We’re an insurance company unlike any you’ve seen before.
Lemonade was built on a dream to surprise customers with a level of experience that’s out of this world.
We measure ourselves by the 💖 we get from our members (4.9 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) and the speed we pay claims (30% handled in seconds).
We believe in good karma through balancing profit and purpose. So, we donate unused 💰 to causes our users choose. Last year, for example, we helped provide life-saving care and shelter to 29,578 rescued animals, planted 181,559 trees across critical ecosystems, helped grant online and in-person mental health services to 240,000 people, and sponsored a rare cancer research trial.
We’ve earned the prestigious B-corp certification, which means we meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
We’re transparent. We want you to understand exactly what you’re buying and how much you’ll be paying for it. This is why we introduced the world’s first open source collaborative insurance policy, where we ask for customers and insurance experts to come together and edit the perfect policy!
It’s called Policy 2.0, and it’s available now in France, Germany and The Netherlands!
Any more questions? Read on…
Lemonade, who?
Why choose Lemonade?
With Lemonade’s Policy 2.0, you’re covered by a policy designed for the 21st century. It has cool features made for you:
- Anti-Theft Package - extra coverage that gives you protection from theft anywhere in the world. For example, unlike some other insurers, if your phone or bike is stolen from your office, you’re covered with the Anti-Theft Package.
- Contents means everything that belongs to your household: we don’t discriminate between a shiny new bike or the silverware you inherited from your granny. You can have both, just let us know if any item is more than 5.000 € and we will get back to you
- We simplified all that weather stuff: one package that adds coverage for various natural phenomena to your insurance policy
- We’ve done the heavy lifting and bundled (if you want to!) personal liability and contents insurance together! Lemonade centralizes your coverage in one place (your app!) so that’s always readily available.
- Transparency! Policy 2.0 lays out what’s covered and what’s not, plain and simple. Many other insurance policies have exceptions, and exceptions to those exceptions. That’s tiring.
With Lemonade’s AI bot, you can buy a policy in seconds, without the need for any paperwork or phone calls. Filing a claim is just as easy: open the app and answer a bunch of questions, and your claim will get processed quickly, with many of our claims paid in seconds!
Another cool feature of Lemonade is our Giveback. We take a fixed fee out of your monthly payments, pay reinsurance (and some unavoidable expenses), and use the rest for paying out claims. And, if there’s money left over, we give it to a charity of your choice. That’s what making insurance into social good means.
How is Lemonade’s business model different from that of a traditional insurance carrier?
Lemonade is built differently. Unlike some traditional insurers, we take a fixed fee out of your monthly payments, pay reinsurance (and some unavoidable expenses), and use the rest for paying out claims. In principle, we treat premiums as if they were still our customers’ money, and return unclaimed remainders in our annual 'Giveback'. Giveback is a unique feature of Lemonade, where each year leftover money is donated to causes our policyholders care about. We treat policyholders who care about the same causes as virtual groups of 'peers'. Lemonade uses the premiums collected from each peer group to pay for the group's claims, giving back any leftover money to their common cause, and uses reinsurance to cover for cases where the group's claims exceed what's left in the pool. This way, our customers enjoy amazing insurance, and society gets a little push for the better.
What’s Policy 2.0?
Policy 2.0 is the radically simplified, modernized, and digitized insurance policy by Lemonade. It lays out what’s covered, and what’s not in our insurance product. The best thing about Policy 2.0 is that it was written for 2019, so it’s relevant for your everyday life. Making insurance simple, approachable, and relevant should be a common goal, a communal effort, and a universal benefit. That’s why our Policy 2.0 is open-sourced: we want to hear feedback from our community, and share it with the industry so that everyone can help make insurance simple.
How is Lemonade structured?
