AskVet, a third-party partner; MetLife Pet is not responsible for any pet guidance or advice provided or taken. Veterinarians providing virtual veterinary services cannot prescribe medication or answer questions about the pet policy.
3 Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by TELUS Health are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife Pet. Not available to NY residents.
4 Family plan policies are limited to dogs age 12 and under and cats age 14 and under. Multi-policy discount is not available with Family Plans.
5 Reimbursement options include: 50%, 70%, 80% and 90%. Pet age restrictions may apply
6 Deductible options range include: $0 – $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500.
7 Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy is compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Illness coverage begins 14 days from the effective day of your policy compared to 14 to 30 days for many competitors. Based on a March 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.
8 Your pet’s deductible automatically decreases by $50 each policy year that you don’t receive a claim reimbursement. May not be available in all states.
9 Based on a March 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.
10 Multi-policy discount is not available with Family Plans.
11 When using multiple discounts, discounts cannot exceed 30%. Each discount may not be available in all states. Please contact MetLife Pet for further details.
12 Discount is not available in MN or TN. This discount is only available to individuals who are eligible members or employees of an entity that has arranged for MetLife Pet to offer pet insurance. ( the discount is 10% for Employer Groups and 5% for Associations).
13 Discount may not be available in all states. When coverage is purchased on-line, a premium discount will apply during the first year of the policy.
14 Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is available to Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and serving and retired members of the Armed Forces.
15 Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is applicable to staff/owners of animal care facilities.
16 All claims paid amounts are based on MetLife Pet internal claims data from October 2022. This example is for illustrative purposes only. This is based on a policy with a $250 deductible and 90% reimbursement. The pet policy issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company is the governing document with respect to all matters of insurance. The specific facts of each claim must be evaluated in conjunction with the provisions of the applicable Policy to determine coverage in each individual case.
Coverage issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company (“MetGen”), a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Coverage subject to restrictions, exclusions and limitations and application is subject to underwriting. See policy or contact MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC (“MetLife Pet”) for details. MetLife Pet is the policy administrator. It may operate under an alternate or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota), and MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois).
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