Most expensive dogs to insure
Chart: the six top-ranked dogs by insurance/yr — taller bars rank higher on this metric.
What this ranking shows
Across 272 dogs, insurance/yr ranges from $380 to $1,060 — a 2.8× spread, with a median around $560. The Akita leads at $1,060, while the Wire Fox Terrier sits at the far end. Rounding out the top three are the Anatolian Shepherd Dog ($1,060) and the Beauceron ($1,060). Most of the gap comes down to three things: body size (which sets how much a dog eats and its medication doses), breed health risk (which sets insurance premiums and likely vet bills), and lifespan (which multiplies every recurring annual cost). Use the sorter below to re-rank by your own budget, home size and grooming tolerance.
| # | Breed | Size | Insurance/yr | Lifetime cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akita | Giant | $1,060 | $49,200 |
| 2 | Anatolian Shepherd Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $49,100 |
| 3 | Beauceron | Giant | $1,060 | $43,900 |
| 4 | Bernese Mountain Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $34,900 |
| 5 | Black Russian Terrier | Giant | $1,060 | $47,700 |
| 6 | Bloodhound | Giant | $1,060 | $43,200 |
| 7 | Boerboel | Giant | $1,060 | $46,400 |
| 8 | Bouvier des Flandres | Giant | $1,060 | $46,100 |
| 9 | Broholmer | Giant | $1,060 | $37,700 |
| 10 | Bullmastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $33,500 |
| 11 | Caucasian Shepherd Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $48,600 |
| 12 | Dogo Argentino | Giant | $1,060 | $46,200 |
| 13 | Dogue de Bordeaux | Giant | $1,060 | $27,100 |
| 14 | Estrela Mountain Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $47,900 |
| 15 | Great Dane | Giant | $1,060 | $37,500 |
| 16 | Great Pyrenees | Giant | $1,060 | $42,900 |
| 17 | Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $39,300 |
| 18 | Irish Wolfhound | Giant | $1,060 | $29,800 |
| 19 | Komondor | Giant | $1,060 | $48,300 |
| 20 | Kuvasz | Giant | $1,060 | $42,900 |
| 21 | Leonberger | Giant | $1,060 | $41,700 |
| 22 | Mastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $37,700 |
| 23 | Neapolitan Mastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $34,900 |
| 24 | Newfoundland | Giant | $1,060 | $40,400 |
| 25 | Otterhound | Giant | $1,060 | $45,300 |
| 26 | Perro de Presa Canario | Giant | $1,060 | $39,300 |
| 27 | Pyrenean Mastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $55,200 |
| 28 | Rafeiro do Alentejo | Giant | $1,060 | $51,600 |
| 29 | Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog | Giant | $1,060 | $52,900 |
| 30 | Saint Bernard | Giant | $1,060 | $40,500 |
| 31 | Scottish Deerhound | Giant | $1,060 | $37,100 |
| 32 | Spanish Mastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $52,000 |
| 33 | Tibetan Mastiff | Giant | $1,060 | $46,100 |
| 34 | Tosa | Giant | $1,060 | $48,300 |
| 35 | Afghan Hound | Large | $930 | $46,200 |
| 36 | Airedale Terrier | Large | $930 | $41,200 |
| 37 | Alaskan Malamute | Large | $930 | $42,200 |
| 38 | American Bulldog | Large | $930 | $37,200 |
| 39 | American English Coonhound | Large | $930 | $35,600 |
| 40 | American Foxhound | Large | $930 | $38,400 |
| 41 | American Leopard Hound | Large | $930 | $42,300 |
