Which Is Your Best Bet For Pet Insurance?
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Embrace has a longstanding solid reputation and is known for its extensive coverage and faster-than-average claim payouts. Lemonade is newer to the industry but is already making a name for itself with its unique and speedy Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven claims processing and more affordable premiums. While we find Embrace to be a better overall choice over Lemonade, we think it’s important for you to read our detailed comparison to determine which provider is best suited for your pet’s unique health needs and your budget.
We compare coverage, customer service and reputation, claim processing, pricing, and customizations and explain which company we think is better in most cases. But remember that each pet and household budget varies, so obtaining quotes from multiple companies for your unique situation can help ensure you get the best policy and price to meet your needs.
Policy Coverage
The table below shows what Embrace and Lemonade cover.
Both companies cover emergency care, surgery and hospitalization, specialized exams and specialty care, X-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, cat scans, MRIs, rehabilitation, cancer, chronic conditions, euthanasia, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, non-routine dental treatment, and prescription medications.
Neither covers pre-existing conditions, cremation and burial costs, pregnancy and breeding, or unnecessary cosmetic procedures. However, Embrace does cover curable pre-existing conditions as long as the pet goes symptom or treatment-free for one year or more.
*Waiting periods for California, Maine, and Mississippi are as follows:
- Accidents – 0 days
- Illnesses – 14 days
- Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 30 days
- Routine Care – 0 days
†With Embrace, waiting periods for orthopedic conditions can be decreased to 14 days with an orthopedic report card. An orthopedic report card is a veterinary exam and waiver process designed to assess any bone or muscle deformities in your dog. To reduce the six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions, take your dog to the vet and have an orthopedic exam conducted after your policy is purchased. Your vet will record any health findings for your dog’s hips, legs, shoulders, forelimbs, spine, joints, and bones. You can learn more about Embrace’s orthopedic exam and waiver process for dogs.
Embrace has some of the best coverage in the pet insurance industry. As you can see, Embrace covers all of the items in the table above, while Lemonade doesn’t cover alternative or holistic therapies and requires an extended add-on plan for vet visits and behavioral therapies. However, both companies have reasonable waiting periods.
While Lemonade’s coverage is available for pets aged 8 weeks to 20+ years, it does have some breed and plan restrictions for specific ages. Embrace doesn’t have breed restrictions, but it doesn’t cover illnesses for pets enrolled after their 15th birthday (however, if the pet is enrolled before turning 15, full coverage will continue as long as you continue to pay your premium).
You’ll also notice that Embrace has an A+ A.M. Best rating, which is an excellent indicator of financial stability. Lemonade’s underwriter is unrated, which shows a potential greater risk of instability. Furthermore, Embrace is available in all 50 states, whereas Lemonade is only available in 37 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Because of all of these factors, Embrace comes out ahead in this category.
Policy Coverage Winner: Embrace (Get A Quote)
Customer Service & Reputation
Founded in 2003, Embrace has a longstanding reputation as a stable and dependable pet insurance provider. Lemonade Pet Insurance was founded in 2020, so it’s relatively new to the industry. This makes it hard for us to gauge if Lemonade will offer consistent coverage, pricing, and customer service for the long haul.
Regarding customer service, most of Embrace’s complaints from customers involve unpaid claims. However, most concerns we have found involve pet parents who didn’t read their policy in full and, as a result, were unaware of waiting periods or other exclusions. This is why you should read your pet insurance policy entirely, so you understand what is and isn’t covered, ideally, before you buy it.
Lemonade is unique in its customer service because it’s structured largely as a digital company. An AI chatbot handles claims. The majority of customers say the AI-driven claims process is fairly streamlined, and they are quickly reimbursed for eligible claims. Once Lemonade has been around for five or more years, we’ll be able to get a better idea of their customer service.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Embrace (Get A Quote)
Claim Processing
Lemonade averages two days for claim processing, a speedy timeline compared to most competitors. A big selling point for Lemonade is its AI-driven claim process. AI allows Lemonade to pay the most straightforward claims within seconds of submission. This has disrupted the pet insurance space and caused competitors to look for ways to improve.
Embrace averages five days for claim processing for accidents and illnesses. This is still shorter than many pet insurance competitors. Embrace users seem pleased with the speediness and amount of the reimbursed claim when it is warranted.
We’re declaring this category a tie because both companies have speedy turnaround times. While Lemonade’s is faster on average, Embrace has a longer history of consistently reliable claims processing.
Claim Processing Winner: Embrace & Lemonade (Get Quotes)
Price Of Policy
Embrace has a one-time enrollment fee of $25 and a $1 per month transaction fee if you pay monthly. Lemonade has no one-time fees or transaction fees.
Policy pricing is based on your pet’s details (age, breed, location, etc.). We recommend obtaining quotes from each company for your specific pet. You can also visit our pet insurance comparison quotes to see a few sample prices we’ve gathered.
Embrace is commonly among the most expensive pet insurance options, while Lemonade is typically less expensive than Embrace. But keep in mind that Lemonade’s basic policy doesn’t include coverage for vet exam fees or behavioral therapy (Embrace’s does). However, even with an extended add-on policy for vet visit coverage, Lemonade often is still less expensive.
Remember that it’s always best to get quotes for your specific dog to compare what pet insurance could cost for you. You can use our pet insurance quote form to get multiple company quotes when you complete this quick form.
Additionally, both companies have annual deductibles, which is important if your pet experiences multiple accidents or illnesses during the policy period (one year).
Price Of Policy Winner: Lemonade (Get A Quote)
Coupons
Embrace
Embrace offers the following discounts:
- 10% off (5% off in NY) for multiple pets
- 5% off for military and veterans (NY and TN excluded)
- 10% off if your company or clinic offers Embrace as an employee benefit (FL, ND, NY, and TN excluded)
- 5% off in NY if you pay annually
- Up to 25% off for eligible USAA customers
- Your deductible automatically goes down $50 each year you don’t receive a claim payment
Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. No promo code is needed. You can also visit our dedicated Embrace promotions page to learn more.
Lemonade
Lemonade offers the following discounts:
- 10% off if you bundle with your renters, homeowners, auto, condo, or co-op insurance
- 5% off for multiple pets
Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. No promo code is needed.
Plan Customization
Finding a company that has the coverage you need and fits within your budget is a necessity. See what plan options you have below from each provider.
| Embrace | Lemonade | |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible Options | $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 | $100, $250, $500 |
| Payout Options | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000, unlimited | $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 |
| Reimbursement Options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| Optional Wellness Plan |  | |
| Accident-Only Plan | Pets enrolled after their 15th birthday |  |
Both companies offer multiple plan customizations to help you find the best option for your budget. However, Embrace offers a slightly wider variety of deductibles and payouts. And Lemonade doesn’t have an accident-only plan.
Plan Customization Winner: Embrace (Get A Quote)
What’s The Verdict?
Overall, Embrace wins this comparison against Lemonade due to its extensive policy coverage, excellent customer service and reputation, and plan customization options. However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly provider, Lemonade is worth your consideration.
If you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts dig even deeper into each company in our in-depth reviews of Embrace and Lemonade.
Overall Winner: Embrace (Get A Quote)
Our experts have spent thousands of hours researching to bring you our comprehensive and frequently updated pet insurance reviews, including our top picks, along with details on each of the most popular pet insurance companies. So, if you want to know how other providers compare against one another, you may find this review helpful in your pet insurance search.
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