Both Trupanion pet insurance and Lemonade pet insurance plans include coverage for vet bills related to accidents and illnesses, but it’s important to understand the differences so you can find the perfect fit for you and your furry companion.Â
Compared to Trupanion, Lemonade Pet offers more customizable policies, deductibles and co-insurance options made with pet parents’ budgets in mind, and extra opportunities for discounts—like for covering multiple pets, and for bundling more than one Lemonade insurance product.
Let’s get into the nitty gritty of how Trupanion pet insurance stacks up to Lemonade Pet.
| Trupanion pet insurance | Lemonade pet insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Customizable coverage | No | Yes |
| Preventative care packages | No | Yes |
| Tailored coverage options for puppies and kittens | No | Yes |
| Vet visit coverage | No | Add-on available |
| Co-insurance options (aka reimbursement rate) | 90% of eligible vet bills | 70%, 80%, or 90% of eligible vet bills |
| Annual coverage limit | No limits | $5,000 to $100,000 |
| Deductible type | Per-condition deductible over lifetime | Annual deductible |
| Deductible options | $0 to $1,000 lifetime deductible – per condition | $100, $250, $500 annual deductible |
| Discount for bundling multiple insurance products (ie. pet, renters, homeowners, car) | No | Yes |
| Multi-pet discount | No | Yes |
| Annual payment discount | No | Yes |
| App store rating | 2.4 | 4.9 |
Trupanion pet insurance doesn’t offer any coverage for preventative care. Lemonade Pet offers three preventative care package options, including one that’s specially tailored for puppies and kittens.
There’s a good chance you’re already paying more out-of-pocket for your furry family member’s routine care than the cost of one of our preventative care packages.Â
Adding preventative care to your pet insurance policy could help with paying for things like annual wellness exams, fecal or internal parasite tests, vaccines, bloodwork, and flea/tick or heartworm medication. And for our puppy and kitten parents, we put together a special package that includes coverage for things like a spay/neuter procedure and microchipping.
Trupanion pet insurance reviews
TrustPilot is a review site that’s open to all consumers. Whether you’re looking to rave about the great customer service you received when calling a company, or warning others about a poor experience you had with another company, it’s a customer’s one-stop shop to see how a company treats their customers.
Trupanion pet insurance has a 4-star rating on TrustPilot based on customer reviews, while Lemonade has a 4.4-star review.
When it comes to the apps, Trupanion pet insurance’s app has a rating of 2.4 stars based on customer reviews, whereas Lemonade’s app-store rating is 4.7 stars.
Trupanion pet insurance doesn’t cover vet examination fees. Lemonade Pet offers optional coverage to help with the costs of vet examinations.
Some vets charge separately for performing a physical exam of your pet, which is often called a “vet visit fee” or “vet examination fee”. A base Lemonade policy could help cover the treatments your vet recommends for eligible accidents and illnesses, but not for the vet examination itself.
Lemonade offers an optional vet visit fee add-on, so you’d be covered for the cost of the vet examination too for eligible medical conditions (subject to your base policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible).
Lemonade Pet gives you the power to customize your policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible, to help protect both your furry friend and your wallet.
Lemonade lets you easily adjust your co-insurance and annual deductible when you’re building your pet insurance policy, which could help you lower your monthly premium.
You can also head to our comprehensive guide first that breaks down what each of these terms means, and how they work, if you’re interested.
Let’s dive into the details.
Co-insurance
What is it?
Co-insurance is the percentage of the total cost your insurance company will pay on every eligible claim, after you’ve exhausted your annual deductible.
Your optimal co-insurance depends on how much you can afford to pay out-of-pocket if you file a claim, and how much you’re willing to pay for your insurance premiums. The higher your co-insurance percentage is, the less you pay in the event of you filing an eligible claim. But a higher co-insurance generally also means a higher premium.
Trupanion only offers 90% co-insurance. Lemonade gives you more control over your finances by letting you choose the right co-insurance percentage for you—70%, 80%, or 90%.
Annual deductible
What is it?
How much a pet owner agrees to pay each year before insurance reimbursement kicks in.
With a Lemonade pet insurance policy, you have an annual deductible—which means you can exhaust that amount all in one big claim, or use it up over multiple claims throughout the course of a year. Once you have paid your annual deductible for the year, you don’t have to pay it again until your renewal.
Lemonade offers annual deductibles of $100, $250, or $500—plus you have the option to change it within the first 14 days after purchasing your policy, and once a year at your policy renewal, subject to approval by Underwriting. Trupanion has a lifetime per condition deductible that can range from $0 to $1,000.
It can be more cost-effective to have an annual deductible, because with a per-condition deductible, you have to pay a separate deductible for each new condition. Imagine your Yorkshire Terrier “Terrence” has an unlucky year with an unexpected ear infection, sprained paw, and skin allergy. With a Lemonade policy, all of those conditions could apply towards the same annual deductible, so you could see reimbursement much quicker—not three separate deductibles like you would with a Trupanion policy, which could leave you paying more out-of-pocket, especially in the first years of your policy.
But if Terrence is prone to bladder stones and will require ongoing treatment for the same condition throughout their life, a per-condition deductible could help relieve the financial burden of their continued care (granted it’s not a pre-existing condition).
And don’t forget: While a $0 deductible may seem appealing from the outset, you might wind up with a higher monthly premium. It’s important to balance your deductible with the premium cost to ensure it aligns with your budget.
Trupanion doesn’t offer discounts, whereas Lemonade Pet offers loads of discounts to help pet parents save
Trupanion does not include any discounts in their pricing model, aside from occasional online promotional offers.