| 42 | American Staffordshire Terrier | Large | $930 | $42,800 |
| 43 | Appenzeller Sennenhund | Large | $930 | $42,500 |
| 44 | Barbet | Large | $930 | $39,700 |
| 45 | Basset Hound | Large | $930 | $40,100 |
| 46 | Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound | Large | $930 | $41,300 |
| 47 | Bearded Collie | Large | $930 | $43,900 |
| 48 | Belgian Laekenois | Large | $930 | $35,300 |
| 49 | Belgian Malinois | Large | $930 | $47,100 |
| 50 | Belgian Sheepdog | Large | $930 | $42,700 |
| 51 | Belgian Tervuren | Large | $930 | $42,700 |
| 52 | Bergamasco Sheepdog | Large | $930 | $45,100 |
| 53 | Berger Picard | Large | $930 | $39,200 |
| 54 | Black and Tan Coonhound | Large | $930 | $38,400 |
| 55 | Bluetick Coonhound | Large | $930 | $37,100 |
| 56 | Borzoi | Large | $930 | $39,500 |
| 57 | Boxer | Large | $930 | $35,400 |
| 58 | Bracco Italiano | Large | $930 | $39,300 |
| 59 | Briard | Large | $930 | $44,300 |
| 60 | Bull Terrier | Large | $930 | $39,700 |
| 61 | Catahoula Leopard Dog | Large | $930 | $41,300 |
| 62 | Chesapeake Bay Retriever | Large | $930 | $39,100 |
| 63 | Chinese Shar-Pei | Large | $930 | $31,100 |
| 64 | Chinook | Large | $930 | $44,100 |
| 65 | Chow Chow | Large | $930 | $33,200 |
| 66 | Clumber Spaniel | Large | $930 | $36,500 |
| 67 | Collie | Large | $930 | $43,100 |
| 68 | Curly-Coated Retriever | Large | $930 | $36,900 |
| 69 | Czechoslovakian Vlcak | Large | $930 | $38,300 |
| 70 | Dalmatian | Large | $930 | $37,900 |
| 71 | Doberman Pinscher | Large | $930 | $37,200 |
| 72 | Drentsche Patrijshond | Large | $930 | $39,800 |
| 73 | Dutch Shepherd | Large | $930 | $39,500 |
| 74 | English Foxhound | Large | $930 | $37,200 |
| 75 | English Setter | Large | $930 | $40,000 |
| 76 | Entlebucher Mountain Dog | Large | $930 | $36,700 |
| 77 | Eurasier | Large | $930 | $45,000 |
| 78 | Flat-Coated Retriever | Large | $930 | $29,900 |
| 79 | French Spaniel | Large | $930 | $36,000 |
| 80 | German Longhaired Pointer | Large | $930 | $41,700 |
| 81 | German Shepherd | Large | $930 | $30,200 |
| 82 | German Shepherd Dog | Large | $930 | $28,800 |
| 83 | German Wirehaired Pointer | Large | $930 | $47,100 |
| 84 | Giant Schnauzer | Large | $930 | $48,400 |
| 85 | Golden Retriever | Large | $930 | $37,800 |
| 86 | Gordon Setter | Large | $930 | $40,000 |
| 87 | Greyhound | Large | $930 | $36,900 |
| 88 | Hamiltonstovare | Large | $930 | $47,500 |
| 89 | Hanoverian Scenthound | Large | $930 | $41,400 |
| 90 | Harrier | Large | $930 | $41,500 |
| 91 | Hokkaido | Large | $930 | $41,900 |
| 92 | Hovawart | Large | $930 | $40,000 |
| 93 | Irish Setter | Large | $930 | $45,000 |
| 94 | Irish Water Spaniel | Large | $930 | $39,200 |
| 95 | Lapponian Herder | Large | $930 | $39,500 |
| 96 | Norwegian Elkhound | Large | $930 | $41,300 |
| 97 | Old English Sheepdog | Large | $930 | $38,900 |
| 98 | Pharaoh Hound | Large | $930 | $39,700 |
| 99 | Plott Hound | Large | $930 | $39,200 |
| 100 | Pointer | Large | $930 | $45,600 |
| 101 | Porcelaine | Large | $930 | $39,000 |
| 102 | Portuguese Podengo | Large | $930 | $34,100 |
| 103 | Pudelpointer | Large | $930 | $43,200 |
| 104 | Redbone Coonhound | Large | $930 | $42,300 |
| 105 | Rhodesian Ridgeback | Large | $930 | $34,200 |
| 106 | Rottweiler | Large | $930 | $36,500 |
