Ben Madilynn
Pawp delivers two primary benefits — a digital vet clinic and an emergency fund. Pawp bases its company entirely on a digital platform, so you must use the mobile app or desktop website to set up your account and sign in. Once you complete your pet profiles, you can use the digital vet clinic to get answers to your questions and gain access to the emergency fund. You can apply for emergency money following a 14-day waiting period.
Information about the emergency fund is readily available on Pawp’s website, and we found the chat feature helpful to get basic questions answered quickly. The company offers a short free trial period, so pet owners can decide if the plan’s services are right for them before financially committing.
How Much Does Pawp Cost?
Pawp has fixed prices, which means rates will not change based on pet type, age or location. Customers interested in the base digital vet clinic plan pay $99 annually, while those with the combined base membership and emergency fund pay $24 per month for up to six enrolled pets.
New members can sign up for a one-month trial membership before automatic payments kick in. However, some online reviewers said Pawp did not notify them about a policy’s upcoming renewal and issued unexpected charges. When contacting customer service to cancel, pet owners said Pawp told them the company has a strict “no refunds for any reason” policy. Our team reached out to Pawp for comment on its renewal policy but did not receive a response.
A Pawp membership costs less than most standard pet insurance plans. However, the app does not provide the same services or coverage as a pet insurance provider. Pawp is an alternative option for emergency coverage or for pets not eligible for traditional pet insurance.
What Does Pawp Cover?
Pawp is an alternative to pet insurance, offering a digital app and consultation service that delivers two primary benefits. The first is the “digital vet clinic,” which offers members 24/7 access to veterinary professionals. The second is the company’s emergency fund, which can reimburse pet owners for a single pet emergency per year. Pawp is not a pet insurance provider, but it can offer support to pet owners between in-person veterinary visits.
24/7 Digital Veterinary Clinic Access
All Pawp members have unlimited 24/7 access to the digital vet clinic, which serves as a teletriage and advice line. Licensed veterinarians and credentialed veterinary technicians with at least five years of experience staff the clinic, according to the company website.
Members can enroll up to six pets and fill out a profile for each one. To access the digital vet clinic, members can request a consultation in the app and wait to speak with a professional via phone, text, or video chat. Pawp states most members wait less than two minutes, although some reviewers cited longer wait times. We reached out to Pawp to learn more but did not receive a response.
Outcome-Based Care Plans
When pet owners first sign up for the plan, Pawp recommends scheduling a digital visit and speaking with a veterinarian about their pet’s overall health and well-being. Then, the vet can make personalized recommendations and create an outcome-based care plan that focuses on actionable health goals. Recommendations may include diet changes, exercise routines, behavioral enrichment and more.
Emergency Fund
A Pawp membership includes coverage for one emergency vet visit bill of up to $3,000 per household per year. Members can tap into the fund for one life-threatening emergency per year, such as a toxin ingestion, choking, a severe blockage, or a severe internal or external injury. However, a licensed Pawp vet must confirm the emergency before you can activate the fund.
Here’s how the emergency coverage works: If your pet has an emergency, hop on a video call with a Pawp vet, allowing the vet to confirm the urgency of your pet’s emergency and activate the emergency fund. Your pet must be visible in the video for a Pawp veterinary professional to triage its condition appropriately and provide specific recommendations.
If the Pawp veterinary professional recommends you seek in-person care for your pet’s emergency, you’ll have eight hours to visit a veterinarian for treatment. Once you finalize your pet’s paperwork and treatment is complete, you can submit a reimbursement application through the Pawp app. If the request is approved, you should receive up to $3,000 in reimbursement for the emergency vet bill.
