Lemonade | Pet Insurance Review

DO NOT get your dog or cat Lemonade Pet Insurance. It is cheap for a reason and you truly get what you pay for. I have been with Lemonade since 2019 and have had to fight them repeatedly for payouts over the years. What happened this week with one of my cats was the last straw. I filed a formal complaint with the California Department of Insurance and submitted all of my documentation for review. Lemonade Pet Insurance has started another medical history review for this cat even though they already completed one five months ago and already have his full records. This time they contacted twelve different veterinary offices. Many of these clinics are for my other cats or for my dog who sees multiple specialists. Some clinics are closed. Some have never treated this cat. None of them have any records that relate to this claim. I am now receiving calls from confused veterinarians who are asking why Lemonade Pet Insurance is reaching out to them, and several expressed concern once I explained what was happening. This pattern of delays, unnecessary requests, and improper handling is exactly why I filed a complaint. Pet parents, please research carefully before choosing Lemonade Pet Insurance. They make an already stressful situation even harder.

I purchased Lemonade Pet Insurance for peace of mind and support in case my cat ever needed urgent care. Unfortunately, when my cat, Mercy, recently developed an upper respiratory infection (URI), my claim was denied. Lemonade classified the condition as pre-existing because Mercy had similar symptoms about 10 months ago. Even though upper respiratory infections in cats are typically acute, not chronic, and can occur multiple times in their lifetime (similar to the flu in humans), Lemonade decided that any recurrence within 12 months is not covered. They denied coverage for this common, treatable condition by labeling it “pre-existing.” Their reasoning? Mercy had a URI more than ten months before the policy start date, and they require a full 12 months without any symptoms to consider a condition “cured.” This interpretation makes routine illnesses practically uninsurable. By their logic, if a cat gets a cold once, they can refuse coverage for any similar illness unless 12 months pass with zero related symptoms. That is simply not realistic for pets — and they know it. When I requested clarification, I received generic policy language instead of genuine review or support. The policy clearly prioritizes the company’s benefit over the animal’s wellbeing and the paying customer. I will not be renewing and do not recommend Lemonade Pet Insurance. Be cautious — their definition of “pre-existing condition” is extremely broad and can easily be used to deny legitimate claims for common, unrelated illnesses. Pets deserve better, and so do responsible pet owners.

I adopted a rescue dog and immediately took her to the vet. She displayed some itchiness. The vet thought that it was caused by fleas/whatever she was exposed to as a stray. I got pet insurance a few weeks later and was a loyal customer with Lemonade for a year. ONE YEAR LATER, my dog had some stomach issues. She was given medicine and had a stool sample taken. The vet still doesn't know what caused it, but suspects an allergy to food. I sent in my first claim after a year of paying dues to Lemonade. They deny it. They say that since food allergy COULD be a potential diagnosis and since it has the word "allergy" in it, then it is a pre-existing condition, since itchiness from a year earlier COULD also retrospectively be caused by some sort of allergy. Absolutely unacceptable. I feel so powerless.

I decided to go with Lemonade for my dog's pet insurance. I chose a deductible and a percentage of reimbursement. When it came time, the first time, to get reimbursed, I was amazed to find out that I would not be reimbursed for any examination. In other words, I knew I would not be reimbursed for routine wellness exams, like once a year; however, if my dog were sick, or in an accident, of course the first treatment would be the examination. If the examination is not included, then what exactly are we being reimbursed for?? I find this absolutely mind-boggling, almost like as a policy holder I have been completely cheated! Stay clear of this pet insurance!

It’s an absolute scam!!! We submitted a claim for my dog that was in the animal hospital for 10 days due to Addisons. She wasn’t diagnosed with it before our claim on 7/22 before. My dog went to the vet in January,( 6 months) before because she had gastritis. They saw she was vomiting and elevated pancreatic enzymes and denied our claim due to related symptoms. My dog received a bad batch of dog food, was even tested and came back with issues, totally unrelated to Addisons. I guess my dog can never vomit again at the animal hospital or whatever she has will be denied. Do not get pet insurance through these crooks!!!