Lemonade Pet Insurance Review
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Lemonade
4.0
/5Annual max coverage
Reimbursement rates
Deductibles
Policy highlight
About Lemonade pet insurance
Lemonade earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. The company sells pet insurance online through its user-friendly website and app. It offers accident and illness coverage, plus wellness plans that help cover the costs of routine vet visits and vaccinations. But some types of coverage cost extra, and Lemonade doesn't operate in every state.
Lemonade takes a flat fee from each premium as its profit, then it uses the rest to pay claims. If there's anything left over at the end of the year, the company donates it to nonprofit organizations chosen by policyholders.
Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.
» MORE: The best pet insurance companies
Quick claims processing.
Multipolicy and pay-in-full discounts available.
Donates a portion of premiums to nonprofit organizations.
Not available in all states.
Physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care cost extra.
Lemonade pet insurance plans and coverage
Lemonade offers these pet insurance plans for cats and dogs.
Accident and illness
This comprehensive plan covers care for health conditions like diabetes, urinary tract infections, arthritis and cancer, plus injuries like cuts and broken bones. The plan pays for:
Diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, urinalysis, MRIs, X-rays, lab work, CT scans and ultrasounds.
Outpatient, specialty and emergency care procedures.
Hospitalization.
Surgery.
Injections to treat a covered condition.
Prescription medications.
Extended coverage
Policyholders can choose various add-ons to cover things like:
Vet visit fees for eligible accidents or illnesses.
Physical therapy treatments like acupuncture and hydrotherapy.
End-of-life and remembrance costs, such as euthanasia, cremation and memorial items.
Dental illness like gingivitis, plus procedures such as extractions and root canals.
Therapy and medications for behavioral conditions.
Wellness
With one of Lemonade's wellness plans, you'll get discounts on routine vet visits without needing to reach a deductible.
Lemonade's Preventative Care package for adults covers:
One wellness exam.
One fecal or internal parasite test.
One heartworm or FeLV/FIV test.
Bloodwork once a year.
Up to three vaccines or boosters.
The Preventative+ Care package for adults covers all of the above plus flea, tick or heartworm medication and routine dental cleaning.
Lemonade's Puppy/Kitten Preventative Care package covers:
Two wellness exams.
Two fecal or internal parasite tests.
One heartworm or FeLV/FIV test.
Bloodwork once a year.
Up to six vaccines or boosters.
Flea, tick or heartworm medication.
Microchipping.
» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?
What Lemonade pet insurance doesn't cover
Lemonade's plans don't cover:
Incidents that occur before the end of your plan's waiting period.
Costs related to your pet's pre-existing conditions.
Bilateral conditions (conditions that affect two sides of the body). If your pet has a condition such as cataracts or hip dysplasia before you buy a policy, it won't be covered if it develops on the other side after the policy is in place. However, bilateral conditions are covered if the first occurrence is after you've purchased a policy.
Taxes and medical waste fees.
Experimental treatments.
» MORE: Is pet insurance worth it?
Lemonade pet insurance plan options
Deductibles: $100 to $750 per year. Learn more about pet insurance deductibles.
Reimbursement amounts: 70%, 80% or 90%. When calculating your claim payout, Lemonade applies your reimbursement percentage to your vet bill before subtracting your deductible. Here’s how the math would work if you had a $2,000 vet bill, a $500 deductible and an 80% reimbursement rate:
$2,000 vet bill x 0.8 (80% reimbursement rate) = $1,600.
$1,600 - $500 deductible = $1,100 reimbursement.
Did you know...
Some pet insurers subtract your deductible from your vet bill before applying the reimbursement percentage, which leads to a more generous claim payout. Here’s what that would look like for the example above:
$2,000 vet bill - $500 deductible = $1,500.
$1,600 x 0.8 (80% reimbursement rate) = $1,280 reimbursement.
Coverage limits: $5,000 to $100,000 per year.
Restrictions and waiting periods
Age restrictions: Lemonade doesn't insure pets under 2 months old. The maximum age limits for enrollment may vary by breed.
Waiting periods: A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage starts. In most states, Lemonade's waiting periods are 14 days for illnesses and 30 days for orthopedic conditions, with no waiting period for accidents.
If your pet gets sick or injured during the waiting period, treatment won’t be covered — and the condition will be considered pre-existing going forward. Learn more about pre-existing conditions.
Lemonade pet insurance sample rates
The cost of Lemonade pet insurance depends on where you live, the coverage limits you choose and your pet’s breed and age.
To give you a rough idea of how much you might pay, we gathered sample rates for several popular dog breeds at ages 2 and 8. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for dogs living in Katy, Texas. Our sample plan was for accident and illness coverage with a $250 deductible, $5,000 of annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. Your own price will vary.
Breed | Age 2 | Age 8 |
|---|---|---|
French bulldog | $42 | $81 |
German shepherd | $30 | $60 |
Golden retriever | $34 | $78 |
Labrador retriever | $33 | $64 |
Medium mixed-breed dog | $26 | $45 |
Poodle | $25 | $65 |
We also gathered rates for a variety of cat breeds with the same coverage limits as above. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for cats living in Katy, Texas.
Breed | Age 2 | Age 8 |
|---|---|---|
Devon rex | $17 | $34 |
Domestic shorthair | $13 | $25 |
Exotic longhair | $13 | $28 |
Maine coon | $18 | $31 |
Persian | $16 | $29 |
Ragdoll | $14 | $28 |
» MORE: The best cheap pet insurance
Lemonade pet insurance discounts
You can get a 10% discount on your pet insurance plan by bundling it with another policy from Lemonade such as homeowners, renters or auto insurance.
Lemonade also offers a 5% discount for insuring two or more pets and a 5% discount if you opt to pay your premium annually instead of monthly.
