Lemonade Pet Insurance Review: A Transparent Look at Plans and Prices

Best for Fast Claims

4.7 _/5

LendEDU Rating

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Pet Insurance

• 100% online application with enrollment available in seconds
• Customize your policy terms to find a comfortable premium
• Accidents covered just 2 days after enrollment
• Multiple discounts (10% for bundling policies, 5% for multiple pets, and 5% for annual payments)
• Claims can be approved in minutes
• 30-day money-back guarantee

• 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries
• Only available in 37 states and D.C

Annual coverage	$5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, or $100,000
Reimbursement	70%, 80%, or 90%
Deductible	$100, $250, $500, or $750
Ineligible states	Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming

When your pet gets sick, you want pet insurance that can act fast. Lemonade is our top pick for fast claims and is the best choice when you need quick approval. The process is 100% online, and the company uses artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly provide the coverage you need.

Here’s a closer look at what it covers and doesn’t cover, and typical wait times. This will determine whether Lemonade pet insurance is right for you.

Lemonade pet insurance at a glance

The table outlines what pet owners can get with pet insurance through Lemonade.

Terms	Details
Eligible pets	Dogs and cats
Deductibles	$100, $250, or $500
Annual coverage limits	$5,000 – $100,000
Reimbursement rates	70%, 80%, or 90%
Waiting periods	14 days for illness and 30 days for orthopedic conditions (no accident waiting periods)
Policy discounts	Multiple pets: 5%; Bundled policies: Up to 10%
Preventive care coverage?	2 preventive care packages for adults and 1 for puppies and kittens

What sets Lemonade apart is its charitable donations. The company gives a portion of its profits to a charity you choose. These include environmental protections and LGBTQ+ rights.

What types of plans does Lemonade offer?

Lemonade’s insurance plans cover diagnostics, procedures, and medication your pet needs due to accidents or illnesses. The base plan covers you if they need blood work, a CT scan, or surgery.

It also offers two preventive care packages for adults and one for puppies and kittens. These cover routine care like wellness exams, bloodwork, and dental cleaning. If you don’t want the whole preventive care package, you can select individual add-ons to your plan, like vet visit fees, physical therapy, and dental illness.

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What does Lemonade pet insurance cover?

With Lemonade, you get access to just about any kind of pet insurance coverage you could ask for. We’ll get into the details below.

Accident and illness pet insurance

An accident and illness plan from Lemonade covers all your bases. It includes blood work, X-rays, labs, and surgery. It even covers cancer treatments, instances of heart disease, and road accidents.

Lemonade’s base plan gives your pet plenty of coverage, but what if you want your pet to have the best care possible? That’s where optional add-ons come in.

These let you add coverage separately for any of the following:

• Physical therapy
• Dental illnesses
• Behavioral conditions
• End of life/remembrance

You won’t pay for these coverages unless you add them to your plan.

Preventive care

Lemonade’s base plan covers you when something goes wrong, but what about when things are going right? Adding a preventive care package can still protect your pet during good times. With this, your pet is covered for fecal or internal parasite tests, vaccines, and heartworm tests.

If you want to roll out the red carpet, you can use the elevated Preventative+ package, which covers routine dental cleanings and flea/tick or heartworm medication.

Lemonade also has a puppy/kitten preventative care package to keep your furry friends safe until they are two years old. This package includes two medical exams, six vaccines, two fecal or internal parasite tests, spay/neuter, and the things puppies and kittens need to grow up healthy.

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How much does a Lemonade pet insurance policy cost?

Lemonade doesn’t specify fees upfront, so reading the fine print is wise. However, pet insurance costs vary, with different premiums for cats and dogs. You can sometimes select a lower premium, which often means higher deductibles or less coverage. Premiums can also increase for older pets or after filing a claim.

Sample quotes collected by our team

Here’s how different variables affect the monthly premiums, based on quotes we collected:

We collected four sample quotes for Lemonade policies—two for dogs and two for cats. Here is how the dog quotes break down, including monthly premiums.

	Dog quote 1	Dog quote 2
Zip code	75033	75033
Type of pet	Dog	Dog
Age	6 years	6 months
Breed	Mixed (medium size)	Mixed (small size)
Deductible	$250	$250
Annual  coverage limit	$20,000	$20,000
Reimbursement rate	80%	80%
Base premium	$29.17	$22.31
Plus all add-ons	$98.21	$112.78

Below are the two quotes for cats, including monthly premiums:

	Cat quote 1	Cat quote 2
Zip code	19103	19103
Type of pet	Cat	Cat
Age	4 months	4 years
Breed	Mixed	Mixed
Deductible	$500	$500
Annual  coverage limit	$10,000	$10,000
Reimbursement rate	90%	90%
Base premium	$14.38	$13.11
Plus all add-ons	$90.77	$54.71

To get quotes, we specified that the animal had been in the owners’ care for over three years (or its entire life if younger) and had no underlying health issues.

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What does Lemonade pet insurance not cover?

