Pawp offers pet owners a flat rate on emergency-only coverage for their four-legged friends. Read on to learn about the pricing, details, and reviews for this alternative to pet insurance.
Pet insurance offers a barrier against high vet bills and unexpected costs for your pet’s health. Knowing that bills are covered can provide peace of mind and protect pet parents from paying out of pocket.
In the This Old House Reviews Team’s research on excellent pet insurance providers, one digital clinic with an emergency fund stood out, despite not being a traditional pet insurance provider. Pawp’s emergency fund offers a flat rate for one veterinary emergency each year, protecting against accidents and illnesses without any added services. Keep reading to learn more about the company’s coverage, pricing, and customer reviews.
Our Rating for Pawp
Pawp made our list of the best pet insurance companies thanks to its affordable pricing, lack of deductibles, and digital access to vets. It received a 90 out of 100 in our review and is our choice for the best digital clinic services.
Pros and Cons of Pawp Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Pawp:
✔ Provides 24/7 access to video calling and chats with a licensed veterinarian or vet tech
✔ Covers up to six pets with one membership
✔ Directly pays the veterinarian for treatment instead of reimbursing you after a claim is filed
✘ Offers only one emergency vet bill of up to $3,000 during each year of membership
✘ Doesn’t offer coverage options for preventative care
✘ One of Pawp’s licensed vets must examine your pet and verify an emergency through a video chat before you are allowed to access the fund—once authorized, you must visit an in-person vet clinic within four hours
Pawp Pet Insurance Pricing
While not a traditional pet insurance plan, a Pawp membership is one of the cheapest pet insurance alternatives available. With a flat fee of $24 per month, the pricing structure is simple. Pawp offers funds that must be used for a life-threatening emergency, and members are entitled to up to $3,000 for one visit each year.
There are no add-on options available with a Pawp membership, including wellness, routine, or preventative care. Those items must be covered out of pocket for cats and dogs enrolled with the company, as Pawp covers costs only from emergency vet visits.
Pawp’s pricing is straightforward and the company provides fewer customization options than other providers, such as:
- No reimbursement rates; the amount is sent straight to the veterinarian treating your pet
- No annual deductibles
- $3,000 annual limit on emergency coverage
If the full $3,000 emergency fund is not used, there is no second visit or rollover amount available. Pawp covers only one visit of up to $3,000 each year.
Before heading to the veterinarian’s office, you’ll need to confirm digitally with Pawp that your emergency is covered to avoid out-of-pocket costs.
Pawp’s Pricing Premiums
Pawp’s $24 per month plan covers up to six animals. However, the one visit and $3,000 annual limits would still apply, even if more than one pet had an emergency throughout the year.
Pawp Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage
Pawp offers just one membership for emergency vet visit coverage, with no choices for modifications or add-ons.
Pawp vets must determine the incident to be an emergency in their digital clinic before pet parents can use their emergency funds. After you’ve been given clearance to use your fund, you must visit a vet clinic within the next four hours.
Examples of incidents and costs covered under the plan include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Choking
- Severe internal or external injuries
- Blockages
- Necessary diagnostic tests
- Medication administered during the emergency
Coverage Exclusions
Any expense that isn’t directly related to an approved, life-threatening emergency is not covered with a Pawp membership. On the other hand, while pre-existing conditions are excluded from traditional pet insurance, they are covered by Pawp during an emergency.
In addition to pre-existing conditions, other items excluded from coverage include:
- Pre-planned surgeries
- Breeding or pregnancy-related expenses
- Follow-up care
- Deworming
- Dental cleanings
- Vaccines
- Routine or pre-scheduled appointments
Pawp State Availability
Pawp is available in all 50 states. Any licensed veterinary clinic in the U.S. is eligible to be paid by Pawp’s emergency fund.
Pawp Pet Insurance Reviews
Pawp has received an A+ from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it has only one customer rating at the time of writing. The company also holds a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, with many customers praising the knowledge of vets and vet techs and celebrating opportunities to learn more about their pet’s health without unnecessary veterinary visits.
Here are a few Pawp pet insurance reviews from Trustpilot:
Kate H. on Trustpilot says:
“My dog would probably be dead now if it weren’t for Pawp. We had a breathing emergency the very day my plan became active. Of course, it was on the weekend [and] only an emergency clinic was available. The video vet cleared me to go and made certain my funds would be activated that day and off we went into what became a $1,600 bill. There is no way I would have been able to pay that without Pawp.”
Vicki A. on Trustpilot says:
“I found this to be the absolute worst service and not even worth $19 a month! I think these vets are on call to make certain you’re not covered! Case in point: My dog started vomiting and then began to shake violently. She was lethargic and spinning around. The vet said it was critical and she needed to be seen within 24 hours but not life-threatening.”
*Data accurate as of January 6, 2022
Pawp Background
Pawp was founded in 2019 as a low-cost alternative to traditional pet insurance. Andrew Malek, Cody Simons, Marc Atiyeh, and Scott Sonneborn launched the emergency fund out of New York City. The company’s mission is to end financial euthanasia, defined as when pets must be put down due to a lack of funds for their treatment. Its affordable emergency coverage is designed to ensure that every pet has access to care in life-threatening emergencies.
Sign-up with Pawp for only $24/monthOur Conclusion
Pawp can be an excellent choice for pet parents looking for a low-cost way to protect against serious emergencies and high veterinary bills. While some find Pawp’s definition of what qualifies as an emergency too narrow, many other pet parents enjoy the security of around-the-clock access to a vet and an emergency fund to cover any unexpected expenses.
For pet parents seeking a more flexible plan with customizable deductibles, Embrace or Prudent Pet may be a more individually tailored option for coverage with a traditional insurer. If your pet is aging or you’d like unlimited coverage caps for your pet, Healthy Paws and Petplan both offer plans with no annual limits and a well-rounded scope of benefits.