We recommend getting pet insurance quotes from at least three companies to make sure you’ve found the best deal.
State availability
Lemonade sells pet insurance in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
Digital experience
Lemonade's website is sleek and user-friendly; it only takes a few minutes to get a quote. You can buy a policy online if you're happy with the offered price.
Lemonade's app is compatible with Apple and Android devices. It makes purchasing and managing your pet insurance policy easy.
How to file a claim with Lemonade
You'll file claims on the app. The company says it pays about 50% of all its claims immediately.
How to contact Lemonade customer service
The quickest way to get a response is by launching the chatbot feature on the app or website. Otherwise, you can send an email to [email protected] or call 844-733-8666.
Lemonade policyholders also have access to Chewy’s Connect with a Vet service, which lets you chat live with a veterinarian or vet tech.
Lemonade pet insurance vs. competitors
Here's how Lemonade stacks up against three other popular pet insurance companies.
Lemonade vs. Pumpkin
Like Lemonade, Pumpkin insures cats and dogs age 2 months or older; however, Pumpkin operates in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Lemonade's coverage caps out at $100,000 in some cases, while Pumpkin has unlimited plans available.
Policy-wise, these insurers keep it simple with varying levels of accident and illness coverage as well as preventative care. Pumpkin stands out for having a reimbursement rate of 90% on all plans and a 14-day waiting period for all conditions, including cruciate ligament injuries. For Lemonade, the waiting period for some conditions is 30 days.
Both insurers support online claims. However, Pumpkin doesn’t have a mobile app, while Lemonade’s robust app is the main place where many customers manage their policy.
Read our Pumpkin pet insurance review.
Coverage options | Lemonade | Pumpkin |
|---|---|---|
Deductible | $100 to $750 per year. | $100 to $1,000 per year. |
Reimbursement | 70%, 80% or 90%. | 90%. |
Annual limit | $5,000 to $100,000 per year. | $10,000 to unlimited for dogs; $7,000 to unlimited for cats. |
Lemonade vs. Healthy Paws
While Lemonade's top annual payout limit is generous at $100,000, Healthy Paws offers unlimited coverage. Available for cats and dogs, its policies have no annual or lifetime maximums, and the company processes most claims within a couple of days.
If you're interested in coverage for preventative care to keep your pet healthy, Lemonade is the better fit. Healthy Paws offers only accident and illness policies, which cover alternative therapies and hereditary conditions but don't pay for routine vet visits.
In most states, Healthy Paws' waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries is 15 days — much shorter than Lemonade's six months. However, Healthy Paws won't cover hip dysplasia for the first 12 months of the policy. For pets enrolled at age 6 or older, Healthy Paws won't cover hip dysplasia at all.
For expensive treatments, Healthy Paws may be able to work with your vet to authorize direct payment, so you don't have to pay the full amount upfront.
Read our Healthy Paws pet insurance review.
Coverage options | Lemonade | Healthy Paws |
|---|---|---|
Deductible | $100 to $750 per year. | $100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all deductible options are available for every pet.) |
Reimbursement | 70%, 80% or 90%. | 50% to 90%. (Not all reimbursement options are available for every pet.) |
Annual limit | $5,000 to $100,000 per year. | Unlimited. |
Lemonade vs. Trupanion
Lemonade and Trupanion cover cats and dogs, though Trupanion doesn't have a minimum age requirement. For Lemonade, your pet needs to be at least 2 months old before you can insure them.
Trupanion is licensed to sell coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In most states, the insurer takes a unique approach to deductibles compared to other pet insurance companies, including Lemonade. It charges deductibles per condition rather than per year. Once you've met each deductible, you won't have to cover any further costs related to those conditions over the life of your pet.
Trupanion sells only accident and illness coverage. While Lemonade has wellness plans for purchase, Trupanion offers a Pet Owner Assistance package, which covers things like a reward for a lost pet and boarding fees if you're hospitalized.
Read our Trupanion pet insurance review.
Coverage options | Lemonade | Trupanion |
|---|---|---|
Deductible | $100 to $750 per year. | In most states, $0 to $1,000 lifetime deductible per condition. In select states, plans have no deductibles. |
Reimbursement | 70%, 80% or 90%. | 90% in most states. |
Annual limit | $5,000 to $100,000 per year. | Unlimited in all states. |
Lemonade pet insurance: The bottom line
Lemonade pet insurance may be right for you if you’re looking for an affordable plan you can buy and manage online.
Strengths: Lemonade reimburses some claims almost instantly. Its highly rated app makes it easy to get a quote, file a quote or manage your policy.
Weaknesses: Lemonade charges extra for coverage that some companies include automatically, such as treatment for dental illnesses or behavioral therapy.
How we review pet insurance
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, we consider coverage, discounts, financial strength ratings from AM Best and more to determine our star ratings.
In our evaluation, we:
Analyzed 2,100 data points.
Got 800+ quotes from pet insurers.
Compared 20+ companies.
Our rating system rewards companies that cover a wide range of potential expenses, offer many ways to customize your plan and have a strong financial rating. Within the consumer experience category, we looked at features such as mobile app ratings and whether the company offers direct vet payments. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
Dive deeper with our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.
Methodology
Pet insurance star ratings
NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, scope of coverage, the ability to customize your plan and more. Our “consumer experience” category looks at factors such as website transparency and mobile app ratings. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Pet insurance sample rates
To find sample pet insurance rates, NerdWallet gathered quotes for the base level of accident and illness coverage on each insurer’s website. Quotes reflect the monthly cost of a policy and do not include wellness coverage or other optional add-ons. Each plan for a given company had the same deductible, coverage limit and reimbursement rate for all sample pets.
These are sample rates gathered for specific pets living in Katy, Texas. Your own rates will be different.
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