Zoetis launches pet health insurance company

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Vastly underutilized by pet owners, pet health insurance has been shown to improve compliance and increase veterinary visits. Making its mark in the pet health insurance industry, Zoetis has announced the launch of Pumpkin—an agency that provides comprehensive coverage for dogs and cats of all ages and breeds.

With its Preventive Essentials plan, Pumpkin aims to significantly increase pet owner compliance with giving preventive medication, according to the announcement. The Preventive Essentials plan includes these species-specific perks:

For dogs:

• Reimbursement for the cost of one annual wellness exam fee and two vaccines administered at an annual visit
• A 12-month supply of Zoetis’ Simparica Trio for protection against heartworm disease, ticks and fleas, roundworms and hookworms for only $15.95 per month

For cats:

• Reimbursement for the cost of one annual wellness exam fee and one vaccine typically administered at an annual visit
• A 12-month supply of Zoetis’ topical 6-in-1 parasite preventive, Revolution Plus for a monthly fee of $10.95

Also provided through the plan is direct shipment of these parasiticides to the pet’s home—a service no other insurer provides—and automatic digital reminders through the Pumpkin platform to administer preventive medications and schedule vaccines.

“With Pumpkin, we are enabling pet parents to proactively prioritize the health of their pets and make the best health decisions for their animals,” CEO Alex Douzet says in the announcement, “so we can help ensure our fur children live their longest and healthiest lives.”

Pumpkin says veterinarians should see a multitude of benefits as well, including increased compliance with parasite prevention recommendations, increased patient traffic in the practice, as well as increased owner spending.

“As a board-certified veterinarian, I’m a big proponent of pet insurance, as it allows veterinarians to practice best medicine while easing the burden of sudden pet care expenses on pet parents,” Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, told dvm360. “The conversation changes when I’m speaking with a client who has pet insurance. I can offer the best care possible to make sure that their pet gets better.”

According to Dr. Lee, who practices at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, current data show that pet insurance can increase patient traffic by approximately 50% as pet owners have increasing opportunity to discover treatment and service needs.

“Since Pumpkin’s Preventive Care plan reimburses for vaccines and the related annual wellness exam, we can ensure that clients will come in at least once per year,” she explains. “This can really help drive pet owners back to your practice as the country begins to recover from COVID-19.”

Pumpkin also offers a puppy-specific plan for dogs under six months old that reimburses the pet owner for four vaccines in the first year plus offers all the parasitic protection every puppy needs when they turn six months old.

“My number one goal as a veterinarian is to ensure that our pets of all ages are living long, healthy and happy lives,” Dr. Lee says.