Pawp's Emergency Protection is a financial safety net that reimburses you up to $3,000 for one vet bill a year in the event of an unexpected, life-threatening medical situation. It is available as an optional monthly add-on to your base Pawp membership. In this article, we'll discuss exclusions and what's not covered. If you're looking for what is covered, you can check out our What's Covered article for a deeper dive.
In order to be reimbursed for an emergency vet bill, you must submit an Emergency Protection claim. If approved, you will receive up to $3,000 via ACH e-transfer or mailed check. Each claim is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by our claims administrator to see if the medical situation qualifies as an emergency.
What does Pawp consider an emergency?
Pawp defines an emergency as an unexpected, life-threatening medical situation that requires immediate veterinary attention.
This definition of emergency mentions both "unexpected" and "life-threatening." In order to qualify for reimbursement, your issue must meet both of these criteria, meaning we can't provide coverage for things that are planned and expected (like scheduled surgeries) nor things that aren't life-threatening (like deworming).
What doesn't Emergency Protection cover?
Outside of how Pawp defines an emergency, there are a few other things that may prevent you from being approved for coverage. These mostly apply to making sure your Emergency Protection is available for use and there were no lapses in care that may have worsened your pet's issue. Please find a list of exclusions from Emergency Protection coverage below:
Please find a sample of exclusions from the Emergency Protection coverage below. A complete list of detailed exclusions can be found in the policy.
Emergencies that occur prior to the conclusion of each pet's individual 14-day waiting period.
Emergencies where the member has failed to take the pet to a veterinary provider within 24 hours of a Pawp veterinary professional instructing them to seek emergency in-person care.
Preventative care, including, but not limited to:
Preventative treatment, including annual tests or diagnostic procedures
Vaccinations
Parasite prevention
Spaying or neutering
Grooming and dematting
Any scheduled appointments for routine checkups or anticipated procedures, or any scheduled surgery or procedure.
Emergencies that have not been deemed as such by a Pawp veterinary professional and approved by Pawp’s Risk Services.
Cremation costs exceeding $250 or memorabilia of any kind.
Boarding or daycare.
Treatment for illness related to the teeth and/or gums or routine dental care.
Cost of treatments for follow-up care after an emergency, including scheduled appointments for additional procedures related to the emergency.
Treatment for injury or illness caused by the aggressive actions of another animal where there is deliberate endangerment of the member's pet, including but not limited to, organized fighting.
Treatment for injury or illness caused by persistent neglect of the animal.
Treatments for any illness for which a vaccine is available for the member’s pet to prevent such illness and for which vaccination is both recommended by a Veterinarian and rejected by the member.
Costs for any treatment for:
Prosthetic limbs and devices
Organ transplants
Genetic/chromosome testing
Vaccinations
Deworming
Routine checkups
X-rays or ultrasounds unrelated to an emergency
Prescription medications unrelated to an emergency
Non-emergency surgeries
Follow-up appointments after an emergency
Emergencies arising from or in any way related to pet breeding or pregnancy issues, including but not limited to nursing, neonates, and weaning
Costs for any treatment arising from or in any way related to:
avian, swine, or any other type of influenza or any mutant variation
intentional slaughter by, or under, the order of any government or public or local authority
epidemics or pandemics as declared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
You can find the complete Emergency Protection Policy here. While these documents are valid for the majority of Emergency Protection plans, some users may be opted into another plan with its own set of rules and regulations. To see your specific policy information, you can access the 'Protect' tab on the Pawp app to view your personal plan documents.
Open the Pawp app
Click the ‘Protect’ tab on the bottom right
View policy documents