Lemonade is the name for products and services provided by one or more of the Lemonade subsidiary companies. Lemonade, Inc., a public benefit corporation organized under Delaware law in the United States, is the parent company of the group. There are six subsidiary companies under it:
- Lemonade Insurance Company (Lemonade’s insurance company organized under New York law and licensed by New York Department of Financial Services)
- Lemonade Insurance Agency, LLC (acts as Lemonade’s sales agent in the US)
- Lemonade B.V. is a holding company organized under Dutch law and is the parent company of Lemonade’s European operations.
- Lemonade Insurance N.V is an insurance company organized under Dutch law. This company issues your policy and pays your claims. It is licensed by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) as an insurance company in the Netherlands and approved to sell insurance policies in Germany.
- Lemonade Agency B.V. (An authorized agent registered by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). It is authorised to act as an insurance agent of Lemonade Insurance N.V. in Europe)
- Lemonade, Ltd. This company provides technology, research, and development to the group.
More details about Lemonade’s legal structure can be found in Legal Stuff.
How do I get Lemonade?
The full Lemonade experience is available through our iOS and Android app, and you can purchase a policy also through our website. We currently offer Contents and Personal Liability insurance in Germany and The Netherlands, as well as renters insurance in France. We’ll be rolling out additional products and countries across Europe soon.
Is Lemonade reinsured?
We are. Some of the biggest reinsurers in the industry are reinsuring Lemonade. So as much as we’re different, we are reassuringly similar to the insurance companies you heard about growing up!
How are you using my premium Euros?
Glad you asked! Lemonade keeps a fixed percentage of all premiums. This pays for developing loads of cool tech, running an insurance business (including salaries, rent, and such), and make some profit! This way, our desire for profit does not conflict with our duty to pay claims.
The remainder?
Job #1 is to ensure we can always pay claims
Job #2 is to Giveback money that isn’t needed for Job #1
Here’s how that works:
Lemonade is a fully licensed and regulated insurance company, which means that we underwrite, price and sell policies, and pay claims. You, the customer, pay us a premium, and we take a flat fee and pay your claims. We don’t want to be in conflict with you over that premium euro, so behind the scenes, we work with what is known as reinsurance (think of it as insurance for insurance companies). We share a lot of our premium with them, and they pay most of our losses, plus they cover our flat fee. Most of our reinsurance is long-term, so we and our customers don’t need to worry about it year-to-year, like many other insurance companies.
Our reinsurance program may change from time to time, and it looks different today than what we started with. But our Giveback approach has not changed, and our ability to deliver on Job #1 - to ensure we always can pay claims - is as strong as it ever was.
When can I expect Lemonade to be available in my country?
If you’re living outside of Germany, the Netherlands, France and the United States, we’re on our way! Stay tuned here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
How can I reach you guys?
You can always get in touch with our team through our app and website, or feel free to shoot over an email to [email protected] whenever you need our assistance.
Is my information kept confidential?
Transparency and integrity during the processing of your personal data is very important to us. We comply with data protection regulations, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), as well as the German Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, "BDSG"), and the German Telemedia Act (Telemediengesetz, "TMG"). In fact, we like to say we are GDPR compliant by design, building Lemonade with the customer as our focus. We highly value and respect your privacy. Details on how we process your personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy.
What does being a B-Corp mean?
Lemonade, Inc., the lead company in our group, is a public benefit corporation
organized under Delaware law, which means that it is legally permitted to consider the interests of all
our constituents, not solely the interests of our owners, in operating our business. This is one factor
in all members of the Lemonade group of companies having achieved B-Corp® certification. B-Corp® is a
certification granted by the nonprofit organization B Lab to for-profit companies that meet rigorous
standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. So although
Lemonade seeks to make a profit, our mission is also to be a force for public good. Insurance was
created to be a social good, and Lemonade’s mission statement is to transform insurance from a necessary
evil into a social good.
Policy Stuff
How do I know what my policy covers?
You get to see a summary of your coverage and a preview of your customized policy before you pay.
