Lemonade hit the pet insurance market in July 2020 with a unique Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven claims process and four solid years of providing reputable homeowners and renters insurance.
For pet insurance, they offer affordable premiums, customizable policies, a wellness plan add-on, and a fast claims process they handle through their smartphone app.
But does Lemonade provide all the coverage you’ll need for your pet? And how do they stack up against their competitors?
Article Overview
Lemonade Pet Insurance
Pros
- Annual deductible (not per incident)
- No lifetime payout limits on any plan
- Wellness coverage available as an add-on
- Easy to submit claims on mobile apps
- Lower than average pricing
- Coverage available for pets aged 8 weeks to 20+ years (depending on breed)
- Company makes sizeable charitable contributions to causes of their customers' choosing
- BBB rating: C
Cons
- Vet exams for accidents and illnesses only covered in extended add-on plan
- Must pay extra for physical therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy coverage
- Strict exclusions for pre-existing bilateral conditions
- Limited customer service options
- Only available in 34 states and DC
- Not covered when traveling with your pet outside of the U.S.
- Doesn't enroll some breeds once they hit a certain age, but they never terminate coverage for pets as they age
- No multi-pet discount
Alternatives To Lemonade Pet Insurance
We don’t include Lemonade (or any company with less than five years in the pet insurance industry) in our annual rankings because it takes time for providers to establish consistent pricing and customer experience. To find the best, our experts regularly analyze over a dozen established companies. Learn more about this year’s pet insurance rankings.
Key Features
- Underwriter: Lemonade Insurance Agency LLC
- A.M. Best rating (a measure of financial stability): A
- Requires a full medical exam from the past 12 months for pets older than one
- Bilateral exclusions (a condition or disease that affects both sides of the body) are considered pre-existing
- Claims process:
- You can only submit claims through their app, and you must file claims within 180 days of an accident or illness occurring
- No claim repayment timeline promised to customers
- Direct deposit available for repayment
- Also offers homeowners and renters insurance, and you can get a 10% discount if you bundle pet insurance with one of these other policies
- Live chat with medical experts on the app
- Only available in 34 states and the District of Columbia: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, IN, IA, MD, MI, MS, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WI.
- Policies start at $10 per month
- Doesn’t offer pre-approval of estimates/procedures in advance of treatment
Pre-Existing Conditions
Pet insurance providers don’t cover pre-existing conditions, but the specific definitions can vary by company. A pre-existing condition is defined by Lemonade in their policy as:
Any Condition for which a Veterinarian provided medical advice, the pet received treatment for, or the pet displayed signs or symptoms consistent with the stated Condition prior to the Start Date of a pet insurance policy or during any Waiting Period.
Customer Service
Lemonade offers fewer customer service options than most pet insurance providers because it’s structured largely as a digital company. All claims are handled through their app, and their app has an AI-driven chatbot.
- Phone: 1-844-733-8666 (their site says this is for use in case of emergencies – e.g., your pet needs immediate surgery to save his life)
- Email: help@lemonade.com
Waiting Periods
These waiting periods begin on your policy’s start date, and Lemonade will only consider reimbursement for your claim after the waiting period ends.
- 2 days: Accidents
- 14 days: Illnesses
- 6 months: Cruciate ligament events (bilateral exclusion for pre-existing cruciate ligament injuries and lameness)
- 14 days: Hip dysplasia
What Does Lemonade Cover?
