Pawp: A Pet Insurance Alternative

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Pawp: A Pet Insurance Alternative

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Keeping your pet healthy is super important to a loving pet parent, but can also be expensive and inconvenient.

That is where Pawp comes in!

If you are dealing with an emergency right now with your pet and do not have Pawp, you can try Waggle Crowdfunding as an option.

Check with Waggle and your vet for details.

Pawp wants to change the pet healthcare game with their virtual vet visit platform.

Not only is Pawp a convenient alternative to veterinarian visits their plan is set up to help you save money for those inevitable emergency vet visits.

pawp pet insurance alternative

I have not personally tried Pawp, so this is not a Pawp review based on my experiences, but I have added several links and gave a summary of what others are saying.

I hope this will help you in making a decision if Pawp is right for you.

Is Pawp Pet Insurance?

First, I want to make it clear that Pawp is not pet insurance.

It is meant to be a more affordable way to get funds and answers if you cannot afford vet bills.

It is primarily meant to be used for general health questions and also offers a fund you can use for emergency vet care.

This digital health care option, founded in 2019, allows you to talk to an experienced vet online with video chat to help find out what is wrong with your pet.

This removes the need for an expensive vet visit.

Papw is also a great option for pets that may get really stressed or anxious when it is time to hit the vet for a visit.

If you notice your cat is not eating or your dog is vomiting, then an online vet consultation may be a perfect option to determine if an actual vet visit is needed.

You can show them your pet and talk in depth about what you are noticing and allow the online vet a chance to give you some ideas for home remedies.

They currently only offer care for dogs and cats.

How Does Pawp Work?

Pawp is a virtual vet service where you pay a monthly membership fee.

That fee helps fund your emergency fund and allows you access to veterinarian 24/7.

Once you sign up for membership you can simply login and request to chat with a vet for any health related questions.

They note that they are typically available within 2 minutes and you can ask any questions your would like.

The virtual vet visit is also a requirement to get funding for the emergency fund which I talk about a bit more below.

Once you create your account you will need to add a pet profile for each pet you would like to include on your plan.

How Much Does Pawp Cost?

Pawp is available with a $24 monthly premium.

If you are looking for an online vet without the monthly premium, you can check out Vetster.

The Pawp Emergency Fund

Pawp has an emergency fund that is included with every membership and is part of the $24 monthly fee you are billed.

In the event your pet has a medical emergency, you can receive up to $3,000 towards your vet bills.

While it may seem like insurance – it is a bit different:

  • Your coverage is for up to 6 pets
  • Pre-existing conditions are no problem
  • No out of pocket payments are required
  • No breed, location or age restrictions
  • Can only be used once per year per membership (if you have 6 pets and take 1 in for an emergency and the bill is $2,200 – they will pay it and you will forfeit the remaining $800 and have no further funds left)
  • Fund renews annually
  • There is a 14 day waiting period from when you sign up to be able to use your emergency fund
  • You must visit the vet within 4 hours of your fund being activated

The important thing to remember is that this fund is exclusively used for emergencies only.

There is no coverage for preventative or routine care.

Qualifying For The Fund

Because the emergency fund is only for emergencies, there is a process you need to go through in order to be properly qualified for emergency fund usage.

Below are the steps for getting emergency funding:

  1. Contact a Pawp veterinarian who will assess your situation
  2. The vet will decide if your pet requires an emergency vet visit and if so will instruct you to go
  3. Then your fund will be activated and you will receive an email with instructions for when you arrive at the vet

IMPORTANT

Pawp only covers emergencies that are life threatening!

Pros + Cons

As with everything in life, there are some good things and bad things about Pawp.

Below is a summary of the pros and cons:

THE GOOD
  1. Covers up to 6 pets
  2. Low monthly premium
  3. Immediate payment to vet
  4. Accepts pets with pre-existing conditions
  5. No restrictions on age
  6. Up to $3,000 covered for emergency services
THE NOT SO GOOD
  1. Does not cover wellness visits
  2. If vet cost is under $3,000 you lose the difference
  3. Requires a call to a Pawp vet for getting emergency services
  4. Getting emergency fund approvals can be challenging

Frequently Asked Questions

Pawp Customer Review

Below are some additional resources where people are sharing their thoughts about Pawp.

There are a few negative reviews on Consumers Advocate
Mixed reviews on Reddit
4 star rating on TrustPilot

Is Pawp Worth It?

The answer is “it depends”. Probably not the answer you are looking for, but that is the honest answer.

If your pet has a pre-existing condition it might be worth it.

$24 x 12 months = $288 per year.

For that you get unlimited virtual vet calls that are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

You also get up to $3,000 for emergency medical care.

If you do not use the emergency medical care, then you spent $228 on virtual calls that you may or may not use.

I do feel Pawp is a good option for those that have elderly pets or super active pets that are notorious for getting in trouble.

Like kittens eating yarn or dogs that are super athletic, as the chances of those pets needing an emergency service are much higher than more laid back pets.

Your Thoughts?

Have you tried Pawp or are currently a member?

Please share your experiences so our readers can learn more and get a truly unbiased look at the Pawp vet care service.

Jill Caren CharityPaws

Jill Caren

Jill is an avid animal lover who spends her time helping animal rescues by photographing homeless pets and through her work on CharityPaws.

She is currently owned by Cleo, an American Pit Bull Terrier and Snoopy Cat. Her inspiration comes from her girls Ginger and Riley (RIP) – pit mix sisters who were loved family members for almost 15 years.

You can find her on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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