Lemonade Pet Insurance Review 2025
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Lemonade

4.0
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Reimbursement rates
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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 reimburses some claims almost instantly. Its highly rated app makes it easy to get a quote, file a quote or manage your policy.
Lemonade takes a flat fee from each premium as its profit, then 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.
» MORE: The best pet insurance companies
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.
Fecal or internal parasite testing.
Heartworm or FeLV/FIV testing.
Bloodwork.
Vaccines or boosters.
Flea, tick or heartworm medication.
Microchipping.
Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.
» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?
What's not covered
Lemonade's plans don't cover:
Incidents that occur before the end of your plan's waiting period.
Costs related to health issues your pet had before you bought the policy.
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 plan options
Deductibles: $100 to $750 per year. Learn more about pet insurance deductibles.
Reimbursement amounts: 60%, 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.
$1,500 x 0.8 (80% reimbursement rate) = $1,200 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 pet insurance 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 | $59 | $115 |
German shepherd | $32 | $62 |
Golden retriever | $35 | $67 |
Labrador retriever | $37 | $71 |
Medium mixed-breed dog | $31 | $68 |
Poodle | $32 | $62 |
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 | $19 | $32 |
Domestic shorthair | $14 | $23 |
Exotic longhair | $19 | $32 |
Maine coon | $19 | $32 |
Persian | $19 | $32 |
Ragdoll | $18 | $30 |
» 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 takes only 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 many of 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.
» MORE: Lemonade life insurance review
What Reddit users say about Lemonade
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics, including financial subjects like pet insurance. We used artificial intelligence to browse Reddit forums for posts about insurers, then manually sifted through the results and summed up consumer sentiment about each company. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Reddit comments about Lemonade pet insurance are mixed. Many posters share positive experiences, praising Lemonade for quick claims processing, good customer support, affordable pricing and its charitable Giveback program. Several people note that Lemonade has paid thousands of dollars in vet bills without an issue.
The most common complaints tend to be posts about claims being denied or processed slowly. This often stems from disputes over whether the claim is related to a pre-existing condition. Other Redditors express frustration about rate increases.
Questions from Reddit: Our experts answer
Why did Lemonade raise my rates?
It’s fairly typical for pet insurance companies to raise your rates at least a little every year. That’s because veterinary costs go up with inflation, and pets tend to have a higher risk for health problems as they get older. Rate increases may vary based on where you live, how old your pet is and what breed they are.
If you’re unhappy with your new rate, you can try raising your deductible, reducing your coverage or shopping around with other companies. Keep in mind, however, that if you switch to a different insurer, any medical issues your current company is already covering will be considered pre-existing conditions for the new company.
Why did Lemonade deny my claim?
Pet insurance companies deny claims for a variety of reasons, and they should provide you with a written explanation for their decision. One common reason for denials is that the claim is related to a pre-existing condition that your pet had before your coverage took effect. Another reason is that your policy doesn’t cover a particular type of treatment or service. (For example, Lemonade policies don’t cover prescription food.)
If you disagree with a claim denial, you can usually try to appeal it with your insurance company. You can also file a complaint with your state’s department of insurance.
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 is licensed to operate 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, both insurers offer varying levels of accident and illness coverage as well as wellness care. Pumpkin stands out for having a reimbursement rate of 80% or 90% on all plans and a 14-day waiting period for all conditions, including orthopedic 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 | 60% to 90%. | 80% or 90%. |
Annual limit | $5,000 to $100,000 per year. | $5,000 to unlimited. |
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, Healthy Paws 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 wellness 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 in most states. For pets enrolled at age 6 or older, Healthy Paws won't cover hip dysplasia at all.
Read our Healthy Paws pet insurance review.
Coverage options | Lemonade | Healthy Paws |
---|---|---|
Deductible | $100 to $750 per year. | $250 to $1,000 per year. (Not all deductible options are available for every pet.) |
Reimbursement | 60% to 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
Unlike Lemonade, 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, with no option to cover wellness care. 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 | 60% to 90%. | 90% in most states. |
Annual limit | $5,000 to $100,000 per year. | Unlimited in all states. |
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 1,200+ quotes from pet insurers.
Compared 25+ 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.
An earlier version of this article incorrectly calculated the amount you’d receive if your insurer subtracted your deductible first. This article has been corrected.
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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