Lemonade vs Embrace
Embrace wins on policy mechanics. Accidents are covered as soon as the policy is effective, orthopedic waits can drop from 6 months to 14 days with a vet exam in the first two weeks, the deductible falls $50 every claim-free year, and accident and illness limits run from $2,000 to unlimited. Lemonade caps out at $100,000 and currently advertises a 30-day orthopedic wait, including cruciate injuries (check your state policy). As of August 2026 Lemonade is not sold in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming. Choose Lemonade for its add-on choices in a sold state, or Embrace for the unlimited option and deductible drop. Compare current quotes for price.
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 LemonadeSide by side
| Lemonade | Embrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score (dogs) | 9/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Annual limit | $100k | $2k-unlimited |
| Deductible | Fully customizable, $100 to $750 (up to $1,000 on some policies) | Annual, $100 to $1,000 ($100/$250/$500/$750/$1,000). Drops $50 for every claim-free year via the Healthy Pet Deductible. |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80% or 90% | 70%, 80% or 90% |
| Accident wait | Current marketing: no accident wait from the effective date, at 12:01 AM the day after purchase. State and policy terms can differ; check your policy | Covered as soon as the policy is effective |
| Illness wait | 14 days | 14 days |
| Orthopedic / cruciate wait | Current marketing: 30 days, including cruciate injuries. The general FAQ also describes policies with a 6-month cruciate wait; your state and policy documents control | 6 months for cruciate ligament injury, IVDD and hip dysplasia , cut to 14 days if your vet performs an orthopedic exam and submits it within your first two weeks |
| Wellness add-on | Available | Available |
| Direct vet pay | No, reimbursement only | No, reimbursement only |
Compare current quotes for the same pet and ZIP code, using the same deductible, reimbursement rate, annual limit, and add-ons. Older catalog price examples do not establish which insurer costs less today.
Pre-existing conditions
Lemonade: Base accident-and-illness coverage excludes conditions that showed signs before enrollment or during the waiting period. In most states, temporary or curable pre-existing conditions or injuries can be covered again after 12 consecutive months without recurrent symptoms or continued treatment. Chronic conditions and knee or ligament conditions cannot be covered as curable pre-existing conditions. Where offered, the separate Dental Care add-on covers pre-existing dental conditions; Dental Illness excludes them. The end-of-life add-on can cover vet-recommended euthanasia due to a pre-existing condition, subject to its terms.
Embrace: Curable pre-existing conditions (like an old ear infection or a one-off bout of vomiting) can be re-evaluated and covered again after 12 consecutive symptom-free, treatment-free months. Chronic conditions (diabetes, ongoing allergies, chronic orthopedic issues) stay excluded for good. Few competitors distinguish curable from chronic this explicitly.
Choose Lemonade if
You want Lemonade's optional add-ons and live in a state where it is sold. Its claims run through the app. Just go in knowing the currently advertised orthopedic wait is 30 days, including cruciate injuries (check your state policy) and the annual cap, while configurable up to $100,000, is not unlimited.
Choose Embrace if
You want day-one accident cover, an orthopedic waiver path, or an unlimited annual limit. Embrace covers accidents as soon as the policy is effective, cuts the 6-month orthopedic hold to 14 days with a prompt vet exam, drops the deductible $50 every claim-free year, and re-evaluates curable pre-existing conditions after 12 clean months. Accident and illness limits run from $2,000 to unlimited. The Wellness Rewards add-on is a $250 or $450 annual allowance.
The exclusions cheat sheet
A plain-English guide to waiting periods and key exclusions across eight insurers, with links to the full reviews.
Questions
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Written by the WhichPetPlan editorial team. Scores are our own editorial ratings, not an industry standard. See our methodology for how scores are set.