No pet insurance plan covers everything, and Lemonade has some notable exceptions. 

• Pre-existing conditions: Any condition your pet had before coverage began isn’t covered.
• Elective procedures: Think ear cropping or tail docking; these aren’t considered medically necessary.
• Breeding and pregnancy: Lemonade won’t cover costs related to breeding or pregnancy.
• Grooming and boarding: These are considered routine and not eligible for coverage.
• Cosmetic procedures: Tattooing, claw removal, and more fall under this category.
• Behavioral training: Basic obedience training isn’t considered medically necessary.

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Waiting periods for Lemonade pet insurance

A waiting period is the time between when you sign up for a policy and when the coverage kicks in. It’s an industry standard to prevent fraud and ensure people don’t sign up after their pet is sick or injured.

Lemonade’s waiting periods:

• Accidents: 2 days
• Illnesses: 14 days
• Orthopedic conditions: 30 days
• Preventive care packages: None

Lemonade’s waiting periods are some of the best compared to the industry norm. Many companies take at least 14 days to start covering accidents, but Lemonade has no waiting period. 

The 14-day waiting period for illnesses aligns with industry standards. The 30 days for orthopedic conditions is standard, though some providers don’t have unique waiting periods like this.

Discounts to save money on Lemonade pet insurance

Saving on your pet insurance is always a win. Lemonade offers a multi-pet discount and additional savings if you bundle your pet policy with other types of insurance, such as renters or homeowners insurance.

• Multi-pet discount: Save 5% when you insure more than one pet.
• Annual payment discount: Save 5% when you pay for the year.
• Bundle discount: Get up to 10% off if you bundle with renters, homeowners, car, or term life insurance.

So, if your base premium for your dog is $29.17, and you decide to insure your cat, you’d get a 5% multi-pet discount, saving you about $1.46 per month. 

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What pets are eligible for Lemonade pet insurance?

Lemonade’s pet insurance is aimed at cats and dogs, with no exclusions for specific breeds. There are no upper age restrictions, either. 

Requirement	Details
Eligible states	Available in 37 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (Exclusions listed below.)
Age restrictions	No age restriction for enrollment, but premiums may vary based on your pet’s age.
Breed restrictions	No specific breed restrictions.
Medical exam	Lemonade requires veterinary records from the prior 12.5 months. If a pet is under 12.5 months old, Lemonade requires vet records from birth through when you apply for insurance.

Sign up for the mailing list to get an update when Lemonade expands to your area.

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Find pet insurance in your state, including Michigan and Ohio

Lemonade pet insurance claims and payouts

With a Lemonade policy, you cover upfront medical costs and then submit a claim for reimbursement. Lemonade doesn’t require preapproval. Once the claim is approved, Lemonade offers fast direct deposit into your bank account. Here’s how to file a claim:

• Gather documents: Compile all relevant bills and medical records from the veterinarian.
• File online: Use the Lemonade app or website to file your claim.
• Provide details: Answer questions about your pet’s condition and treatment.
• Upload documents: Attach all gathered documentation to your online claim.
• Review and submit: Double-check all information before submitting your claim for review.

Lemonade lets you go through the entire process using the mobile app. Since it uses direct deposit, reimbursements can be fast and hassle-free.

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How does pet insurance work?

Pros and cons of Lemonade pet insurance

You should know the pros and cons of Lemonade pet insurance before buying a policy.

Pros

• Efficient processes

  Lemonade has a smooth online setup for applications and claims. That means quicker reimbursements and less hassle for you.

• Social responsibility

  Lemonade uses excess funds—after paying claims—from your premium to donate to your chosen nonprofit.

• No waiting period for accidents

  Accidents are covered as soon as policy inception.

• Spay or neuter coverage

  If you adopt a young pet, spay or neuter procedures are covered with the purchase of the puppy/kitten preventive care add-on.

• Dental add-ons

  Add dental care options to your plan for an extra fee.

• Simple add-ons

  It’s easy to include preventive care items in your Lemonade policy, which can be a relief for busy pet parents.

Cons

• Limited availability

  If you’re not in one of the 37 states Lemonade services, you’re out of luck.

• Coverage gaps

  Lemonade doesn’t cover conditions that could be prevented or are repetitive. For instance, if your pet faces the same health issue more than once, you could be on your own the second time around.

• Annual coverage cap

  Unlike insurers that offer unlimited annual benefits, such as Trupanion, Lemonade asks you to choose an annual coverage cap between $5,000 and $100,000.

• Age and pet type restrictions

  Pets must be 2 months old to qualify for a Lemonade policy, and policies are limited to dogs and cats, leaving out other types of pets.

• Add-ons cost extra

  Additional coverage for your pets, like vet visits and physical therapy, will increase your monthly premium.

These pros and cons can help you decide if Lemonade pet insurance meets your needs.  You should also consider getting quotes from several pet insurance companies and comparing the coverages.

Lemonade alternatives

Lemonade offers a modern approach to pet insurance with its streamlined online processes and social responsibility model. It boasts shorter waiting periods for accident coverage and a user-friendly platform. 

