Lemonade is a pet insurance newcomer, while Healthy Paws is a veteran. We compare these two pet insurance companies head-to-head and choose a winner. We explain our reasoning for our rankings below. Remember, you should always get quotes for your specific pet and location and read the policy before signing up. Ultimately we feel that coverage should be a leading factor for you to consider before purchasing, but we also realize that cost is an important aspect.
Visit Lemonade’s Website | Visit Healthy Paws’ Website
| Lemonade | Healthy Paws | |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Coverage | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| Customer Service & Reputation | 2.0 | 4.9 |
| Claim Repayment | 3.3 | 4.7 |
| Plan Customization | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Price of Policy | 4.5 | 3.9 |
| Overall Winner | 3.6/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Policy Coverage
The table below shows precisely what Lemonade and Healthy Paws cover. Both companies cover 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, euthanasia, non-routine dental treatment, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and prescription medication.
| Lemonade | Healthy Paws | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking in our Pet Insurance Reviews | Not Ranked | 2nd |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 14 Days | 12 Months* |
| ACL Waiting Period | 6 Months | 15 Days |
| Pre-Existing Conditions |  | |
| Check Ups, Vaccinations, Spay/Neuter, Teeth Cleaning | Extra Fee | |
| Illnesses Waiting Period | 14 Days | 15 Days |
| Accidents Waiting Period | 2 Days | 15 Days |
| Behavioral Therapy | | |
| Exam Fees | Extra Fee | |
| Enrollment Fee | | $25 |
| 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee | |  |
| Annual Payout Options | $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 | Unlimited |
| BBB Rating | B | A+ |
| Underwriter | Lemonade Insurance Agency LLC | Westchester Fire Insurance Company/Chubb |
| A.M. Best Rating | A | A++ |
| Exam Required to Set Baseline for Pet's Health | | |
*Healthy Paws only offers hip dysplasia coverage to dogs enrolled before the age of six.
The biggest differences between these two companies regarding coverage is:
- Healthy Paws doesn’t enroll dogs older than 14 years old
- Healthy Paws has limitations to its hip dysplasia coverage
- Lemonade offers a wellness plan for an extra fee; Healthy Paws does not
- Lemonade has more payout limit options to fit into your budget than Healthy Paws does
- Healthy Paws is available nationwide; Lemonade is only available in 34 states and Washington D.C.
However, the catch is that Lemonade pet insurance was just founded in 2020, so it’s hard for us to gauge if Lemonade will offer consistent coverage and pricing for the long haul. Because of this, we’d recommend Healthy Paws over Lemonade since the two companies’ coverages don’t vary drastically.
Policy Coverage Winner: Healthy Paws
Customer Service & Reputation
As we mentioned, Lemonade is a young pet insurance company, so it doesn’t have a longstanding reputation like Healthy Paws does. Healthy Paws is known for having one of the best standings in the pet insurance industry. In fact, it used to lead the industry with positive change and innovations. Healthy Paws was also the first company to offer unlimited claim limits, and it has excellent customer service.
More recently, Healthy Paws’ innovation has taken a back seat to providing a consistent, reliable service. The company may not be rolling out new ideas as regularly as its competitors, but it’s still giving its customers dependable coverage. For all these reasons, we’ve chosen Healthy Paws as the winner for customer service and reputation.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Healthy Paws
Claim Repayment
Lemonade pet insurance gives no claim repayment timeline promises to its customers. Lemonade’s goal is to pay the majority of straightforward claims almost instantly. I spoke with Lemonade directly and was told that they don’t share their average handling time for claims.
On the other hand, Healthy Paws pays 99% of their claims within two days — the best out of all the companies we review. Additionally, you may be able to have Healthy Paws pay your vet directly, so you don’t have to pay a hefty vet bill in advance and wait for reimbursement. But this isn’t available everywhere, so check with your vet first to see if this is an option for you.
Claim Repayment Winner: Healthy Paws
Plan Customization
The major differences between these two companies are the level of plan customization available and age restrictions.
While Healthy Paws has unlimited payouts for all plans, they do have some restrictions on reimbursement and annual deductible amounts, depending on your pet’s age at enrollment.
