Lemonade vs Pets Best Pet Insurance

Two things set Lemonade vs Pets Best apart: Lemonade handles over 50% of the claims instantly, and Pets Best is able to pay your vet directly.

Plan terms for Lemonade and Pets Best

Shaded rows show where the two plans differ
Term
Pets covered	Dogs and Cats	Dogs and Cats
Plan types	Accident and illness, Wellness add-on	Accident and illness, Accident only, Wellness add-on
Underwriter	Lemonade Insurance Company	Independence American Insurance Company, American Pet Insurance Company, MS Transverse Insurance Company, or Independence Pet Insurance Company
Plans offered through	not published	Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC
Deductible options	$100, $250, $500, or $750 (annual)	$100 to $1,000
Deductible type	Annual	not published
Reimbursement options	70%, 80%, or 90%	70%, 80%, or 90%
Yearly limit choices	$5,000 to $100,000	$5,000 or unlimited
Wait before accident cover	No wait	3 days
Illness waiting period	14 days	14 days
Youngest age to enroll	8 weeks	7 weeks
Oldest age to enroll	No upper age limit	No upper age limit
Exam fee cover	Add-on	Covered
Pre-existing conditions	Not covered; whatever shows signs before waiting periods end is a pre-existing condition	Not covered
Cured pre-existing conditions	Yes in most states, but only after 12 months free of recurring symptoms and treatment; knee/ligament and chronic conditions are excluded	Some conditions (such as broken bones, bruises, and kennel cough) can be covered once they have healed or been cured for 12 to 18 months.
Hereditary and congenital conditions	Covered	Covered
Dental illness	Add-on	Limited
Behavioral conditions	Add-on	Limited
Alternative therapy	Add-on	Add-on
Wellness add-on	Covered	Covered
Multi-pet discount	5% multi-pet discount (also 10% bundle, 5% annual)	5%
Pays the vet directly	No	Covered
Claim payment speed	About 80% within 5 days, with more than 50% handled right away	not published
Claims app	Lemonade mobile app	Pets Best mobile app (Android and iOS); an online Customer Account is also available
Where it is sold	43 states plus Washington, D.C.	All 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Free-look period	30 days for a refund on cancellation	30 days, full refund if no claims paid

Sources: What's a Pet Insurance Deductible? | Lemonade, The Ultimate Lemonade Pet FAQ • Lemonade Insurance, How to Waive a Pet Insurance Waiting Period | Lemonade, Frequently Asked Questions, What Are Waiting Periods | Pets Best

For fast mobile claims, Lemonade fits owners in 43 states plus DC, since about 80% of claims are handled within 5 days; add-ons are optional

If you want exam fees included, an accident-only option, or unlimited payouts each year, Pets Best suits owners in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Lemonade vs Pets Best at a glance

Both companies offer plans for dogs and cats, including accident and illness coverage or wellness add-ons. Only Pets Best also sells accident-only coverage. With each insurer, you choose a reimbursement rate, the percentage of a covered vet bill that the plan pays back. Annual limits, the most a policy pays in a year, work differently at the two companies. Lemonade caps yearly payouts at a fixed dollar amount, while Pets Best gives you the option of unlimited payouts.

Prices and deductibles

The published Lemonade dog or cat policy starting price comes to $10 per month. According to Pets Best examples, published pricing averages $37.68 a month for dogs. The figure for cats is $23.23 a month. Those quotes cover pets that are 1-year-old and 6-year-old on the Essential plan, namely medium mixed-breed dogs, plus domestic shorthair cats, all neutered. In that example, reimbursement is 90% with limits of $10,000 or unlimited, and the deductible is $500. That deductible is what you pay before coverage starts.

Customizing your quote with Lemonade means picking an annual deductible of $100, $250, $500, or $750. With Pets Best, you can choose a deductible of $100 to $1,000. Each insurer pairs those deductible choices with reimbursement of 70%, 80%, or 90%. For yearly payouts, Lemonade sets limits from $5,000 to $100,000, and Pets Best lets you pick between a $5,000 limit and an unlimited cap.

Age limits and waiting periods

A waiting period is the stretch of time between buying a policy and the start of coverage. Lemonade waiting periods: accidents 0 days, illnesses 14 days, orthopedic conditions 30 days. Pets Best waiting periods: accidents 3 days, illnesses 14 days, orthopedic and cruciate ligament conditions 6 months.

Puppies and kittens as young as 7 weeks can be enrolled with Pets Best. To enroll with Lemonade, your pet must be 8 weeks old or older. Neither company puts a cap on the oldest age you can enroll, so you can enroll a senior dog or cat no matter how old.

Which plan fits your pet

Your coverage priorities and daily vet habits help narrow the choice between these plans:

Paying the vet directly: Pets Best can pay your vet directly. Lemonade doesn't pay clinics; instead, you get reimbursed through the Lemonade mobile app.
Exam fees included: Pets Best covers exam fees, along with limited dental illness and behavioral care, while alternative therapy stays an add-on. Lemonade covers dental illness, physical therapy, behavioral care, and exam fees only with paid add-on options.
Prior health issues that get cured: conditions showing signs before waiting periods end stay uncovered on both plans. Both do cover hereditary conditions afterward. In most states, Lemonade covers curable conditions after 12 symptom-free months (knee, ligament, and chronic conditions excluded). After 12 to 18 months, Pets Best can cover broken bones, bruises, or kennel cough that have healed.
Premium discounts: Each insurer gives a 5% multi-pet discount. Lemonade adds a 10% bundle discount, plus 5% off for paying the whole year.
If you cancel for a refund, both companies allow 30 days, and Pets Best also requires that you have no paid claims.

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