Lemonade Pet Insurance Review: Pros, Cons, and Coverage

Written by Katie Melynn Wood
Updated: June 2, 2022
© Yeexin Richelle/Shutterstock.com

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Looking for a way to keep your pet’s vet bills in check? Pet insurance is a great solution to the unpredictability of paying for your pet’s medical care. With coverage available for everything from routine visits to emergencies like illness or injury, pet insurance can shift the priority from paying for care to getting the best care for your dog or cat.

We’ve looked at the ins and outs of Lemonade, one of the most popular pet insurance providers. With some of the best customer service and fastest claims process, this is a top pick for many pet parents. It provides peace of mind that vet bills never need to worry you when your pet is sick or hurt. Lemonade also provides other types of insurance (renter’s, homeowner’s, car, and term life). They are one of the few insurance providers to do that.

A brown and white husky getting an exam
Lemonade, one of the most popular brands, offers pet insurance at affordable prices.

Lemonade Pet Insurance

Pros:

  • Responsive customer service
  • Low monthly premiums
  • Affordable prices
  • 2 day waiting period for accidents
  • Wellness plans available

Cons:

  • Microchips not covered in all 50 states
  • 6 month waiting period for cruciate ligaments
  • Exams coverage costs extra

Lemonade is one of the most affordable pet insurance options on the market. Monthly premiums are low and coverage is great. You can get paid directly to your bank account once your claim is approved, often within just a few hours. Lemonade offers all functions on their handy app, which policyholders say is very intuitive and easy to use.

A base policy can help cover the costs associated with accidents and illnesses. This covers everything from that pesky sock your pup swallowed to investigating a suspicious skin rash on your beloved cat. Wellness plans are also great to cover routine and preventative care. Lemonade even offers specialized plans for puppies and kittens. If you have multiple pets, bundle with other Lemonade insurance, or pay your premiums annually, you can even qualify for additional discounts.

Customer service is also worth noting. You can file your claim while sitting right in the office via your mobile device. Lemonade has some of the fastest claim processing times of pet insurance providers. As the policyholder, you will pay for vet expenses out of pocket and get reimbursed by Lemonade for covered claims.

Plans Available from Lemonade Pet Insurance

Lemonade offers a one-size base pet insurance plan. Some pet owners love this simplicity while others prefer more customizable options. Plans start at $10 per month, one of the lowest prices on the market. There are a few states that cannot get insurance through Lemonade, however.

Costs vary based on your pet’s age, breed, and location. This is common among pet insurance providers. Otherwise, the base plan is the same for all covered pets. Coverage includes diagnostic testing, procedures to treat injuries and illness, and medication treatments.

Wellness plans are extra but can help cover everything from routine checkups to vaccinations. These are great for puppy and kitten owners. Young pets often have more vet procedures, either required or recommended. The Wellness plan can help offset the costs of getting a pet puppy or pet kitten.

Vet holding a puppy and a kitten
Wellness plans are recommended for puppies and kittens since they often require more procedures than adult animals.

What Does Lemonade Pet Insurance Cover?

Accidents and injuries are covered under the base Lemonade pet insurance plan. Some conditions that plans cover include poisoning, broken bones, lacerations, diabetes, cancer, diagnostic testing (bloodwork, x-rays, MRI), surgical procedures, hospital stays, emergency care, and prescription medication.

Keep in mind that you do need to wait for the waiting period to be over in order for things to be covered. These periods vary for different issues. Accidents are covered after only two days. Plans cover the majority of illnesses and injuries after two full weeks. Cruciate ligament issues need a full 6 months to fall under coverage.

Wellness Care

Want to cover the cost of routine care? Lemonade offers a Wellness package that can be added to your accident and illness coverage. Preventative care is important for your pet’s overall well-being. Lemonade offers coverage for routine visits, vaccinations, and medications/treatments. This plan does cost more than the basic one, however.

Vet visits are covered when you opt for the vet visit add-on. The basic plan covers the diagnostic and treatment for injury and illness. If your vet charges a visit fee on top of the treatment, it isn’t covered under the base Lemonade pet insurance plan. Getting the vet visit add-on is a good option to save on these costs.

Physical Therapy Care

You can purchase an add-on to your policy that can help cover rehabilitation and physical therapy after a covered injury or illness is resolved. While the diagnostic testing and treatment for injuries and illnesses are covered under the basic plan, extras such as hydrotherapy or acupuncture are not. With the physical therapy add-on, you never need to choose between getting care to help your pet regain full use of their body and the hefty cost of these treatments.

