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Pumpkin & Lemonade: Key Differences
While Pumpkin and Lemonade both offer pet insurance plans for accidents & illnesses and optional wellness packages, there are several key coverage differences you should be aware of when choosing which provider is right for you and your pet. Let’s dig in…
Pumpkin plans cover Rx food. Lemonade plans don’t.
Rx food can be very helpful for pets suffering from a range of illnesses, from kidney disease to diabetes, but it can also be a costly recurring expense. As long as an Rx food is prescribed to treat an eligible accident or illness and not for general health or weight maintenance, Pumpkin insurance plans can cover it. Lemonade insurance plans don’t offer coverage for Rx food.
Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover dental illnesses.
With 70% of cats and 80% of dogs suffering from some form of gum disease by age 3,11 having coverage for dental illnesses is crucial, as treatment can get very expensive. Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans automatically include dental and periodontal illness coverage. With Lemonade insurance plans, you have to pay an additional monthly fee to include this optional add-on coverage. The cost of this fee will vary based on factors like type of pet, breed, age, and location. There is also a separate $1,000 annual reimbursement limit for veterinary expenses related to dental illnesses.
Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover behavioral issues.
With an estimated 40% of cat and dog owners reporting pets with behavioral problems,10 we believe coverage for behavioral issues like separation anxiety and aggression is a necessity, not a nice to have. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans cover consultations, treatment, and Rx meds for behavioral issues. Treatment for behavioral issues isn’t covered by Lemonade’s base insurance plans, it’s an optional add-on for an additional monthly fee. The cost of this fee will vary based on factors like type of pet, breed, age, and location. Lemonade insurance plans also have a separate $1,000 annual reimbursement limit for treatment related to behavioral issues.
Pumpkin plans cover preventable conditions. Lemonade plans may not.
Lemonade’s policy states, “Any Accident, Illness or Condition for which you were advised by a Veterinarian to take preventative measures for and didn’t is not covered.” While we encourage you to take your vet’s preventive care recommendations, your Pumpkin insurance plan would not decline to cover a serious illness like parvovirus or lyme disease because you missed a vaccine or dose of preventive medication.
Pumpkin plans cover recurring conditions from repetitive occurrences. Lemonade plans don’t.
Lemonade insurance plans don’t cover recurring conditions, which they define as “conditions arising from a repetitive and specific activity that leads to decontamination, medical, or surgical treatment of your pet, if the same or a similar activity occurred two times within 18 months prior to the treatment date.” With a Pumpkin insurance plan, treatment for all eligible conditions is covered, regardless if there is a repeat occurrence within 18 months of the first treatment date. For example, if your puppy gets into the trash and eats something toxic, your Pumpkin plan would cover that treatment. If a similar episode happened again a year later, your plan would be able to cover that, too.
Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses.
Pumpkin insurance plans cover vet exam fees for accidents & illnesses as a basic benefit. This can be a huge cost saver since these fees are included in nearly every vet bill. Coverage for vet exam fees is not included in Lemonade’s base insurance plan, but can be added for an extra monthly fee. The cost of this fee will vary based on factors like type of pet, breed, age, and location. For example, the fee for a 7-year-old Corgi dog living in New York City is $18.16/mo and about $208/yr, while the fee for a 1-year-old Ragdoll cat living in Austin is $3.08/mo and about $35/yr.14
Pumpkin plans don’t charge extra to cover physical therapy for accidents & illnesses.
With more vets using physical therapies like hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic to help rehabilitate pets with orthopedic injuries, or manage chronic and hereditary conditions like arthritis and hip dysplasia, this coverage can prove to be extremely valuable. Pumpkin insurance plans cover physical therapies to treat covered conditions as a basic benefit. This coverage is not included in Lemonade’s base insurance plan, but can be added for an extra monthly fee. The cost of this fee will vary based on factors like type of pet, breed, age & location. For example, the fee for a 7-year-old Corgi dog living in New York City is $6.66/mo and about $76/yr, while the fee for a 1-year-old Ragdoll cat living in Austin is $1.16/mo and about $14/yr.14
Pumpkin plans don’t have an upper age limit for enrollment – and we’re proud of it!
