You’ve taken the time to customize your pet’s collar, their water bowl, even their haircut-so why not customize their pet insurance coverage?
A basic accident & illness pet health insurance policy with Lemonade Pet will help cover the costs of diagnostics, procedures, and medications to treat your dog or cat’s eligible accidents and illnesses, but Lemonade also offers lots of additional ways to tailor your pet’s coverage to meet their needs -and your budget.
Let’s get into it.
What’s an add-on?
Add-ons are optional coverages that help cover the costs of specific veterinary care and pet-related expenses not otherwise covered by the base accident & illness Lemonade Pet policy.
Currently, Lemonade offers a vet visit fee add-on, a physical therapy add-on, a dental add-on, a behavioral conditions add-on, and an end-of-life add-on, each of which provides additional coverage in case of an accident or illness.
We’ll break down what our add-ons cover-and what they don’t.
Visit Fees
What it covers
With the vet visit add-on, we’ll help pay for vet visit fees that are charged for eligible accidents and illnesses. This is the fee some vets charge for their time and labor, in addition to the actual cost of the treatment, which is covered by a base accident & illness policy.
If your Tabby breaks their leg while enthusiastically hunting a fly, he’ll need to be examined by the vet before getting an x-ray, a cast, and pain medicine. Your base policy would cover the treatments your vet recommends except for the vet examination, but with this add-on, you’d be covered for the examination as well.
Lemonade’s vet visit fee add-on is subject to your base policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible.
What it doesn’t
This add-on will not cover your pet’s annual wellness exam or other preventative care (more on that in a minute), or vet visit fees related to pre-existing conditions.
Can I get coverage for my pet’s routine care?
You sure can!
If you’re looking to get coverage for your pet’s routine care, adding a preventative care package to your base policy will help cover things you’re probably already paying for towards your pet’s health, like your pet’s annual wellness exams, vaccinations, wellness testing (heartworm, blood, and fecal/parasite tests), and life essentials like spaying and neutering. Coverage options and availability vary by location.
Physical Therapy
What it covers
If you add our physical therapy add-on to your base policy we’ll be able to reimburse you for treatments related to functionality issues as a result of an unexpected illness or an accident.
What does that mean? Let’s say your energetic Pomeranian sprains her knee while running to greet you at the door. Your base policy covers necessary X-rays and surgery. With the physical therapy add-on, she’ll be able to recover in style-including perks like acupuncture and hydrotherapy.
Lemonade’s vet physical therapy add-on is subject to your base policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible.
What it doesn’t
“Alternative medicines”, like CBD or aromatherapy treatments, as well as treatments related to pre-existing conditions.
Dental
Lemonade offers two different dental add-on options depending on your state:
Dental Illness Add-On
What it covers:
- Treatments, procedures, diagnostics, and medications for dental illness
- Extractions, dental surgeries, and treatments for gum disease like gingivitis and periodontal disease
- Subject to your policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible
- $1,000 annual limit
What it doesn’t cover:
- Pre-existing dental conditions
- Routine dental cleanings
- Orthodontics
- At-home dental care items
Dental Care Add-On
What it covers:
- Everything in Dental Illness plus routine dental cleanings
- Pre-existing dental conditions ARE covered
- No deductible applies
- $1,000 annual limit
What it doesn’t cover:
- Orthodontics
- At-home dental care items
Note: In areas with the Dental Illness add-on available, routine dental cleaning may be available through the Preventative+ package instead.
Behavioral Conditions
What it covers
Lemonade’s behavioral conditions add-on can help cover the costs of diagnostics and vet-recommended treatments and therapies related to eligible behavioral conditions. This could include therapy sessions, prescription medications, and specialized training to address conditions like: phobias and separation anxiety, excessive barking, as well as aggressive or destructive behaviors.
In order to be eligible for coverage, therapies must be administered by either a vet or licensed behaviorist.
Lemonade’s behavioral conditions add-on is subject to your base policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible, and has a separate $1,000 annual limit.
