Pet Insurance Cost by Breed
If you've gotten a pet insurance quote and been surprised by the number, breed is usually why. Breed is the single biggest factor in what you'll pay — bigger than your dog's age, your location, or the deductible you pick. And it's not simply "bigger dog, bigger bill": some small breeds cost more to insure than some large ones, because insurers price in each breed's documented health risks, not just its size.
Average monthly cost by breed
| Breed | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Chihuahua | $33/month |
| Yorkshire Terrier | $41/month |
| Dachshund | $43/month |
| Australian Shepherd | $48/month |
| Beagle | $52/month |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | $54/month |
| German Shepherd | $58/month |
| Poodle (Standard) | $58/month |
| Labrador Retriever | $61/month |
| Golden Retriever | $61/month |
| Rottweiler | $62/month |
| French Bulldog | $90/month |
| Cane Corso | $92/month |
| Doberman Pinscher | $114/month |
Figures are 2026 industry averages for accident-and-illness coverage on an adult dog and will vary by insurer, location, age, and deductible. Use them to compare breeds relative to each other, not as a quote for your specific dog.
Why breed matters more than size
Look at the table above and the pattern isn't just "small breeds cheap, large breeds expensive." A Doberman Pinscher costs more to insure than a Cane Corso, despite being the smaller dog, because Dobermans have a well-documented high rate of dilated cardiomyopathy — a serious and expensive heart condition. French Bulldogs, a small-to-medium breed, cost nearly as much as some giant breeds because their flat-faced build carries a well-known risk of airway and spinal issues. Insurers set premiums based on actuarial claims data for each breed, and breed-specific health risk shows up directly in the price.
This is exactly why we publish breed-specific health notes alongside our calculators — knowing what your breed is actually prone to explains why your quote looks the way it does, and helps you decide how much coverage makes sense.
See your dog's actual quote, not just a breed average
Averages are a starting point — your dog's specific age, location, and deductible choice will move the number. A quote takes a couple of minutes and doesn't commit you to anything.
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What actually drives the premium
- Breed-specific disease risk — conditions like hip dysplasia, heart disease, or cancer that show up at a higher rate in a particular breed's health records.
- Size and lifespan — larger breeds tend to have higher per-incident treatment costs (medication and anesthesia dosing scale with body weight) but shorter lifespans, which cuts both ways on lifetime cost.
- Age at enrollment — enrolling as a puppy, before any condition has appeared on record, generally gets the broadest coverage and the lowest starting premium.
- Location and deductible — vet costs vary by region, and a higher deductible or co-pay lowers your monthly premium.
Is it worth it for your breed?
For breeds with well-documented high-cost risks — Dobermans (heart disease), French Bulldogs and other brachycephalic breeds (airway surgery), large and giant breeds (joint surgery) — insurance tends to make the clearest financial sense, because a single claim can easily exceed a full year of premiums. For our full framework on deciding, see Is Pet Insurance Worth It?