What’s the best pet insurance – Lemonade or Embrace?
Numerous little factors influence your decision about which pet insurer to choose. In comparing Embrace and Lemonade, both trusted players in the game, you will need to pit them not just against each other but against the perfect insurance company you have in your head – what is ideal for your pet? What matters most to you? For this reason, saying whether one is better than the other is difficult if not impossible. But various factors will help you. Lemonade is much newer, for example; this might make you worry or you may be sufficiently impressed by its modern, streamlined claims processing app. Embrace, meanwhile, has been in the game longer and, though it may process claims a little less quickly, is particularly good if you have an old pet. It’s your decision. It’s subjective. We hope that after reading this guide you’ll be less confused. We strongly suggest that you also use our super-speedy pet insurance quote page and review pages, which will help you decide which pet insurance plan is best for you.What do the plans cover?
Embrace and Lemonade both offer accident and illness plans covering things like hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions. Lemonade asks that you take out an add-on in order to have alternative therapies covered. Embrace offers this as part of its regular plan; it also offers a Wellness Rewards add-on, which takes care of grooming, neutering, vaccinations, and preventative treatments. If you take this out, you get $25 from Embrace annually – lovely. Its regular plan covers veterinary exam fees too, which is unusual. Both plans cover many common illnesses and conditions that a pet can suffer from, such as:- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Cataracts
- Cruciate injury
- Dental disease
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea
- Ear infections
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastroenteritis
- Kidney disease
- Limping
- Liver disease
- Lymphoma
- Pancreatitis
- Seizures
- Vomiting
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual coverage options | $5000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000 |
| Deductible options | $100, $250, $500 | $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| When does coverage start? | 2-14 days | 2-14 days |
| Maximum age at sign up | 14 years | 14 years for illness, no max for accident |
| Are vet exam fees included at no extra cost? | ||
| Are dental accidents covered? | ||
| Are dental illnesses covered? | ||
| Is there a wellness plan offered? | ||
| Is there a virtual vet/telehealth service? | ||
| End of life coverage | ||
| Is there a multi-pet discount offered? | ||
| Is there a charge for paying monthly? | ||
| Is there an app to make claims? |
*Coverage is based on choosing unlimited coverage, 250 deductible and 90% reimbursement
Are there any exclusions?
Both Embrace and Lemonade have the standard exclusion for pre-existing conditions. Lemonade makes a point of saying that preventable situations and neglect are not covered in their plans. With Embrace, these pre-existing conditions can be covered if they are curable and the pet goes 12 months without treatment or symptoms. Lemonade will cover hip dysplasia (and other congenital conditions) as long as there are no symptoms until after your policy has begun. The waiting period for dysplasia is 6 months, while Embrace’s also seems to be six months or 14 days with an orthopedic report card. It’s always best to read the full list of exclusions before signing up for any pet insurance plan.How expensive are Lemonade and Embrace?
Embrace is likely to be a little bit cheaper but much will depend on the way that you balance out the cost of your deductibles, and whether you want to adjust your reimbursement limit. Lemonade has fewer deductible options – three to Embrace’s five. Prices increase as your pet ages but Embrace offers an accident-only plan to pets of whatever age. Lemonade has more flexibility when it comes to annual limits ($5,000 to $100,000 vs $5,000 to $30,000). It charges you for paying monthly (as does Embrace) but has no enrolment fee. It's also worth noting that Lemonade is a public benefit corporation and, as such, a percentage of its profits goes to causes like animal welfare groups. To be sure of an exact comparison for your pet, however, use our quote calculator. | | |
|---|---|---|
Medium Mixed 3 months old in Los Angeles
| $29.92 per month | $31.79 per month |
Golden Retriever 3 years old in San Diego
| $35.42 per month | $64.34 per month |
Chihuahua 6 years old in New York City
| $43.89 per month | $83.11 per month |
Domestic Shorthair 3 months old in San Antonio
| $14.75 per month | $13.18 per month |
Domestic Shorthair 3 year old in Jacksonville
| $16.54 per month | $13.98 per month |
Medium Mixed
3 months old in Los Angeles
$5,000 annual coverage
Golden Retriever
3 years old in San Diego
Unlimited annual coverage
Chihuahua
6 years old in New York City
Unlimited annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair
3 months old in San Antonio
$5,000 annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair
3 year old in Jacksonville
Unlimited annual coverage
Coverage options may vary.