You’ll be able to edit your coverage and other policy settings such as the deductible, start dates, and more - all before you finalize your policy. After payment, we will instantly issue your final policy and send it to you by email.
How do you calculate my premium?
Premiums are calculated individually for each policyholder and are based on a number of different factors including recent claims, and information about you and your property. We may also factor in the sensitivity of your home to windstorms, severe weather damage, and fires.
What policies does Lemonade offer?
We offer Contents and Personal Liability insurance.
Can I increase or reduce my coverages?
You can, within limits. We made it easy to adjust coverage through the app. Tapping the Amounts tab will let you configure the coverage amounts of your policy.
If you already have a Lemonade policy and would like to adjust coverages, just drop us a note to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you.
What if I want to cancel my policy?
You can cancel your policy at any time and receive a refund for the unused portion of your premium. And if you ever want to come back? No problem! We’ll create a new policy for you. Know that our prices change from time to time, so your new policy may come with a different rate.
Can I switch to Lemonade if I already have an active insurance policy?
Sure you can! Just check with your insurer what notice you need to give for cancellation, and set your start date for your Lemonade policy on your cancellation date. That’s to avoid overlapping insurance policies (double insurance policies aren’t very helpful :) .
How do I change my address for my Lemonade policy?
Congrats on the new place! While we can't edit the address on an active policy, it's quite easy to cancel your current policy and create a new one for your new address. Once you move into your new place, you can use the Lemonade app to cancel your policy. You'll receive a pro-rated refund as soon as you do this, ensuring there's no overlap in charges when you create a new policy.
Then, create a new policy for your new address, in a matter of minutes, right there from the Lemonade app. If you have Extra Coverage items, or you’re having trouble with the App - just contact our dedicated Customer Experience team.
How do I pay for Lemonade?
After reviewing your coverage summary and having an opportunity to look over the policy documents, you’ll be able to pay using your credit or debit card. We will charge your first payment after we’ve issued your policy, regardless of the policy’s effective date. Thereafter, you’ll be charged each month on the day your policy became active.
Is my roommate covered?
No. Our policies cover you, your better half, and any children as well as relatives living with you whom you choose to include in your policy. Your (other) roommates will need to get their own insurance policy.
Are my partner and children covered?
If you’re living with your partner or children, you can include them on your policy when you sign up. Make sure you buy enough coverage for all your (and their) stuff!
Am I covered if something I own gets stolen?
Generally yes, but there are some exceptions. If your laptop was stolen from your home due to a break-in
(burglary), you’re covered. However, if your laptop was stolen from your favorite cafe, or it
disappeared from your home without a sign of break-in, you’ll only be covered if you have our Anti-Theft
Package as part of your policy. Make sure to add this package when you buy your Lemonade policy. (BTW,
you can add it after you get your policy by emailing us at [email protected])
Note: if the stolen item is worth more than 5.000 €, it has to have Extra Coverage to be covered in full. Make sure all your valuables (aka, any item over 5.000 €) has Extra Coverage when you get your policy.
What’s the difference between theft, burglary, and robbery?
Burglary involves unauthorized or forced entry (aka, there was a clear break-in) in which items were stolen or damaged. Robbery also involves stolen or damaged items, but involving force or the threat of violence. Theft means your item was stolen, but there was no clear sign of violence.
Your Contents policy automatically covers burglary and robbery, and you can add coverage for theft by selecting the Anti-Theft Package when you get a policy or by contacting us.
To clarify, if someone at your housewarming party pockets your favorite pair of earrings, that would be theft, and would only be covered if your policy includes our Anti-Theft Package.
What kind of bad things am I covered for?
Your policy covers damage to your stuff caused by fire, smoke, explosion, burglary, robbery, vandalism, windstorms, hail, collision by vehicles or aircraft, and water damage caused by an unintended leakage of tap water like burst pipes, and leaking appliances (e.g. your washing machine). You’ll also have the option to include coverage for theft or natural disasters such as flooding or earthquakes by selecting one of the additional packages (Anti-Theft and Extreme Weather Packages) when you sign-up.