Please know that none of the providers in our pet insurance comparison cover pre-existing conditions or cremation and burial costs. All of them cover the following items when deemed medically necessary: X-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, cat scans, MRIs, rehabilitation, specialized exams, surgery, hospitalization, emergency care, specialty care, hydrotherapy, chronic conditions, cancer, diagnostic treatment, alternative/holistic therapy, and euthanasia. However, there may be limitations to this coverage, so please check your policy.
| Condition | Covered By Lemonade |
|---|---|
| Exam Required To Set Health Baseline |  |
| Behavioral Therapies |  |
| Exam Fees | Extra Fee |
| Wellness Care Available For An Extra Fee | |
| Non-Routine Dental Treatment | |
| Hereditary Conditions | |
| Congenital Conditions | |
| Prescription Medication | |
| Breed, Whelping, Pregnancy | |
| Cosmetic Procedures (e.g., Tail Docking, Ear Cropping, Dew Claw Removal) Unless Medically Necessary | |
Extended Accident And Illness Package
Lemonade also offers an Extended Accident and Illness package that allows you to get reimbursed for the time and labor costs your vet might charge.
- Vet exam fees for eligible accidents and illnesses
- Physical therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy
Like with the basic plan, Lemonade bases prices for the Extended Plan on your pet’s age, breed, and location. When we ran quotes, prices averaged about $13/month for dogs and $3.50/month for cats.
Preventative Care Plan
If you opt to pay extra for wellness care through Lemonade, here’s what you’ll be reimbursed for. Not covered are spay and neuter surgery or microchipping, which most other companies include in their preventative care plans.
| Reimbursement Percentage | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Per Month for Dogs | $15 | $16 | $18 |
| Price Per Month for Cats | $9 | $10 | $11 |
| Annual Wellness Exam | $50 | $50 | $55 |
| Heartworm Test | $35 | $40 | $45 |
| Internal Parasite or Fecal Test | $35 | $35 | $40 |
| Bloodwork | $55 | $65 | $75 |
| Up To Three Vaccines Each Year | $65 | $75 | $80 |
| Total Annual Benefits | $240 | $265 | $295 |
Pricing Quotes
Lemonade Pet Insurance offers flexible annual payout limits at $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, and $100,000. There are no lifetime payout limits. You can choose deductibles of either $100, $250, or $500. You also have three reimbursement options: 70%, 80%, or 90%. Individual premium prices are based on age, breed, and location. Below are sample quotes we compiled in October 2020.
| Breed | Labrador Retriever | Mixed Breed Dog (45 lbs) | Yorkshire Terrier | Golden Retriever | Mixed Breed Cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male or Female | Male | Female | Female | Male | Female |
| Age | 3 Years | 5 Years | 4 Years | 2 Years | 2 Years |
| Location | Virginia (22901) | Indiana (46201) | New York City (10023) | California (90210) | Virginia (22901) |
| Price Per Month | $31.50 | $26.33 | $35.17 | $33.75 | $12.75 |
| Reimbursement Level | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Annual Deductible | $250 | $250 | $250 | $500 | $250 |
| Annual Payout Limit | $20,000 | $20,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $20,000 |
You should expect annual increases on your premiums from any pet insurance company. These rates and increases will vary based on your location, changes in vet costs, and more.
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How Is Lemonade’s Business Model Unique?
Lemonade isn’t your traditional insurance company in several ways. See how they stand out for their AI-driven process, digital claims processing, and commitment to charitable contributions in this four-minute video of Lemonade’s CEO Daniel Schreiber on CNBC.
Lemonade vs Other Companies
Interested in seeing how Lemonade stacks up against other popular pet insurance companies? We’ve written comparison articles for you to see how Lemonade and other leading pet insurance companies compare in coverage, customer service and reputation, claim repayment timeline, plan customization, and price.
What’s Our Final Verdict?
Since Lemonade is so new to the pet insurance industry, there’s still a lot of room for this company to experience changes before establishing a solid reputation for handling claims and customer issues. However, their pricing, coverage, and flexible policies are worth considering if you’re comfortable with the lack of customer service options.
If you’re not sure if Lemonade is the right pet insurance provider for you, you’ve got lots of options. See our top three picks for best pet insurance along with category winners (we rank the best providers for everything from older dogs and dental to wellness coverage and bilateral conditions) to see how Lemonade compares. And you should always get multiple pet insurance quotes to compare coverage and costs to find the best value for your family.
What stands out most for you about Lemonade Pet Insurance?