Holistic treatments not approved by the FDA are not covered by the Lemonade physical therapy add-on, however. All FDA-approved physical therapy methods recommended and offered by a state-licensed vet fall under this plan.

End of Life Care

Every pet must eventually cross the rainbow bridge. Lemonade pet insurance has an add-on that helps cover end-of-life care and remembrance. Vet-recommended euthanasia and cremation are both part of this add-on to your plan. This way, you won’t need to choose between grieving your pet and affording the procedures to end their life with dignity.

Puppy and Kitten Care

Our youngest pets have their own needs. These include spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and flea/tick treatments. You may also need specific tests, such as feline leukemia, when these pets are young. Getting a puppy or kitten pet insurance plan is a great way to make sure all of these costs are covered , before they develop any pre-existing conditions. The exact costs depend on your little puppy or kitten’s age, breed, and location.

A variety of dog breeds
Policy costs may vary by the age and breed of your pet.

Limits of Coverage

Like most pet insurance providers, Lemonade restricts coverage for pre-existing conditions. These are illnesses or injuries that your pet is already suffering from, diagnosed with, or being treated for before the waiting period of your pet insurance cover is up. Lemonade requires that you provide your pet’s medical history, including all existing conditions.

Policies exclude any injuries or illnesses sustained during the waiting period as well. The waiting period for accidents is 2 days, for illness is 2 weeks, and for cruciate ligament issues are 6 months. If your pet has trouble during these waiting periods, you pay on your own.

Preventative care, such as vaccinations, routine testing, and annual checkups are not part of the basic pet insurance plan. You can opt for an additional Preventative or Preventative+ plan. We recommend doing this to keep costs low and predictable. Most vets recommend annual exams, stool testing, and periodic bloodwork to make sure your pet is in tip-top shape. These are included as part of the Preventative plans.

What Is Lemonade Pet Insurance?

Lemonade is one of the few pet insurance providers that offer great pet coverage as well as plans for other types of insurance. Their model is based on keeping things simple and affordable. Everything from renter’s and homeowners insurance to car insurance is available from Lemonade. If you do decide to get multiple policies, you can save even more with the bundle discount.

Lemonade Pet isn’t available in all states: 36 in the U.S. right now. They are continuing to grow and may be offering coverage in additional places in the future. Only care provided by a state-licensed veterinarian is covered under their policies.

How Much does Lemonade Pet Insurance Cost?

Exact monthly premiums vary based on your pet’s age, breed, and location. Lemonade has some of the lowest costs overall. Plans start at just $10. Keep in mind that this is just for the base policy. This includes treatments, diagnostics, and procedures related to covered accidents and illnesses. Because of this, bet visits, preventative care, physical therapy, and end-of-life care all cost extra.

Your plan’s monthly premium does not go up if your pet has pre-existing conditions or medical issues, your policy just won’t cover treatments related to those conditions. Remember that you will need to provide a copy of your pet’s medical history in order to receive coverage. Lemonade uses this to determine pre-existing conditions not for creating your quote.

Lemonade Pet Insurance versus Competitor Insurance Coverage

Trying to decide which pet insurance provider is the best for you and your pet? See how Lemonade compares to other options on the market.

Lemonade Pet Insurance vs. Pets Best Pet Insurance

While Lemonade may be the most cost-effective plan on the market, Pets Best offers some of the most customizable coverage. You can choose from different deductible limits, annual limits, and reimbursement rates to find a plan that fits your budget and needs.

If you are the type of pet owner who wants something simpler that takes the analysis off your plate, Lemonade is the best choice. Both cover most issues that pet owners deal with and have easy claims processes.

Lemonade Pet Insurance vs. Spot Pet Insurance

Another provider known for customizable coverage, Spot Pet Insurance offers a variety of plans. Like Lemonade, they reimburse pet owners for vet bills. The claims process is simple enough but not quite as streamlined as Lemonade. They also deal only with pet insurance and can’t offer as many discounts, such as the bundle and save option from Lemonade.

Lemonade Pet Insurance vs. Figo Pet Insurance

Figo Pet Insurance’s claims process and app-based interface rival that of Lemonade. It is easy to use and makes filing a claim fast and easy. Simply take a photo of your bill, authorize the claim with a signature via the app, and let the claims department process it. They also offer a social component to help pet owners connect via the Figo Pet Cloud.

For more information on pet insurance check out our comprehensive guide here.

About the Author

Katie is a freelance writer and teaching artist specializing in home, lifestyle, and family topics. Her work has appeared in At Ease Magazine, PEOPLE, and The Spruce, among others. When she is not writing, Katie teaches creative writing with the Apex Arts Magnet Program in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. You can follow Katie @katiemelynnwriter.

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