Choosing the right pet insurance is one of the most important choices you can make for your pet’s health and quality of life. The pet insurance industry has tripled since 2018, so identifying the right policy for your pet and budget among all the options can take a lot more research than it used to. You should find out what each policy covers, which benefits cost extra, how claims are handled and whether the coverage fits your pet’s potential needs.
Lemonade is one insurance provider often mentioned in pet insurance roundups, and it offers customizable accident and illness insurance for dogs and cats, with optional coverage for dental illness, behavioral conditions and preventive care.
Fetch Pet Insurance, on the other hand, offers a wide-ranging base plan that covers accident and illness, including dental illness. It also offers coverage for online veterinary services, an online pharmacy and benefits like behavioral therapy coverage.
In this Lemonade Pet Insurance review, we examine their plans, pricing, exclusions, optional add-ons, claims process and customer feedback and compare them with Fetch Pet Insurance to give you a starting point for your research.
Choosing the right pet insurance for your household means understanding the key differences between your options. We took a close look at the costs, coverage, exclusions, add-ons and other criteria to make your decision simpler. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Lemonade pet insurance offers coverage for both dogs and cats and is available in 42 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Policyholders must have a home address in a covered state to receive benefits. Coverage can extend to states outside of this area if veterinary care needs arise during travel.
Lemonade offers varying deductible, reimbursement and annual limit options available depending on the age of your pet and your choices as you customize your policy. You can opt for base accident and illness plans, routine care coverage, preventive care options and various add-ons.
Families with dogs and cats are the target audience of Lemonade pet insurance, which offers multi-pet discounts. Here’s a quick look at the basics of coverage.
Basic accident and illness coverage handles general issues that arise during the life of your pet. The base plan covers things like car accidents, sprained knees, UTIs, broken bones and many other conditions. Diagnostics, hospitalizations, procedures and medications may be covered for new accidents and injuries, subject to each policy. Hereditary conditions can also be covered as long as they are not considered pre-existing. Chronic conditions, infestations and infections also fall under the basic package.
Like most providers, pre-existing conditions are fully excluded from Lemonade’s policies, so pet parents with middle-aged to older dogs should be fully aware of what will and will not be considered a pre-existing condition under any new policy. Waiting periods are another thing to note — without a specific add-on, general illness benefits do not kick in until 14 days, and orthopedic conditions have a 30-day delay before coverage begins.
Lemonade pet insurance doesn’t cover full-mouth dental, though its base policy covers dental accidents. There is also no coverage for boarding fees under any circumstances.
Dental coverage comes through a couple of different add-ons and is capped at $1,000 per year. If your pet has periodontal disease or needs more extensive dental care, you might be paying over that annual limit.
Their separate routine vet care package covers some routine visits, a set number of vaccines and is available at several levels depending on the age of your dog. Not all plans are available in every covered state. Adding a preventative care package can allow you to bypass waiting periods depending on the circumstances.
Vet visit fee add-ons cover the cost of your visit for eligible accidents and illnesses. This coverage isn't part of the base policy, though your pet’s treatment at that visit might be.
A physical therapy add-on can provide additional support to your pet in the case of an accident or injury, like acupuncture or hydrocare. Behavioral conditions can also be covered under a separate add-on and can include coverage for the cost of therapy, medication and training to address specific negative behaviors.
You can also opt for the end-of-life and remembrance package, which can help pet parents handle the cost of vet-recommended euthanasia related to pre-existing conditions, cremation services and certain remembrance items.
The cost of Lemonade pet insurance varies depending on the age of your animal, your location and your policy customization. They may also raise or lower rates at their discretion. Pet parents can choose between a number of coverage options that may raise or lower the monthly cost, which begin at $10/month for both dogs and cats.
Reimbursement rate options are customizable to 70%, 80% or 90%. Deductible options include $100, $250, $500 and $750. Annual limits are your choice, from $5,000 to $100,000. Each of these options may raise or lower your premium in combination with other factors.
The average monthly premium for cats across all covered locations is $27/month. The average monthly premium for dogs across all covered locations is $48/month.
A few factors can impact your monthly premium over time:
Like with most providers, pet parents pay for veterinary care upfront and file for reimbursement after the fact in the Lemonade app. Claims are reviewed and approved or denied based on any conditions and eligibility factors in each claim. Reimbursements are sent directly to the bank account on file and take into account the deductible, co-insurance and annual maximums dictated by each individual policy.
Lemonade uses AI to process claims, which means some can be processed in minutes and reimbursements can happen within hours. Users also report that the guidance and information you need are available to you within the app.
However, AI customer service can be lacking, with some customers looking for help and unable to reach a human representative. Others found the coverage difficult to cancel, even after the death of a pet. Coverage may also be significantly less than expected once it comes time to file a claim.
Redditors report that Lemonade handles the claims and reimbursement process compassionately, even when things go wrong, as in the case of misdiagnosis. Others are frustrated that vet exam fees and diagnoses aren't covered in all cases. Some found the claims process took too long and was full of miscommunication, extending to six weeks of back-and-forth.
Fetch Pet Insurance offers broad coverage for your dogs and cats. Their base plan includes accident and illness coverage, and you can add a wellness option to get the most complete care they offer. They stand out on the market for offering full-mouth dental coverage for every tooth plus gums.
Fetch Pet also offers 24/7 access to veterinary care through their online vet service. Although online vets have limits on what they can treat directly, they can still offer a lot of support from the comfort of your home. Online vets can often treat chronic conditions, prescribe some medications over the phone, recommend interventions and let you know when it’s time to go to an in-person emergency vet in critical situations.