Please note: For those who purchase the behavioral add-on, visit fees and medications prescribed for eligible behavioral conditions would be covered by the base accident & illness policy (and annual limit), while diagnostics and therapies would be subject to the separate annual limit. More coverage and more value-now that’s something to wag your tail about.
What it doesn’t
General or obedience training, pre-existing behavioral conditions, alternative medicines like CBD, prescription food, therapy not performed by a vet or licensed behaviorist, non-vet recommended treatments, or property damage caused as the result of your pet’s behavioral conditions.
End-of-life and Remembrance
What it covers
If you opt for Lemonade Pet’s end-of-life and remembrance add-on, you can get coverage for costs related to vet-recommended euthanasia, cremation, or to help pay for commemorative items like an urn, framed pictures of paw prints, digital photo storage, or even a tattoo to help you memorialize and remember your pet.
Notably, Lemonade’s end-of-life and remembrance add-on still offers coverage if your vet recommends euthanasia as the result of a pre-existing condition.
Lemonade’s end-of-life and remembrance add-on is not subject to your base policy’s co-insurance and annual deductible, and has an up to $500 limit.
What it doesn’t
Funeral or burial costs like coffins, headstones, cemetery fees, or burial permits. This coverage also doesn’t cover preservation services like taxidermy, mausoleums, cloning, mummification, or cryonics. The end-of-life and remembrance add-on is also subject to Lemonade Pet’s waiting period, which varies by state.
Real-world scenarios: When add-ons = savings
Add-ons can feel abstract until you’re staring at a vet bill. Here’s what the numbers actually look like across some common situations, using a plan with 90% co-insurance and a $250 deductible as the baseline.
Max the Golden Retriever tears his ACL
Max’s owner brings him into an emergency clinic. The vet charges a $150 visit fee before any treatment begins. Surgery comes in at $3,500, and physical therapy over three months runs $1,200.
Here’s how the costs break down:
| Cost Item | Amount | Without Add-Ons | With Visit Fee + Physical Therapy Add-Ons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vet visit fee | $150 | Not covered, paid in full | Covered under visit fee add-on |
| ACL surgery | $3,500 | ($3,500 x 90%) – $250 = $2,900 reimbursed | ($3,500 x 90%) – $250 = $2,900 reimbursed |
| Physical therapy | $1,200 | Not covered, paid in full | ($1,200 x 90%) – $0 = $1,080 reimbursed (deductible already met) |
| Total out of pocket | $4,850 | ~$1,800 | ~$720 |
The visit fee and physical therapy add-ons together reduce Max’s owner’s out-of-pocket costs by over $1,000 on this single incident.
Cooper the Frenchie and reactivity after a dog park incident
Cooper’s owner adopted him as a healthy and playful puppy, and signed him up for pet insurance right away. One year later, after an altercation at the dog park, Cooper started becoming reactive to other dogs: growling, lunging, and showing signs of anxiety on walks. Their vet referred them to a licensed behaviorist for a 6-month treatment program.
Because the condition developed after the policy was in place and wasn’t pre-existing, it’s eligible for coverage under the behavioral add-on.
| Cost Item | Amount | Without Behavioral Add-On | With Behavioral Add-On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial vet consultation | $120 | Not covered | Covered under base policy (with visit fee add-on) |
| Behaviorist sessions (x8) | $960 | Not covered | ($960 x 90%) – $250 = $614 reimbursed |
| Prescribed medication | $240 | Not covered | Covered under base policy |
| Total out of pocket | $1,320 | $1,320 | ~$532 |
The behavioral add-on has a separate $1,000 annual limit for diagnostics and therapies. Medications prescribed for eligible behavioral conditions are covered under the base policy as long as you have the add-on, so they don’t eat into that limit.
Luna the British Shorthair needs a dental extraction
Luna’s owner notices she’s been avoiding her food. The vet diagnoses advanced periodontal disease and recommends two extractions and a deep cleaning.
