Not rated
Not rated
Pawp may be a useful alternative to pet insurance for some pet parents, but it isn’t as comprehensive.
Annual max coverage
$3,000
Reimbursement rates
Not applicable
Deductibles
Not applicable
Policy highlight
Covers pre-existing conditions.
About Pawp
Pawp, a telehealth service for your pet, is an alternative to traditional pet insurance. For an annual fee, your pet can have unlimited virtual visits with Pawp’s vet professionals. These vets can provide advice, reminders and a personalized care plan for your pet. You can also add Pawp’s Emergency Protection, which pays up to $3,000 per year for emergency care.
Keep in mind that telehealth Pawp vets don't take the place of your in-person veterinarian. They can’t do things like perform surgery or run diagnostic tests on your pet. If you’re looking for a plan that will pay for these services on a non-emergency basis, consider standard pet insurance instead. (See our list of the Best Pet Insurance Companies.)
Pawp at a glance
Best for: People who want 24-hour vet access or emergency coverage for a pet with a pre-existing condition.
Not ideal for: Those seeking coverage for expensive vet bills beyond emergencies.
Because Pawp’s product is so different from pet insurance policies, we can’t give the company a fair star rating based on the same criteria we use for standard pet insurers.
How Pawp works
Pawp’s main product is a 24/7 telehealth subscription service, with an add-on for emergency care.
Pawp telehealth
Pawp’s base membership plan provides unlimited virtual visits with a network of veterinary doctors and nurses. The vets can’t make diagnoses. However, they can recommend an in-person vet visit, answer questions and develop a plan to keep your pet healthy.
In some states, vets may be able to prescribe medicine for your pet. This requires a prescription visit, which costs $35 on top of your annual membership.
You can add up to six pets to the same account.
Pawp Emergency Protection
Pawp’s Emergency Protection add-on is a bit like a pet insurance plan in that it can help you pay for sudden, unexpected vet expenses. It’s available for an additional fee on top of your annual subscription.
Emergency Protection offers up to $3,000 for one life-threatening emergency per year, per household. So if you have two cats on your plan, for example, it can pay for emergency care for one or the other — but not both — in a single year.
Emergency Protection can cover scenarios like bloat, poisoning or a car accident. It can also pay for euthanasia and cremation if necessary. However, it covers only the initial emergency visit, not any follow-ups.
A standard pet insurance policy could also cover follow-up care after an emergency. For example, some pet insurance policies will pay for physical therapy, hydrotherapy or other types of rehab.
To be reimbursed, you usually must start a video call with a Pawp vet so they can determine whether your pet needs emergency care. If so, you must take your pet to a licensed clinic for treatment within eight hours.
What’s not covered
Pawp’s base telehealth service doesn’t pay for anything other than the consultation itself. Say a Pawp vet suggests that your dog may need a diagnostic test or a certain course of treatment. You’ll have to arrange and pay for those services yourself.
If you add Emergency Protection to your Pawp subscription, it won’t cover:
Emergencies that happen during your initial waiting period.
Emergencies related to breeding or pregnancy.
Treatment for follow-up care after the initial emergency.
Preventive or other non-emergency care.
Illnesses that could’ve been prevented by a vaccine that a vet recommended but you chose not to get for your pet.
Scheduled procedures.
Situations that weren’t deemed emergencies by a Pawp vet.
Treatment for conditions caused by neglect or endangerment of your pet.
Boarding or day care.
Treatment related to issues of the teeth or gums.
Organ transplants.
Prosthetic limbs or devices.
Pawp vs. pet insurance
The main difference between Pawp and pet insurance is which services they cover. Pawp’s base subscription includes virtual exams and advice only. Meanwhile, standard pet insurance plans pay for a wide range of services such as surgeries, medicine and diagnostic tests. Learn more about pet insurance coverage.
Many pet insurance plans offer access to a 24/7 vet helpline that can offer virtual consultations.