- Dogs and cats 5 years and under:
- 90%, 80%, and 70% reimbursement
- $100, $250, and $500 deductible
- Dogs and cats 6 and 7 years old:
- 80%, 70%, or 60% reimbursement
- $250, $500, or $750 deductible
- Dogs 8 years and older:
- 50% or 60% reimbursement
- $750 or $1,000 deductible
Additionally, Healthy Paws doesn’t enroll pets older than 14 years old.
Lemonade pet insurance offers a lot of customizable options no matter the pet’s age:
- Annual payout options: $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, and $100,000
- Deductibles: $100, $250, or $500
- Reimbursement: 70%, 80%, or 90%
Lemonade offers coverage for pets aged 8 weeks to 20+ years, depending on the breed and species. Some breeds are ineligible for enrollment once they hit a certain age, but they never terminate pets’ coverage as they age. (Healthy Paws doesn’t terminate coverage for pets as they age either.)
Overall, Healthy Paws has more age restrictions and only one annual limit option, making it more difficult to adjust to fit your budget. Lemonade has fewer age restrictions, but it does have some breed restrictions. In the end, Lemonade wins by a hair.
Plan Customization Winner: Lemonade
Price Of Policy
Healthy Paws requires a one-time enrollment fee of $25. On the other hand, Lemonade doesn’t have any one-time fees or recurring transaction fees.
Below are some quotes we pulled on April 7, 2021. All information is for pets without a microchip, no multi-pet discount, and no pre-existing conditions.
| Breed | Birthday | Gender | Location | Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Payout | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemonade | Yorkshire Terrier | December 2017 | Male | Ohio (43205) | $100 | 80% | $100,000 | $24.08 |
| Healthy Paws | Yorkshire Terrier | December 2017 | Male | Ohio (43205) | $100 | 80% | Unlimited | $33.85 |
| Lemonade | Yorkshire Terrier | December 2017 | Male | Ohio (43205) | $100 | 90% | $100,000 | $26.58 |
| Healthy Paws | Yorkshire Terrier | December 2017 | Male | Ohio (43205) | $100 | 90% | Unlimited | $42.29 |
| Lemonade | Labrador Retriever | April 2017 | Female | California (90024) | $250 | 80% | $20,000 | $64.08 |
| Healthy Paws | Labrador Retriever | April 2017 | Female | California (90024) | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $94.57 |
| Lemonade | Medium Mixed Breed | January 2015 | Female | Illinois (60604) | $500 | 70% | $10,000 | $26.50 |
| Healthy Paws | Medium Mixed Breed | January 2015 | Female | Illinois (60604) | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $54.99 |
| Lemonade | American Pitbull Terrier | September 2018 | Male | New York (10012) | $500 | 70% | $50,000 | $35.00 |
| Healthy Paws | American Pitbull Terrier | September 2018 | Male | New York (10012) | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $70.61 |
We like that Lemonade has more annual claim limit options than Healthy Paws, so you can adjust your coverage based on your budget. Healthy Paws offers some of the most affordable coverage for unlimited claim limits, but it’s hard to compare apples to apples when Healthy Paws only gives you the unlimited claim limits option.
Price Of Policy Winner: Lemonade
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Lemonade
Healthy Paws
What’s The Verdict?
Healthy Paws wins this comparison due to its coverage, reputation, customer service, and speedy claim repayment. However, if you want more customization options or a wellness plan, you may want to consider Lemonade.
If you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts dig even deeper into each company in our individual reviews of Lemonade and Healthy Paws.
Overall Winner: Healthy Paws
Our experts have spent hundreds of hours researching to bring you our comprehensive and frequently updated pet insurance reviews, which include more than 20 companies.
If you prefer to see winners by category, see our best pet insurance comparison. We give awards for the best price, multiple pet discounts, 100% reimbursement, unlimited payouts, and other “best for” categories, including puppies, older dogs, dental, wellness coverage, bilateral conditions, behavioral therapy, vet direct pay, and more. You’ll even see winners for exotic pets and cats.
Would you choose Lemonade or Healthy Paws for your dog? Why?