Do Lemonade or Embrace offer discounts?
Lemonade offers you a multi-pet discount of 5% and promises to give you 10% off if you bundle with their car, life or homeowners insurance. Embrace offers a multi-pet discount, giving you 10% off your bill. Embrace also offers a 5% discount for active members of the military. One of the benefits of choosing Embrace is that your deductibles decrease the longer you go without making a claim. For every claimless year, you’ll see the figure go down by $50, meaning it could easily reach $0.Are the plans customizable?
Lemonade has three deductible options ($100, $250, $500), which is two fewer than Embrace: $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000. Both have three reimbursement options (70%, 80%m, 90%) but Lemonade has a wider range of annual limits: $5,000 to $100,000 vs $5,000 to $30,000. Over at Lemonade, you can have things like vet visit fees and physical therapy covered by choosing the Extended Accident and Illness add-on package. If you want to focus more on prevention and wellness, you can add on a package that pays for things like vaccines, blood tests, dental cleaning, and annual wellness exams. Embrace also has a wellness add-on.How do I make claims?
Paying via the app is the only option with Lemonade: its AI-led software processes claims easily and more quickly than competitors, with the company claiming that 30% of claims are approved in three minutes. Like Lemonade, paying via an app is an option with Embrace. You could also go via the dedicated section of the website or email your documents. Embrace advises that money will be with you sooner if you opt for the direct deposit model of reimbursement.Are they easy to contact?
They certainly are. Lemonade has that app, plus phone (844 733 8666), social media and email (help@lemonade.com). Embrace HQ is available on the phone (800 511 9172), by email, and on social media.Customer reviews
People who use Embrace are generally extremely happy with the service they receive, praising it for efficiency and compassion. While there are some grumblings about the amount of time claims can take to be dealt with, these comments are the minority. Lemonade customers are similarly pleased, talking about the ease of the app and likening it to online shopping. They are also happy with the value for money that it offers.Our Lemonade rating
Overall score
Speed of claims
Customer service
Claims procedure
Easy to understand
Value for money
Our Embrace rating
Overall score
Speed of claims
Customer service
Claims procedure
Easy to understand
Value for money
Frequently asked questions
People ask us a lot of different questions about the pet insurance providers we work with. It’s the smart thing to do because no two insurers are the same. Here are some common questions (and the answers!).What are the waiting periods?
Lemonade is fast, with only two days for accidents and 14 days for illnesses to be covered once your policy is taken out. And guess what – Embrace’s waiting periods are exactly the same.
Do the plans include behavioral treatments?
Embrace covers behavioral treatments for things like aggression, separation anxiety, and barking. At Lemonade they come as one of its potential add-ons. This would be subject to a $1,000 limit annually, and would not include – among other things – pre-existing behavioral conditions, prescription food, obedience training, and alternative medicines.
Is there a maximum age for enrolment?
At Lemonade it’s 14. At Embrace it’s exactly the same for illness but it has no maximum age for accidents.
Do they need my pet’s medical records?
Yes, both will. Lemonade stipulates that it wants a medical record that includes information from a visit that happened within a year of your policy start date. Embrace asks for 12 months and, if it’s a new pet, requests records dating back to your first vet visit with them.
Will the insurer pay the vet directly?
Neither Lemonade nor Embrace pay vets directly.
Is my pet covered in other countries?
Lemonade is only available to residents in 36 states but will cover your pet for travel across the US. Embrace, meanwhile, covers your pet globally for six months.
Do they have a vet telehealth service?
They don’t at Lemonade…but they do at Embrace.