We also help cover any increased living expenses in these scenarios. For example, if a kitchen fire forces you out of your apartment, or if a burst pipe upstairs means it’s now raining inside your apartment - we’ll cover the cost for a hotel.
If you choose to include Personal Liability coverage in your policy, you’ll be protected if someone claims you’ve caused them bodily injury, property damage, or financial loss in certain circumstances.
This includes damages that you accidentally cause to a home, holiday home, or hotel room you’re renting (Mietsachschäden). If this happens, we cover damage to furnishings and permanent fixtures like sinks, the parquet floor, etc.
What about travelling? Don’t worry, you’re also insured if you cause damage to others during a temporary stay for up to three years within the EU and EFTA, or up to one year outside of the EU and EFTA.
This includes damages that you accidentally cause to a home, holiday home, or hotel room you’re renting (Mietsachschäden). If this happens, we cover damage to furnishings and permanent fixtures like sinks, the parquet floor, etc.
What about travelling? Don’t worry, you’re also insured if you cause damage to others during a temporary stay for up to three years within the EU and EFTA, or up to one year outside of the EU and EFTA.
Make sure to review your policy to understand exactly what’s covered.
What kinds of things are not covered under my policy?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover those annoying things that sometimes happen. The policy doesn’t cover things like if your power, water or heat going out in your apartment in the dead of winter, or if your apartment gets infested with bedbugs (eek!) and you want to get a hotel room. We don’t blame you at all, but these events aren’t covered under your policy, so we can’t reimburse you for that. We also don’t cover your stuff that is accidentally lost or broken - so if you drop your phone and the screen cracks, that’s not covered.
Is my laptop covered?
Yes! Coverage for laptops, phones, tablets, TVs, and other personal electronics are all included, as standard, in the policy. Note that any item worth above 5.000 € needs to be added to the policy to be covered for its full value. These are covered against the list of specific causes mentioned in the policy such as burglary, fire, vandalism, etc. Now be careful with it, because your policy doesn’t cover if it gets lost or breakage if you drop it!
How do I add extra coverage for my expensive items?
It’s easy! Before finalizing your policy, you’ll be able to add coverage for items valued above 5.000 € each. Adding some items might be at an additional premium; you’ll see the total premium, including Extra Coverage costs, before buying the policy. Items that do not have Extra Coverage are covered only up to 5.000 €. Note: items are covered by Extra Coverage only after you’ve received confirmation from Lemonade.
If my pet bites someone, am I covered?
We cover damage or injury caused by most pets. But we don’t cover damage caused by a dog or horse that you own, or that’s permanently in your care. You’ll have to look into pet owners liability insurance. We do make an exception for dogs and horses that are temporarily in your care.
If I cause damage to my rented apartment or house, am I covered?
Yes, you are! Damages that you cause to your rented house or apartment, as well as to its furnishings, are covered under your private liability insurance. If you accidentally damage a wall, or drop your hairdryer into the sink and cause a crack, we will cover subsequent costs. Also, damages that you unintentionally cause to hotel rooms or holiday homes, fall under this category (Mietsachschäden) and will be covered by us. However, this doesn’t apply to glass breakage or damage to your rental residence due to wear and tear - those things won’t be covered.
What if I miss a premium payment?
If your payment method is declined, we’ll ask you to provide us with a different one. Please note, we’ll keep bugging you to settle your tab, but eventually we’ll have to cancel your policy. We’ll warn you first. Note: if you miss your very first premium payment, your coverage will retroactively be considered void (no coverage).
Can I sign up by phone?
Lemonade is available for signup only through our mobile apps and website.
How do you calculate the value of my contents during a claim?