However, its limited state availability and capped coverage options may give pause to potential policyholders. Consider the following Lemonade pet insurance alternatives.

• Unlike Lemonade, Embrace is available in all 50 states. Its option to get coverage quickly earns it a rating of 4.7 out of 5. However, pets must be at least six weeks old for Embrace.
• With a rating of 4.5 out of 5, Spot is our top choice for the best variety of terms. It does not match Lemonade’s claims processing speed, but with five deductible options, it’s great for people who need flexibility.
• Offering unlimited lifetime accident and illness coverage, Trupanion is ideal for pet owners who want to ensure their pet always gets the treatment it needs. Its direct vet pay model earns it a 4.4 out of 5 rating. However, unlike Lemonade, it doesn’t cover wellness and routine care.

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Our recommendations for the best pet insurance

Is Lemonade a reputable company?

Below, you can find ratings from real customers, showing how it fares with various third parties.

Source	Customer rating	Number of reviews
Trustpilot	4.3/5	2,274
Better Business Bureau	2.24/5	422
Google	2.3	123

Reviews of Lemonade are mixed across these platforms, with customers often speaking highly of the applications and claims process. That said, some customers have issues with claim denials, which might hurt Lemonade’s rating. An important note is these platforms don’t always separate different insurance products, which can lead to discrepancies in ratings.

Does Lemonade have a customer service team?

If you have questions or concerns about your Lemonade pet insurance policies, there are several ways to get in touch:

• Email: [email protected] 
• Phone: 1-844-733-8666
• Mailing address: 5 Crosby Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013
• Chatbox: Accessible via the main website

How to apply for Lemonade pet insurance

Applying with Lemonade is a breeze, with an application that is primarily online. Here’s how it works:

1. Click the “Check our prices” button: Navigate to Lemonade’s pet insurance page and initiate the process.
2. Provide pet details: Enter information about your pet, including breed, age, type, and any health conditions.
3. Select a plan: After approval, choose from the available plans and add-ons that best meet your needs.
4. Review and modify: Before finalizing, review your choices and adjust options like the deductible, co-insurance, and annual max.
5. Payment: Finalize your selection and make a payment via credit card.
6. Wait for coverage to begin: Your pet is covered after the respective waiting periods for accidents or illnesses.

Fortunately, you don’t need to gather many documents; just follow the steps and provide the necessary information. This allows you to get coverage for your pet in just a few minutes.

Lemonade FAQ

Can you visit any veterinarian or emergency hospital?

With Lemonade, you can visit any licensed veterinarian or emergency hospital. The company imposes no network restrictions. Your pet’s treatment is covered, whether it’s your trusted local vet or an emergency causing you to go to a different facility.

Is a medical exam required to enroll?

Lemonade doesn’t require a medical exam for enrollment but requires the prior 12 months of veterinary records. If a pet is under 12 months old, Lemonade requires vet records from birth through when you apply for insurance.

Does Lemonade pet insurance cover exotic pets?

Lemonade’s pet insurance focuses on dogs and cats; it doesn’t offer coverage for exotic pets. If you have an exotic pet, you might consider providers such as Nationwide, which will consider exotic pets on a case-by-case basis.

Can you add another pet to your policy?

Yes, you can add multiple pets to your Lemonade policy—and get a discount for doing so. To enroll another pet, log in to your account and follow similar steps to your initial application. 

Each pet will have unique policy terms you can review and customize. The streamlined process makes multi-pet households easier to manage.

Can you make changes to your policy?

You can make changes to your policy within 14 days of purchase. If more than 14 days have passed, you must wait until renewal. Keep in mind that any changes may affect your premium rates.

Do you need to renew your policy each year?

Lemonade’s pet insurance policies are annual, which means they’ll renew each year automatically. Before the renewal date, you’ll get a notice and any changes in terms or premiums. It’s an automated process, but reviewing the new terms is always wise.

Can you cancel a policy?

You can cancel your policy if you decide Lemonade isn’t the right fit. To do so, you may need to contact Lemonade’s customer service through email, phone, or chat. Be sure to review any potential fees or refund policies before you finalize the cancellation.

Does Lemonade really donate to charities?

Yes! When you get a Lemonade policy, select a nonprofit you care about. Once a year, Lemonade tallies up the unclaimed money left by you and others who chose your cause. It gives that unclaimed money to the nonprofit you chose. In September 2024, Lemonade’s website said its giveback donations exceeded $10 million.

How we rated Lemonade pet insurance

We designed LendEDU’s editorial rating system to help readers find companies that offer the best pet insurance. Our system awards higher ratings to companies with affordable solutions, positive customer reviews, and online transparency of benefits and terms.

We compared Lemonade to several pet insurers, using hundreds of data points from company websites, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives. We weighted, scored, and combined each factor to produce a final editorial rating. This rating is expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Our take is represented in our rating and best-for designation, recapped below.

Product	Best for	Our rating
Lemonade pet insurance	Best for fast claims	4.7/5