Fetch Pet offers the most complete coverage for dogs and cats for use throughout the US and in Canada. Accident and illness coverage works alongside whole-mouth dental coverage, behavioral care, pharmacy reimbursements and more to provide high-quality coverage for your pets. Starting at six weeks, your pet may be eligible for coverage for many health conditions and veterinary concerns. Hereditary and breed-specific conditions are covered, some of which other insurers exclude. Fetch Pet covers boarding at a licensed facility when a pet parent is hospitalized for four or more days, reimbursed at 100% up to $1,000/yr. with no copay and no deductible.
Vet visit costs, as well as treatment for accidents and illness, get coverage under the base plan. Fetch Pet also covers testing and diagnostics, plus things like physical therapy and acupuncture that other insurance providers charge extra for.
Fetch Pet also has an online pharmacy where you can order your pet’s medication for 100% reimbursement on qualifying drugs. They offer fast, free shipping on orders of $49+ and a lowest-price guarantee. There’s no co-pay for policyholders using the Fetch Pet Rx online pharmacy.
Fetch Pet Insurance is the only pet insurance that covers injury and disease in all adult teeth and your pet's gums, with no dental sublimit — reimbursement is subject only to the policy's annual limit. Fetch Pet also provides 100% reimbursement for behavioral issues up to $1,000/year in every plan.
Pre-existing conditions that began or showed signs before the start date of coverage are excluded, as with every pet insurance provider. Fetch Pet has two exceptions: Curable pre-existing conditions can be reclassified after a pet goes one full year completely symptom-free, and seven common pre-existing conditions are covered from day one, at no extra cost, for eligible newly adopted dogs and cats through Pre-Ex Protection™
Preventive care, like vaccinations and annual wellness visits, isn't covered unless the policyholder opts for the add-on. Pet parents must submit claims within 90 days for those to be eligible.
As is the case industry-wide, several other items, like ear cropping, tail docking, grooming, airline travel fees and care not provided by a vet, aren't covered.
Preventive care is an important part of maintaining your pet's health and wellness. The Fetch Wellness add-on helps cover the cost of vaccinations, annual exams, dental cleanings and spay/neutering, among other similar preventive care needs. It will reimburse you for some things excluded by Lemonade, like heartworm tests, urinalysis and microchipping.
Because Fetch Pet’s base plan is already comprehensive, the wellness plan is their only add-on option. You can customize your cost by adjusting things like the deductible, co-pay and max limits, but you won’t have to worry about adding a variety of add-ons to receive quality coverage.
The average policyholder pays $35/month for dogs and $22/month for cats. Fetch Pet derives your quote from three things: your home address, your pet’s age and your pet’s breed. Together, these provide the necessary data for your quote, which you can customize to fit the needs of your pet and your budget.
Fetch Pet has no accident waiting period, up to 15 days for illnesses and 180 days for certain knee and hip conditions — waivable if a veterinarian examines the pet within 180 days of enrollment and finds no relevant pre-existing condition.
Claims start at the vet’s office. You pay your licensed vet up front and hang on to your documents. Next, take pictures of your invoices and any supporting medical records, and upload them to the Fetch Pet app. Claims typically take less than 10 days to process. Once you’ve met your deductible, you get reimbursed up to 100% depending on the rate in your policy and specific types of coverage. These funds go straight to your bank if you set up direct deposit in the app.
Fetch Pet receives praise for great customer service, even over multiple phone calls and when customers bring them difficult-to-solve problems. One reviewer reports they are still satisfied with their choice of Fetch Pet Insurance even after 20 years with them. Others praise the simplicity and speed of the claims process and how easy it is to receive a direct deposit. Their dental coverage is another positive theme throughout reviews, with members happy to have the help they need when things go wrong with their pets’ mouths.
Others find that the payout may be slightly lower than expected. The explanation of benefits (EOBs) may also be a bit dense to read for some users, though customer service is available to answer all questions. Occasionally, some claims may take longer than usual to process, which can result in unanticipated wait times for payouts.
Fetch Pet stands out to Redditors for its comprehensive coverage, including things other providers don't offer. People praise the speed and simplicity of the claims process, and others appreciate how clear the website language is. Cat parents particularly appreciate the level of dental coverage, as cats can have more issues with teeth than dogs.
Details like your monthly payment matter when choosing between pet insurance plans, but there’s more to the decision than what you pay each month. It’s just as important to consider annual limits, exclusions, reimbursement terms and which services require an add-on to your base premium.
Fetch Pet Insurance may be the stronger choice for pet parents who want more complete coverage included in their base plan. Fetch Pet covers sick-visit exam fees, behavioral therapy, online vet visits, alternative and holistic care and dental illness in its base plan, plus a thorough wellness package add-on to support ongoing preventive care.
The biggest differences come down to what works best for your family and your budget. Some pet parents prefer Lemonade for its variety of add-ons, while Fetch Pet offers broader base coverage. It can be a great pick for simple coverage, especially if dental care, behavioral treatment, telehealth, or prescription medications matter to you.
Vets don't decide whether to accept Lemonade pet insurance — pet parents pay vet bills up front and then receive reimbursement from their provider. Lemonade policyholders can use any vet within the coverage area who is eligible for coverage. This means using a vet licensed in the state where they practice and excludes vets outside the U.S.
Lemonade reports that 50% of claims are processed instantly by Lemonade’s AI processing agent. Many others typically pay out in five business days, though times can vary depending on complexity and eligibility. You may need to collect and file additional documentation for more complex claims.
The right pet insurance for your family depends on your pets’ individual needs and your budget. Lemonade may be worth it for some families, but its benefits may not suit others. Fetch Pet offers more complete coverage for dental and a full reimbursement policy for prescription drugs through their online store, making it a good option for many families.
The Dig, Fetch Pet Insurance's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
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