Veterinary care for seniors is crucial, as pets are more prone to developing certain illnesses as they age. It’s why at Pumpkin, all pets 8 weeks and older – regardless of breed – are welcome to enroll in an insurance plan. Lemonade has upper age limits for enrollment which vary based on breed and average life expectancy. For example, the age cut-off for a Labrador Retriever is 10 years old.
Pumpkin plans don’t have a 180-day waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions.
Cruciate ligament conditions AKA knee ligament injuries are very common and can happen at any age. If surgery is needed to repair a ligament, it can cost thousands. With a Lemonade insurance plan, you have to wait 6 months after you enroll to be eligible for this coverage. With a Pumpkin insurance plan, the waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions is the same as for all conditions: 14 days.*
Pumpkin plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount. Lemonade plans offer a 5% multi-pet discount.
We know pet care can be expensive – especially when you have more than one four-legged family member to budget for. That’s why Pumpkin insurance plans offer a 10% multi-pet discount for each additional pet you enroll. Lemonade insurance plans offer a 5% multi-pet discount for each additional pet.
Pumpkin’s optional wellness package refunds 100% of key routine care services. Lemonade’s package reimburses 70%-90% of them.
Pumpkin’s wellness package is called Preventive Essentials. It’s not insurance, but an optional benefit you can add to your insurance plan for a monthly fee. Designed to help you plan and pay for crucial routine care that vets recommend, Preventive Essentials gives you a 100% refund each year for your pet’s annual wellness exam (we cover the exam fee), key vaccine(s), and important parasite screenings test(s).
While Lemonade’s optional Preventative Care package can also be added to your insurance plan for a monthly fee, you’ll get reimbursed for 70%, 80%, or 90% of similar routine care services up to a set annual limit for each service. Your reimbursement rate will be the same as your insurance, but you can choose from their pricier package with more covered services, or their standard package with less covered services. So what’s the key difference between Pumpkin and Lemonade? While both of our packages offer similar wellness benefits, Pumpkin will pay you back for the full cost of these routine care services, and Lemonade will pay you back for a portion of them.
Compare Plans
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Type of Insurance |
Accident & Illness |
Accident & Illness |
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Reimbursement Rate |
90% of covered vet bills |
70%, 80%, or 90% of covered vet bills |
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Annual Coverage Limit |
$10k, $20k, or unlimited for dogs |
$5k-$100k |
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Deductible |
Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options |
Annual Deductible with flexible pricing options |
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Illness Waiting Period |
14 days in most states* |
14 days in most states*
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Accident Waiting Period |
14 days in most states* |
2 days in most states*
; 180 days for cruciate ligament conditions |
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All Pets Ages 8 Wks. & Up Are Eligible to Enroll |
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All Pets Eligible to Enroll, Regardless of Health |
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Hereditary & Congenital Conditions |
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Chronic Conditions |
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Behavioral Issues |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Dental Illnesses |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Preventable Conditions |
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Any accident, illness or condition for which you were advised by a vet to take preventative measures and did not is not covered |
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Recurring Conditions from Repetitive Occurrences |
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Asymptomatic Conditions |
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Exam Fees for Accident & Illness Related Vet Visits |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Diagnostics, including Radiology & Lab Tests |
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Surgery, Emergency Services & Hospitalization |
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Specialized Care |
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Physical Therapy |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Prescription Meds |
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Prescription Supplements to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Prescription Food to Treat Covered Conditions |
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Microchip Implantation |
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End of Life Services |
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Optional add-on for an additional monthly fee |
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Wellness Package |
Preventive Essentials package: 100% refund of the following routine care services each year: |
Preventative Care package: |
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Discount for Multiple Pets |
10% off for each additional pet |
5% off for each additional pet |
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Money Back Guarantee |
30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim
(except in NY) |
30 days, as long as you have not received approval or payment for a claim |
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Claim Submission Period |
270 days (in states that permit time restrictions) |
180 days (in states that permit time restrictions) |