It’s so simple, your dog could probably do it. (Don’t let your dog do it.)
So your cat or dog is covered with Lemonade Pet-great choice, by the way-and now you’re ready to make your first claim for a vet visit or other treatment.
Any issue with your pet’s health can be stressful, so we made sure that our claims process is as easy as possible.
Now, without any further ado, let’s walk you through everything nice and slow. Let’s do it!
Before your start, keep in mind:
Waiting periods
Your pet isn’t eligible for reimbursement the moment you buy your policy. Your new policy has different waiting periods, before you can file a claim.
Medical records
At Lemonade, we require a medical record that includes info from a visit that took place within 12 months of your policy’s start date (also called SOAP medical records). Once we have these records, you’re all set to file your first claim.
File your claim on time
In order to be eligible for coverage, you’ll need to file a claim through our app within 180 days of treatment, and provide all necessary information that’s requested during that process. If you have a Lemonade Pet policy in Texas, you have 90 days to file a claim.
Lemonade works on a reimbursement basis
You pay treatment costs up front, before you file a claim. After your claim is approved, your deductible is subtracted, and your co-insurance is applied-and then the resulting amount goes back in your bank account.
Here’s what you need to get started
- Get a copy of the vet invoice and/or a paid receipt, and take a pic of it
- Get a copy of your medical records or notes from that specific vet visit
Step 1: Head to the Lemonade app
Open the app on your phone. If you don’t have the app yet, download it and sign in with the email you used when getting your Lemonade policy.
Once in the Lemonade app, hit the pink ‘File a Claim’ button in the top right-hand corner.
Step 2: Meet AI Jim
Meet our claims expert, AI Jim. He doesn’t bite! He’ll start off by asking you to sign a pledge to verify everything you tell us about your claim is truthful and honest.
Step 3: Tell us what happened to your furry friend
Select the reason for this claim to let us know what happened. Has Fluffy been in an accident? Is she sick? Is this just a routine vet visit? Be as specific as you can. Share basic info as well as your vet visit details.
Step 4: Record and submit a short video
Explain exactly what happened in a short video recording. It should only take about a minute (and it’s a lot easier than typing out all that info). Pretend you’re talking to a friend, and let us know the details of the incident or treatment you’re submitting a claim for, such as what, when, and how it happened.
Don’t worry, your video is completely confidential; we’ll only use it in order to review your claim.
Step 5: Upload documents and submit!
Tell us what you’re claiming for, exactly. Provide an invoice and receipt, and let us know what you’d like to be reimbursed for. For example, has Luna been in an accident and now needs medication that you’d like us to help cover? The more details we have, the easier it will be to process your claim.
Step 6: Get paid
We’ll review and handle it. Our team will review your claim and wire funds to your account, if it’s approved.
And that’s it! We hope you find the process painless, stress-free, and very, very simple. If so, spread the word and tell a friend about Lemonade Pet so they can get in on some of the fun (and you can earn some cash to spend on Amazon too, as a thank you).
Real-world pet insurance claim examples
Here’s what the pet insurance claim process looks like in practice, across three common scenarios.
Example 1: Dog breaks a leg (accident claim)
Max, a 3-year-old Labrador, broke his front leg after jumping off a deck. His owner took him to the emergency vet and paid $2,400 upfront. She then opened the Lemonade app, selected “Accident,” uploaded the vet invoice and paid receipt, and optionally recorded a short video explaining what happened. Her policy had a $250 deductible and 80% co-insurance. The claim was approved and reimbursement arrived within 5 days.
| Pet | Max, a 3-year-old Labrador |
| Incident | Broken leg, emergency vet visit |
| Claim type | Accident |
| Total vet bill | $2,400 |
| Deductible | $250 |
| Co-insurance | 80% |
| Reimbursement | $1,670 |
| Processing time | 5 days |
Example 2: Cat diagnosed with a UTI (illness claim)
Luna, a 5-year-old indoor cat, was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. Her owner paid $320 at the vet, covering the exam, urinalysis, and antibiotics. She filed under “Illness” and uploaded the paid receipt. For first illness claims, AI Jim can automatically request medical records directly from the vet to speed up the review process. After her $100 deductible and 90% co-insurance, she was reimbursed $198. Illness claims like this typically take a few days to process, since they often involve a medical record review.
| Pet | Luna, 5-year-old indoor cat |
| Incident | UTI diagnosis, exam, and medication |
| Claim type | Illness |
| Total vet bill | $320 |
| Deductible | $100 |
| Co-insurance | 90% |
| Reimbursement | $188 |
| Processing time | Typically a few days (medical record review required) |
Example 3: Annual wellness visit (preventive care add-on)
Buddy, a 2-year-old Beagle, went in for his annual checkup, vaccines, and heartworm test, totaling $185. His owner had added Lemonade’s Preventive Care package to his policy. She filed a wellness claim through the app and uploaded the invoice and visit notes. Wellness claims are handled separately from accident and illness claims and don’t draw from the same deductible or co-insurance structure. Reimbursement is paid out to fixed per-item benefit limits set by the package — so the amount returned may not equal the full invoice total. Preventive care claims are often processed the same day.
| Pet | Buddy, 2-year-old Beagle |
| Incident | Annual checkup, vaccines, heartworm test |
| Claim type | Wellness (Preventive Care add-on) |
| Total vet bill | $185 |
| Deductible applied | No |
| Reimbursement | Per preventive care package per-item limits |
| Processing time | Often same day |