We offer ‘replacement cost’ for any destroyed, damaged, or stolen items. This means we’ll calculate the value of your item based on its current lowest as-new market value. If the item is no longer being sold, we will look for a similar one, and use that price as reference.
Here’s an example: Your camera has been stolen. You bought it three years ago for 500 €, and today, this exact model sells at a reduced price of 350 €. Since our job is to provide you with an exact replacement, the value we will calculate is 350 €.
I got a quote that’s higher than my old insurer, what gives?
While our prices may be cheaper than the more established players, that won’t always be the case. Insurers use different models and data sets to set prices, and on occasion our prices will be higher than someone else’s. It’s the way statistics work. If it’s any comfort, please remember that any leftover money may be donated to a charity of your choosing, so go ahead and get Lemonade anyway!
Is stuff kept in my self-storage locker covered?
We only cover stuff that’s normally kept in your home, balcony, terrace, garage, garden shed, or a storage unit in your building. Stuff that is kept in common or unprotected areas is not covered. That means, things that are normally kept elsewhere, like at your vacation home, office, or a storage facility, aren’t covered.
Do you offer coverage for natural disasters, such as floods?
For natural disasters and extreme weather such as: lightning (including overvoltage due to lightning), flooding and weather-related backwater, subsidence, landslide, snow pressure, avalanches and volcanic eruptions- you’ll need to add our ‘Extreme Weather Package.’ You can do this before activating your policy, or email us to let us know you’d like to have it added on and we’ll get back to you.
BTW, damage from windstorms and hail are covered in your base policy.
Claims
How do I file a claim?
Easy! Just open the Lemonade app and hit the Claim button. We will guide you through the rest of the short process there.
How will I get paid for a claim?
After you complete the claim report on the Lemonade app, you will be asked to enter your bank account wire information. Once your claim is approved, we’ll issue payment, minus the amount of the deductible (if it applies), directly into your account.
How fast will a claim be paid?
Our goal is for the majority of simple contents claims to be paid almost instantly. There will be cases in which we’ll need to fully review the incident to approve the claim, and there will be content damage claims or liability claims that may take longer to settle. For example, if this is not the first loss you are reporting, or if some of the information we require is missing from your report, our team will need extra time to manually assess the incident and will most likely get in touch with you for further review.
Why does Lemonade ask me to record a video during the claims process?
There’s no better way for us to understand your incident than by having you tell us in your own words. It only takes a minute to shoot the video. We’ll use your video solely for the process of handling or reviewing your claim.
What’s considered a claim emergency?
We define an emergency as an event that requires immediate assistance or temporary housing as a result of fire, ongoing water damage, or any other structural damage that leaves your home exposed. Shortly after you report an emergency, our response team will contact you to assess the situation and provide you with emergency services such as water or fire damage cleanup, temporary housing, or a designated specialist as soon as possible.
Lemonade has a network of emergency response and repair partners enabling us to respond to just about any incident at just about any time. For emergencies, and in cases where you don't have access to our app or website, you may call us at: +49 800 0008292.
What documentation do you need from me? Do I need to take an inventory?
When filing a claim, if you have receipts, that's great! But, we know that not everyone saves their receipts. Tip from us: make sure to keep your receipts on the more expensive stuff you buy—say 250 € and up. That way, we can settle your claim faster. Even if you don’t have the receipt, keeping note of where and when you purchased more expensive items will help us help you. Please note that if you have a claim, we'll always work closely with you to identify suitable replacements.
Insurance, Explained
What is a deductible?
This is the amount that will be deducted from any claim payment you may receive. Think of it as your participation in the damage or loss. When you buy a policy, you can choose the deductible amount you’d like to have in case of a claim. So, why would anyone choose a high deductible? Well, the higher the deductible, the lower your monthly payments will be.
Here’s an example for your contents insurance: You chose a deductible of 250 € when you bought your policy. A few months later, someone breaks into your apartment and steals your 1,000 € laptop.
