Lemonade vs Embrace
Lemonade wins on price and our cat score: illustrative dog premiums start around $28/mo versus $41/mo for Embrace, and Lemonade scores 9.2/10 for cats against 8.7. 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 holds cruciate events for 6 months with no waiver. As of August 2026 Lemonade is not sold in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming. Budget buyers in a sold state take Lemonade. Owners who want unlimited or the deductible drop take Embrace.
Side by side
| Lemonade | Embrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score (dogs) | 9/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Illustrative starting price | dogs from $28/mo, cats from $16/mo | dogs from $41/mo, cats from $22/mo |
| 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 | 2 days (0 days in AL, AR, CT, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, MD, MS, NE, NH, NM, OH, SC, TX, UT, WA) | Covered as soon as the policy is effective |
| Illness wait | 14 days | 14 days |
| Orthopedic / cruciate wait | 30 days for orthopedic conditions generally, 6 months for cruciate ligament events specifically | 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 |
Starting prices are illustrative estimates for a healthy one-year-old animal, not quotes. Your real premium depends on breed, age, ZIP code, deductible and reimbursement rate.
Pre-existing conditions
Lemonade: Not covered for 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.
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
Your priority is the monthly price, you live in a state where Lemonade is sold, and your pet is young. Illustrative dog premiums start around $28/mo, claims settle in-app, and you can add wellness, dental illness, behavioral and physical-therapy coverage piece by piece. Just go in knowing the cruciate ligament wait is 6 months 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.
Questions
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Written by the WhichPetPlan editorial team. We currently earn no commission from any insurer listed, so no comparison here is paid placement. Scores are our own editorial ratings, not an industry standard. See our methodology for how scores are set.