Pawp’s Emergency Protection could be an alternative to pet insurance if you’re worried about unexpected expenses. However, it’s fairly restrictive. The emergency must be sudden and life-threatening, so the plan won’t help if your pet is diagnosed with a chronic long-term illness, for example.
Pet insurance often has higher annual coverage limits than $3,000 a year, too.
That said, we like that Emergency Protection can cover problems related to conditions your pet had before you signed up for Pawp. Most pet insurance policies won’t cover pre-existing conditions.
» MORE: Is pet insurance worth it?
Restrictions and waiting periods
Age restrictions: Pawp doesn’t have any restrictions on how old or young your pet can be when enrolling.
Waiting periods: A pet insurance waiting period is the time between when you buy your plan and when your coverage starts. You’ll have immediate access to Pawp’s telehealth vets as soon as you sign up for the base plan. Emergency Protection has a 14-day waiting period.
Pawp cost
The cost of Pawp’s telehealth membership is $99 per year. If you want to add Emergency Protection, you’ll pay an extra $19 per month.
Is Pawp worth it?
It depends. Having 24/7 access to Paw’s vet professionals could provide peace of mind if a minor health issue arises and you’re not sure it’s worth an in-person vet visit. And Emergency Protection could pay off if something more serious goes wrong.
If you’re looking for a service that will cover more of your vet bills, pet insurance may offer better value. An insurance plan can pay for medicine, hospital stays and surgery even in non-emergency situations.
Pawp may be a useful option for pets who aren’t a good fit for an insurance plan. For example, you might consider it for an older pet who’s expensive to insure. It may also be a good fit for pets with pre-existing conditions that insurance wouldn’t cover.
Finally, if you have multiple pets, Pawp may be an affordable alternative to pet insurance for emergency care.
Where Pawp is available
Pawp’s telehealth and emergency plans are available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all pets in a given state.
Consumer experience
Website: Pawp’s website offers basic information about how the plan works, but to sign up for the service you’ll need to download the mobile app.
Mobile app: You'll access Pawp’s teleheath services through the app. You can also use it to sign up for membership, see account information and add or remove pets from your plan.
Claims: To file a claim for Emergency Protection, use the mobile app. You have 14 days after the incident to submit a claim. You'll need to provide a medical record and paid invoice along with details about your pet’s emergency. Pawp’s staff may request more documentation if necessary.
Customer service: You can email support@pawp.com or reach out through the app. The website also has a live chat function, accessed via the Help Center link in the footer.
What Reddit users say about Pawp
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like pet insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Pawp gets mixed reviews from commenters on Reddit. One common complaint is having emergency claims denied. In some cases, the denials came even after the pet owner spoke with a Pawp vet and was told to go to the emergency room.
Some commenters express concern about how effectively a vet can identify an emergency in a video call. However, a few posters report more positive experiences. They describe helpful telehealth vets and emergency claims that were approved.
Questions from Reddit: Our experts answer
Is Pawp good for pets with pre-existing conditions?
It may be. If your pet’s condition could potentially turn into a life-threatening emergency, Pawp’s Emergency Protection could come in handy. A virtual vet could also be helpful in managing your pet’s ongoing conditions. Keep in mind that telehealth vets often can't prescribe medication.
Is Pawp good for people with multiple pets?
You can add up to six pets to your account for the same price. In this way it may be affordable compared to the cost of separate pet insurance plans. Having unlimited telehealth visits for multiple pets could save you money on in-person vet visits. But you can use Emergency Protection only once per year, regardless of how many pets you have.
Frequently asked questions
Pawp is a service offering unlimited telehealth visits for your pet. Pawp’s vets can answer questions and create an ongoing care plan, but they can’t make diagnoses.
Yes, but only in certain states. You’ll have to pay $35 for a dedicated “prescription visit.” This fee doesn’t include the cost of the medicine.
You can cancel your membership through the Pawp app.