At Lemonade Pet we understand that every penny counts. That’s why we offer discounts that could make managing your pet care expenses more manageable, including:
- Annual payment discount: If you pay for your policy on an annual basis instead of monthly
- Multi-pet discount: If you have a policy for more than one cat or dog
- Bundle discount: If you have other policies, like renters, homeowners, or car insurance
Click below to start your free Lemonade pet insurance quote. It’s easy to build, and easy to compare.
Tips for comparing pet insurance plans
Finding the right pet insurance for you and your fur fam depends a lot on your priorities, whether that’s finding the most comprehensive coverage, the cheapest rates, a hassle-free digital experience, and so much more.
Let’s swing through some of the main factors that might be important to you when choosing a pet insurance provider, and some questions to consider for each.
Coverage options
Base pet insurance plans typically cover the treatment of eligible accidents and illnesses. Check the specifics of what’s covered under a base policy, the waiting periods for certain conditions, and exclusions. Also look for how customizable the policy is and what optional coverages are offered—like preventative care, and add-ons.
Balance between cost and coverage
The scope of what’s included in the price of a base pet insurance plan can vary widely among providers, and might require a more intricate comparison. Carefully examine the premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance offered by each provider, then compare it to the range of healthcare services covered, and what you might end up needing to pay if you file a claim.
Discounts and perks
Who doesn’t love saving some greens, or making life as a pet parent a tad simpler? Some pet insurance providers—including Lemonade—offer discounts for things like insuring multiple pets and bundling policies, as well as extra perks, like access to Chewy’s Connect with a Vet service.
Option to bundle
Some providers only offer pet insurance plans, while others can cover all the things you care about in one place—like your stuff, your car, and your pets. For example, when you bundle more than one Lemonade policy such as renters, homeowners, car, or pet insurance, you could be eligible for a discount on each policy, on top of enjoying the ease of managing all of your policies, and filing any claims, in one place (we’re talking about the Lemonade app).
Seamless experience
From building a quote, to managing your policy, to filing a claim—remember that insurance doesn’t need to be a hassle. Some insurance companies—including Lemonade—built their platforms with user-friendliness in mind, ensuring that each step is straightforward and stress-free for pet parents.
Customer reviews
Getting the inside scoop from the pet parent community about their experiences with their pet insurance provider can help you make a more informed choice. Websites like Consumer Reports, Better Business Bureau (BBB), NerdWallet are reputable sources for customer reviews and rankings of pet insurance companies. (Did we mention that the Lemonade app has a 4.9 star rating on the App Store?)
Social impact
Choosing a pet insurance that vibes with your values is the cherry on top of an awesome policy sundae. Some providers support causes you care about such as animal rescue shelters and animal rights organizations—like the Lemonade Giveback, which helps support organizations like SPCA International and The Humane Society.
FAQs
When will a Trupanion pet insurance policy become active?
A Trupanion pet insurance policy becomes active 12 days after you enroll your pet. On that twelfth day, the first payment is made, and coverage for all conditions begins.
What are the waiting periods for Trupanion pet insurance?
Trupanion has a 12-day waiting period for all accidents and illnesses.
Just a quick refresher, a waiting period is a term found in all pet insurance policies, referring to the amount of time your pet insurer requires you to wait until your pet is eligible for reimbursement on specific conditions through your pet insurance coverage.
Do I need to visit a specific vet to use Trupanion pet insurance?
No, you will be able to visit any licensed vet in the US with Trupanion pet insurance. However, Trupanion does offer the ability to pay your vet directly, which can only be used at participating animal hospitals. If your preferred vet does not offer direct payment through Trupanion, you may not be able to use this feature.
Does Trupanion pet insurance offer coverage for pre-existing conditions?
Trupanion, like most insurers, does not offer coverage for pre-existing conditions. Trupanion also excludes coverage for veterinary exam fees and preventative care.
How can I cancel my Trupanion pet insurance policy?
To cancel a Trupanion pet insurance policy, you’ll need to contact their customer service team by phone.
Comparison information is provided using publicly available information as of November 2024 and is only meant to summarize program features, not a specific plan. Review the provider’s plan terms for more details. The description of the providers’ plans are not provided by that company. If you have questions about other plans, please contact an agent of that company. It is our intention to provide fair and accurate comparison information. We attempt to keep information up to date but it may change from time to time. If you are aware of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided, let us know by emailing [email protected].
This product information is for descriptive purposes only and does not provide a complete summary of any company’s coverage. Consult the applicable insurance policy for specific terms, conditions, limits, deductible, copay, limitations, and exclusions to coverage; these may vary by state and are subject to change without notice. The coverage for each policyholder will be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable policy. All coverage and limit options may not be available to all customers and are subject to underwriting approval. If there is any conflict between the policy and this product information, the provisions of the policy shall prevail.
For the full terms of Lemonade pet Insurance policies visit https://www.lemonade.com/pet. Products and rates may vary and are subject to change. Discounts may vary and are subject to change.
Residents of DE, LA, ME, MS, NE, NH, WA, will receive an Insurer Disclosure of Important Policyholder Provisions in the quote flow and policy documents.
Property and casualty insurance is provided by Lemonade Insurance Company (LIC), 5 Crosby St., 3rd floor, New York, NY 10013 or Metromile Insurance Company (MIC), 3080 N. Civic Center Plaza, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
Lemonade Insurance Agency, LLC (LIA) and Metromile Insurance Services LLC (MIS) are licensed insurance agents and appointed by LIC and MIC and both LIA and MIS receive compensation based on the premiums for the insurance policies each sells. Further information is available upon request.
