Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Lemonade Pet is not sold in every state.
Base accident and illness policies generally exclude conditions that showed signs before coverage or during a waiting period, even without a diagnosis. Some policies reconsider specified curable conditions after a symptom-free period. Benefit-specific exceptions also exist: Lemonade’s Dental Care add-on covers pre-existing dental conditions in certain states, and its end-of-life add-on can apply when euthanasia relates to a pre-existing condition. Read the actual endorsement; these exceptions do not make an existing knee or chronic illness claim covered.
Get a Lemonade quote
Lemonade is the one insurer on this site we can send you to for a live quote. That does not make it the right plan for every pet. As of October 2, 2026, Lemonade Pet is not yet available in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming.
Get a quote from LemonadeThe exclusions cheat sheet
A plain-English guide to waiting periods and key exclusions across eight insurers, with links to the full reviews.
Symptoms can matter before a diagnosis
A condition may count as pre-existing based on signs before coverage or during the waiting period. Keep veterinary appointments and disclose the full medical history. Lack of a written diagnosis does not guarantee eligibility.
Ask how the policy treats related conditions and both sides of the body. Prior knee signs may affect later cruciate coverage; ask for the applicable state wording rather than relying on a general summary.
Curable-condition rules depend on the policy
Some policies allow specified curable conditions to become eligible again after a symptom-free and treatment-free period. The required period and exclusions differ by insurer and state. A chronic condition or knee injury may remain excluded.
Get written confirmation of the applicable rule for your pet’s history. Do not treat an example involving a resolved ear infection as proof that another diagnosis will be covered.
Separate add-ons can have specific exceptions
Lemonade’s official guide says its Dental Care add-on includes pre-existing dental conditions, no deductible and a $1,000 annual limit. It is offered only in certain states. The separate Dental Illness add-on excludes pre-existing dental disease and routine cleaning.
Lemonade’s end-of-life and remembrance add-on can apply when a vet recommends euthanasia for a pre-existing condition. It has its own benefit limit and terms. Neither exception pays ordinary treatment for an existing knee injury or chronic illness.
Ask what a new policy can still cover
A policy may cover eligible future unrelated conditions, subject to its exclusions and waits. Compare the current quote with the coverage left after any exclusions; do not assume every new diagnosis is covered.
Read the medical-history and dental guides linked below. Ask the insurer how each relevant exclusion or add-on applies before buying.
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Premium figures are illustrative starting estimates, not quotes. See our methodology for how scores are set.