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12 Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Insure
By Victor Rosario MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Some pet parents choose to purchase pet insurance to help cover the cost of vet bills. However, the monthly price tag of a policy can vary based on a number of factors, including your dog’s breed.
Some breeds are more susceptible to certain health issues, like allergies or diseases. Others, meanwhile, are more prone to self-destructive habits such as swallowing foreign objects. Pet insurance companies evaluate how costly your dog could be, based on its genetics and history. If your dog’s breed is prone to medical complications, you can expect to pay higher premiums.
Read on to find a list of some of the most expensive dog breeds to insure along with insight as to why the costs for particular breeds are higher.
Table of contents
- What are the most expensive dog breeds for pet insurance?
- Why do dog breeds affect insurance rates?
- Where can you get a quote according to your dog’s breed?
- Most expensive dog breeds to insure FAQs
- Summary of our guide to most expensive dog breeds to insure
What are the most expensive dog breeds for pet insurance?
The typical cost of dog insurance is between about $240 and $580 per year, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). But, as you can see in the table below, some breeds are much more expensive than even that high-end figure.
This table presents the average price of dog insurance as of December 2022 for various popular dog breeds that tend to cost more than the average. The costs are for a two-year-old male dog with a New York zip code for an accident and illness plan with a 70% reimbursement rate, $500 deductible and $5,000 annual coverage limit.
Quotes are based on the average price of Spot, Fetch and the ASPCA’s dog insurance offerings. Your costs may vary by location and the specific needs of your dog.
| Dog breeds | Average monthly cost | Average annual cost |
| Bernese mountain dog | $87.93 | $1,055.16 |
| Great Dane | $81.55 | $978.68 |
| Rottweiler | $80.71 | $968.60 |
| Mastiff | $80.71 | $968.60 |
| English bulldog | $78.54 | $942.52 |
| Doberman pinscher | $78.44 | $941.36 |
| Basset hound | $64.85 | $778.20 |
| Dalmatian | $64.69 | $776.28 |
| American pit bull terrier | $62.87 | $754.48 |
| Golden retriever | $58.55 | $702.64 |
| Labrador retriever | $58.42 | $701.12 |
| German shepherd | $51.98 | $623.80 |
Some other breeds that tend to be more expensive for pet insurance include cavalier King Charles spaniel, Tibetan mastiff, Chow Chow, Samoyed, Irish wolfhound, Löwchen, pharaoh hound, Afghan hound, Akita, Saluki, Dogo Argentino, Azawakh and Black Russian terrier.
Why does a dog’s breed affect its insurance rate?
Genetics play a major part in health conditions commonly seen in certain breeds — especially in purebred dogs. Over time, breeding has led to condition development.
It’s customary for small dog breeds to have lower premiums than big dogs. This is because large dogs tend to suffer more from inherited health conditions such as elbow dysplasia and have an overall shorter life expectancy. These traits indicate that your family pet might need more veterinary care in the future, which in turn raises your pet insurance costs.
In some cases, the behavioral traits of the dog breed drives up premiums. A case in point are Labrador retrievers. These popular dogs have a greater tendency than most breeds to swallow foreign objects — from socks to forks — and to then require expensive surgery to remove the unwanted items from the digestive system.
Where can you get a quote according to your dog’s breed?
Most pet insurance companies have online portals where you can request a free quote to see what your particular dog’s pet insurance would cost. The process only takes a few minutes. If you have a breed that tends to be costly, it’s especially important to shop around by getting quotes from multiple companies and comparing them.
Some companies — such as Spot, the ASPCA and Fetch — outline what their specific pet insurance plans cover on their websites. When shopping around, check on the availability of preventative care coverage, if that’s of interest to you.
Organizations such as the American Kennel Club (AKC) also provide educational content on your dog’s breed, as well as what breeds are trending and how that can affect your premiums.
Most expensive dog breeds to insure FAQs
Is pet insurance more expensive for large dogs?
Because their average lifespans are shorter and they are more prone to congenital diseases, large dog breeds are usually subject to more expensive premiums than small dogs. If you have a large breed, you should compare your dog's medical expenses from the last year to your expected yearly cost of a policy before deciding if pet insurance is worth it.
Can you cover multiple pets under one insurance policy?
You can get pet insurance for multiple pets either all on one policy or separate ones. Many pet insurance companies have multi-pet discounts for pets covered under the same insurer, and sometimes the discount grows with each pet you add. Check your pet insurance provider to see its particular offers regarding multi-pet discounts.
What dog breeds are most inexpensive to insure?
Crossbreeds are usually the cheapest to insure, as purebred dogs are more prone to having major health conditions as they get older. Most of the time, it all comes down to size and conditions certain breeds are prone to. A small breed such as a Chihuahua is going to be less expensive than a bull terrier, French bulldog or Portuguese water dog, for example.
Summary of our guide to most expensive dog breeds to insure
The most expensive dog breeds to insure are usually influenced by size and the medical conditions to which that specific breed is susceptible. Other factors such as age and sex can affect premiums too. For owners of these expensive breeds, we recommend seeking quotes from at least three different pet insurance providers to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.