With the Dental Care add-on, routine cleanings are covered alongside dental illness treatments, and there’s no deductible applied. Here’s how the numbers shake out:
| Cost Item | Amount | Without Dental Add-On | With Dental Care Add-On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental exam | $85 | Not covered | Covered with visit fee add-on |
| Routine cleaning | $250 | Not covered | Covered, no deductible applies |
| Extractions (x2) | $600 | Not covered | $600 x 90% = $540 reimbursed (no deductible applies) |
| Periodontal treatment | $350 | Not covered | $350 x 90% = $315 reimbursed (no deductible applies) |
| Total out of pocket | $1,285 | $1,285 | ~$295 |
Without the Dental Care add-on, Luna’s owner pays every dollar out of pocket: dental illness and routine cleanings aren’t covered under a base accident & illness policy. The add-on brings the total bill down by more than 75%, and because no deductible applies, the savings kick in from the first dollar of eligible dental costs. Keep in mind the Dental Care add-on has a $1,000 annual limit. (Note: availability of the Dental Care add-on varies by state).
When does an add-on pay for itself?
Add-ons carry a small additional monthly premium. Here’s a rough break-even guide based on typical usage:
- Vet visit fee add-on: Most vet visits include an exam fee of $50 to $150. If your pet visits the vet twice a year for eligible conditions, this add-on typically pays for itself quickly.
- Physical therapy add-on: A single hydrotherapy session can run $50 to $100. One injury requiring a short PT course will usually exceed the annual cost of the add-on.
- Behavioral add-on: A licensed behaviorist charges $100 to $200 per session on average. Two or three sessions in a year will typically surpass the annual add-on premium.
How do I “add” an add-on to my policy?
We thought you’d never ask.
If you currently have a Lemonade Pet policy, we’ll be able to review your options with you the next time you renew your policy (don’t worry, you’ll get a reminder email from us). If you happen to be new to Lemonade Pet Insurance, you can update your policy within the first 14 days after purchase. Keep in mind that all changes to your policy are subject to Underwriting approval.
If you don’t have a Lemonade Pet insurance policy (yet), you can include add-ons as you finalize and customize your policy after receiving your quote.
Pet insurance add-ons FAQs
Are alternative treatments like acupuncture or hydrotherapy covered under the physical therapy add-on?
Yes. Acupuncture and hydrotherapy are both covered under Lemonade’s physical therapy add-on, as long as they’re related to functionality issues resulting from an eligible accident or illness. What’s not covered: alternative treatments like CBD or aromatherapy, or anything related to a pre-existing condition.
Can I get insurance for my pet's separation anxiety or excessive barking?
If your pet is already showing signs of a behavioral condition, it would be considered pre-existing and wouldn’t be covered. But if these conditions develop after your policy’s waiting period has ended, Lemonade’s behavioral conditions add-on can help cover vet-recommended diagnostics, therapies, and treatments (administered by a vet or licensed behaviorist) for things like separation anxiety, excessive barking, phobias, and aggressive or destructive behaviors. The add-on has a separate $1,000 annual limit for diagnostics and therapies.
Does Lemonade offer any coverage for routine dental cleanings?
Yes. Depending on your state, routine dental cleanings are covered either through the Dental Care add-on or the Preventative+ package. Check what’s available in your area when you get a quote.
What kind of memorial items are covered under the end-of-life and remembrance add-on?
Lemonade’s end-of-life and remembrance add-on covers commemorative items like urns, framed paw print pictures, digital photo storage, and even a tattoo to memorialize your pet. It also covers vet-recommended euthanasia and cremation costs. What it doesn’t cover: funeral or burial costs like coffins, headstones, cemetery fees, or burial permits, and preservation services like taxidermy or cryonics.
Is euthanasia covered if it is the result of a pre-existing condition?
Yes, if you have the end-of-life and remembrance add-on.
Can I add these extra coverages to my policy at any time, or only during renewal?
It depends on where you are in your policy. If you’re a new Lemonade Pet customer, you can update your policy within the first 14 days after purchase. After that, add-ons can be reviewed and added at your next renewal. You’ll get a reminder email when that window opens. All changes are subject to underwriting approval.
A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage and discounts may not be available in all states.
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