Maltese Insurance Cost: Average Monthly Price (2026)
Quick answer: Pet insurance for a Maltese costs about $41 a month ($492 a year) on average for accident-and-illness cover, based on MoneyGeek's 2026 data for a 6-year-old dog with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement. That makes the Maltese the 7th cheapest of the 46 popular breeds we track, $13 a month below the middle of the pack.
| Average monthly premium | $41/month |
|---|---|
| Average annual premium | $492/year |
| Rank (cheapest = 1) | 7 of 46 popular breeds |
| Size category | Small (4-8 lb) |
MoneyGeek average for a 6-year-old dog with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement. Your quote will depend on your dog's age, your ZIP code, and the deductible and reimbursement you choose.
Estimate what coverage would cost for your dog
Premiums swing widely by breed, age, and location. Our calculator gives you a realistic range in about a minute — no email, no sign-up.
Open the pet insurance calculatorMaltese insurance cost by age
| Age | Estimated monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Puppy (enrolled under 1 year) | ~$35/month |
| Adult | ~$41/month |
| Senior (9+ years) | ~$66/month |
Puppy and senior figures are our planning estimates: the breed average adjusted with the same age factors as our pet insurance calculator. Insurers set their own age pricing.
How the Maltese compares with other breeds
| # | Breed | Avg. monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chihuahua | $33 |
| 2 | Shih Tzu | $37 |
| 3 | Jack Russell Terrier | $38 |
| 4 | Shiba Inu | $40 |
| 5 | Yorkshire Terrier | $41 |
| 6 | Australian Shepherd | $41 |
| 7 | Maltese | $41 |
| 8 | Lhasa Apso | $42 |
| 9 | Dachshund | $43 |
| 10 | Pomeranian | $43 |
| 11 | Border Collie | $44 |
| 12 | Shetland Sheepdog | $45 |
| 13 | Border Terrier | $46 |
| 14 | West Highland White Terrier | $46 |
| 15 | Miniature Schnauzer | $47 |
| 16 | Bichon Frise | $47 |
| 17 | Siberian Husky | $48 |
| 18 | Boston Terrier | $50 |
| 19 | Whippet | $50 |
| 20 | Cairn Terrier | $50 |
| 21 | Beagle | $52 |
| 22 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | $53 |
| 23 | English Springer Spaniel | $53 |
| 24 | German Shorthaired Pointer | $54 |
| 25 | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | $54 |
| 26 | Samoyed | $54 |
| 27 | Pug | $55 |
| 28 | Vizsla | $55 |
| 29 | Cocker Spaniel | $57 |
| 30 | German Shepherd | $58 |
| 31 | Poodle | $58 |
| 32 | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | $58 |
| 33 | Labrador Retriever | $61 |
| 34 | Golden Retriever | $61 |
| 35 | Greyhound | $66 |
| 36 | Dalmatian | $68 |
| 37 | Weimaraner | $69 |
| 38 | Basset Hound | $69 |
| 39 | Boxer | $80 |
| 40 | French Bulldog | $90 |
| 41 | Cane Corso | $92 |
| 42 | Rottweiler | $94 |
| 43 | Great Dane | $99 |
| 44 | Bulldog | $100 |
| 45 | Bernese Mountain Dog | $108 |
| 46 | Doberman Pinscher | $114 |
What drives the price for a Maltese
Insurers price breeds by how often, and how expensively, they claim. For the Maltese, the common health issues are:
- Dental disease is very common because of crowded teeth in a small jaw.
- Patellar luxation and collapsing trachea occur frequently in toy breeds like the Maltese.
- Portosystemic (liver) shunts are documented in the breed.
Any of these that appears in your dog's records before you enroll can be excluded as a pre-existing condition, which is the strongest reason to insure a Maltese young. More on the trade-offs in Is pet insurance worth it?
Is it worth it?
A single $4,000 vet bill equals about 8.1 years of average Maltese premiums. Commonly cited ranges are $3,000-$7,000 for orthopedic surgery and $5,000-$15,000 for cancer treatment. If one of those would be hard to pay out of pocket, insurance (or a dedicated emergency fund you won't touch) is the safer plan.
Run the numbers for your Maltese
Adjust for your dog's age and see how the premium compares to a major vet bill.
Open the Pet Insurance CalculatorFrequently asked questions
How much is pet insurance for a Maltese?
Pet insurance for a Maltese costs about $41 a month ($492 a year) on average for accident-and-illness cover, based on MoneyGeek's 2026 data for a 6-year-old dog with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement. That makes the Maltese the 7th cheapest of the 46 popular breeds we track, $13 a month below the middle of the pack.
Why does Maltese insurance cost less?
Insurers price each breed against how often, and how expensively, dogs of that breed claim. Health issues associated with the Maltese include: Dental disease is very common because of crowded teeth in a small jaw. Patellar luxation and collapsing trachea occur frequently in toy breeds like the Maltese. Portosystemic (liver) shunts are documented in the breed.
Is pet insurance worth it for a Maltese?
At about $492 a year, one $4,000 vet bill — a common cost for something like cruciate ligament surgery — equals roughly 8.1 years of premiums. If you couldn't comfortably pay a bill that size from savings, insurance is usually worth it, especially if you enroll while your Maltese is young, before any condition goes on record as pre-existing.
How much is Maltese insurance per month for a puppy?
Roughly $35 a month is a reasonable planning figure for a Maltese puppy, based on the breed average and the lower pricing insurers typically give young dogs. Premiums rise as your dog ages — plan for something closer to $66 a month in the senior years. Get quotes for your own dog's age and ZIP code.
How much is Maltese insurance in the UK?
UK prices are quoted differently (in pounds, and often as lifetime, time-limited, or accident-only policies), so the US figures above don't convert directly. As a reference point, lifetime cover for a Labrador is around £36 a month at age 2 and £70-£115 a month by age 8, according to MyInsuranceExpert. Get UK quotes for your own Maltese — breed, age, postcode, and vet-fee limit all move the price.
Related
Sources
Cost figures on this page come from the sources below. Veterinary pricing moves quickly and varies a lot by region, so treat every number as a planning range rather than a quote.
- Average Dog Insurance Cost (2026) — MoneyGeek. Used for the Maltese's average monthly premium and the comparison with other breeds (baseline: a 6-year-old dog with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement; data updated Sep 17, 2026). Checked Sep 30, 2026.
- Dog Insurance Cost UK 2026: Average Prices by Breed & Cover — MyInsuranceExpert. Used for the UK lifetime-cover Labrador example (updated Jul 14, 2026). Checked Sep 30, 2026.