Which Pet Insurance Newcomer Is Better?
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Pumpkin and Lemonade have quickly created some bustle in the pet insurance marketplace. Pumpkin entered the space offering extensive coverage options with no added fees. Meanwhile, Lemonade introduced the fastest way to payout claims using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Neither has been offering pet insurance for very long, so is one company better than the other?
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 that you get the best policy and price to meet your needs.
Visit Pumpkin’s Website | Visit Lemonade’s Website
Policy Coverage
The table below shows precisely what Pumpkin 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.
*Waiting periods for Maine are as follows:
- Accidents – 0 days
- Illnesses – 14 days
- Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 30 days
- Routine Care – 0 days
Pumpkin Pet Insurance comes out ahead because it offers coverage for behavioral therapies, alternative/holistic therapy, and exam fees without an extra cost. Pumpkin also has shorter waiting periods for CCL surgery. However, Pumpkin’s accident waiting period is considered longer than most companies.
Pumpkin’s underwriter has an A rating from A.M. Best (a third-party measurement of financial stability). This means that Pumpkin’s underwriter may be more reliable than Lemonade’s underwriter (who has opted to go unrated) regarding claims repayment.
Ultimately, Pumpkin is the winner of this category because it provides more thorough coverage and excludes fewer health conditions.
Policy Coverage Winner: Pumpkin
Customer Service & Reputation
Both Pumpkin and Lemonade Pet Insurance were founded in 2020, so both are relatively new to pet insurance. Despite its recent entry into pet insurance, Lemonade has been selling homeowners and renter’s insurance and handling claims via its innovative AI technology since 2015.
Regarding Pumpkin’s customer reviews, there are many complaints regarding pricing, cancelation difficulties, lengthy claim processing periods, and more. It can take years for a company to stabilize its performance and pricing, and Pumpkin is still working through these challenges.
Lemonade is unique in its customer service because it’s structured largely as a digital company. Claims are handled by an AI chatbot. The majority of customers say the AI-driven claims process is fairly streamlined, and they are quickly reimbursed for eligible claims. Lemonade wins this category for its high-tech claims process and user-friendly experience.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Lemonade
Claim Processing
Pumpkin states it processes claims in two to four weeks. This is much longer to be reimbursed than most of the competition. The majority of companies average fewer than ten days.
Lemonade averages two days for claim processing, a speedy timeline compared to 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 really disrupted the pet insurance space and caused competitors to look for ways to improve.
Claim Processing Winner: Lemonade
Price Of Policy
Pumpkin has a monthly transaction fee of $2 if you don’t pay your full annual premium upfront each year but no one-time sign-up fee. Lemonade has no monthly transaction fees or one-time sign-up fees.
Your premium price quote is based on your pet’s details (age, breed, location, etc.). We recommend obtaining quotes from several companies for your specific pet. You can also visit our pet insurance comparison quotes to see a few sample prices we’ve gathered.
Lemonade always came out less expensive than Pumpkin in the quotes we’ve run. However, remember that pricing can vary widely from pet to pet; it’s always best to get quotes for your specific dog to compare what pet insurance could cost you. You can use our pet insurance quote form to get multiple company quotes when you complete this one quick form.
Price Of Policy Winner: Lemonade
Coupons
Pumpkin
Pumpkin offers the following discount:
- 10% off for multiple pets
Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. No promo code is needed.
Lemonade
Lemonade offers the following discounts:
- 10% off if you bundle with your Lemonade 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
Both companies offer several plan customization options to try and fit your premium into your budget.
| Pumpkin | Lemonade | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Payout Options | $10,000, $20,000, and unlimited | $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 |
| Deductible Options | $100, $250, $500, and $1,000 | $100, $250, $500 |
| Reimbursement Options | 90% | 70%, 80%, and 90% |
| Optional Wellness Plan |  |
|
| Accident-Only Plan |  |
|
Overall, Lemonade has more customization options than Pumpkin, which may make it a better, more flexible fit for your budget.
Plan Customization Winner: Lemonade
What’s Our Verdict?
In the end, Lemonade wins this comparison against Pumpkin due to its overall positive customer service reviews, speedy claim processing average, lower pricing, and more plan customization options. However, we always recommend obtaining quotes from multiple providers to see how the pricing compares, so you may want to consider Pumpkin still. You might also consider a company with more years of pet insurance history to back up its claims.
If you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts dig even deeper into each company in our individual reviews of Pumpkin and Lemonade.
Overall Winner: Lemonade
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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