The payment you'll receive for your claim will be 750 €: 1,000 € minus the deductible, which in this case was 250 €. Note, you can also opt for no deductible, in which case, no deductible will be subtracted from any claim payment.
What is personal liability protection?
We offer personal liability coverage, which means Lemonade will hire a lawyer to defend you, and pay covered damages you are found liable for, in the event someone claims to be injured due to your actions or negligence, or there is damage to someone else’s contents caused by your actions or negligence. Make sure to read your policy in order to know the exact scope of coverage. If you experience an incident that may fall under this coverage, then make a claim using our app.
How much contents coverage do I need?
The common way to calculate the amount of coverage needed is to take your home size in sq. meters and multiply it by 650. However, we know this isn't the situation for everyone. To determine the amount of contents coverage you need, make sure you take everything you own into account (pro tip: think of it as if everything you own goes up in flames, how much reimbursement would you need from us to cover all the things you lost). You want to make sure you aren’t underinsured, so when in doubt, always try to round up. If other people are insured under your policy, make sure you get sufficient coverage for them.
How much Personal Liability coverage do I need?
This is personal for each customer, so best to fully understand what Personal Liability covers, and then determine how much coverage would make you feel sufficiently covered. Lemonade allows for up to 10 million € in Personal Liability coverage.
Extra Coverage
Why should I get Extra Coverage for my contents?
You’ll need to add coverage for items valued above 5.000 € each, so that they’re fully covered in case of a claim. If you don’t add Extra Coverage for these items, know that we’ll be able to cover these items only up to 5.000 € (and nobody wants that to happen).
Adding some items might be at an additional cost; you’ll see the total policy premium before buying the policy.
When can I add Extra Coverage for valuable items?
Always! Please note that Extra Coverage only kicks in after your items have been submitted and approved
by our team. You can add Extra Coverage for your valuable items yourself when getting a policy, or write
to [email protected] if you’d like to add it later.
How many items can I submit for Extra Coverage?
You can add as many items as you'd like. Please note that items are added one at a time, and you will need to provide a short description, photo, and receipts or appraisals for each item.
What happens if Lemonade does not approve my item?
Our team reviews each item to determine if it’s eligible for Extra Coverage. If your item is not approved, it may be because your item may need special coverage that is not currently offered by Lemonade. In any case, items which belong to your household without Extra Coverage can only be covered up to 5.000 €.
Giveback and community
What is this Giveback thing?
Insurance works by pooling small amounts of money (premiums) from a large group of people to pay for the unlucky few who suffer covered losses (claims). Since it’s impossible to predict how much money will be needed to cover these losses, the amounts people are asked to pay may be higher than what’s needed some years. Often, there’s money left at the end of the year.
Insurance companies take this money as profits. That may make them reluctant to pay claims, since it damages their earnings. But we think there’s a better way. Instead of keeping this money, we intend to pay it forward to causes people care about and help bring positive social impact to local communities and global causes. Years with high claims and other expenses may deplete the “Giveback,” but the good news is that our actuaries (the folks who crunch the numbers for these sort of things) say that there “should” be some money left over for most causes every year.
When do you pay the Giveback?
At the end of June, we calculate and pay the Giveback.
What happens to my Giveback if I cancel my policy?
Lemonade only pays a Giveback with respect to active policies.
How often can I change causes?
Once you pick a cause in the app (after you get a policy), it will be set until the following June. Once the Giveback is paid, you will have an opportunity to pick a new cause.
How can I add my cause to your Giveback program?
We’ll be happy to consider your cause for our Giveback program. For more information, reach out to
us: [email protected].
Is the Giveback guaranteed?
No, it’s subject to board discretion. Giveback is part of our corporate policy, and our plan is to donate to nonprofits every year. But sometimes, peer groups who chose the same cause, will not have any money left to give back because their claims depleted the Giveback pool. Paying claims is our top priority, and in extreme circumstances could come at the expense of the Giveback.