| 107 | Saluki | Large | $930 | $41,000 |
| 108 | Samoyed | Large | $930 | $41,300 |
| 109 | Segugio Italiano | Large | $930 | $36,900 |
| 110 | Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer | Large | $930 | $41,700 |
| 111 | Slovensky Cuvac | Large | $930 | $41,100 |
| 112 | Small Munsterlander Pointer | Large | $930 | $39,200 |
| 113 | Stabyhoun | Large | $930 | $42,000 |
| 114 | Thai Ridgeback | Large | $930 | $38,500 |
| 115 | Tornjak | Large | $930 | $46,300 |
| 116 | Transylvanian Hound | Large | $930 | $37,500 |
| 117 | Treeing Walker Coonhound | Large | $930 | $39,200 |
| 118 | Vizsla | Large | $930 | $40,000 |
| 119 | Weimaraner | Large | $930 | $38,300 |
| 120 | Wetterhoun | Large | $930 | $41,000 |
| 121 | Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Large | $930 | $41,500 |
| 122 | Wirehaired Vizsla | Large | $930 | $39,900 |
| 123 | Bulldog (English) | Medium | $810 | $26,000 |
| 124 | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Small | $690 | $29,200 |
| 125 | French Bulldog | Small | $690 | $26,800 |
| 126 | German Shorthaired Pointer | Large | $640 | $31,100 |
| 127 | Labrador Retriever | Large | $640 | $35,700 |
| 128 | Poodle (Standard) | Large | $640 | $47,400 |
| 129 | Siberian Husky | Large | $640 | $37,100 |
| 130 | American Water Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $29,000 |
| 131 | Australian Cattle Dog | Medium | $560 | $32,400 |
| 132 | Australian Shepherd | Medium | $560 | $35,400 |
| 133 | Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog | Medium | $560 | $31,300 |
| 134 | Azawakh | Medium | $560 | $32,200 |
| 135 | Basset Fauve de Bretagne | Medium | $560 | $26,900 |
| 136 | Bohemian Shepherd | Medium | $560 | $32,300 |
| 137 | Border Collie | Medium | $560 | $33,700 |
| 138 | Boykin Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $29,700 |
| 139 | Braque du Bourbonnais | Medium | $560 | $26,200 |
| 140 | Brittany | Medium | $560 | $31,200 |
| 141 | Canaan Dog | Medium | $560 | $32,300 |
| 142 | Cardigan Welsh Corgi | Medium | $560 | $30,100 |
| 143 | Cocker Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $29,800 |
| 144 | Croatian Sheepdog | Medium | $560 | $30,400 |
| 145 | Deutscher Wachtelhund | Medium | $560 | $31,600 |
| 146 | Drever | Medium | $560 | $33,700 |
| 147 | English Cocker Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $30,400 |
| 148 | English Springer Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $31,200 |
| 149 | Field Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $29,700 |
| 150 | Finnish Lapphund | Medium | $560 | $32,000 |
| 151 | Finnish Spitz | Medium | $560 | $30,200 |
| 152 | German Pinscher | Medium | $560 | $29,100 |
| 153 | German Spitz | Medium | $560 | $31,600 |
| 154 | Glen of Imaal Terrier | Medium | $560 | $30,300 |
| 155 | Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen | Medium | $560 | $33,000 |
| 156 | Ibizan Hound | Medium | $560 | $30,000 |
| 157 | Icelandic Sheepdog | Medium | $560 | $28,400 |
| 158 | Irish Red and White Setter | Medium | $560 | $31,600 |
| 159 | Irish Terrier | Medium | $560 | $29,500 |
| 160 | Jindo | Medium | $560 | $32,600 |
| 161 | Kai Ken | Medium | $560 | $29,300 |
| 162 | Karelian Bear Dog | Medium | $560 | $28,800 |
| 163 | Keeshond | Medium | $560 | $33,100 |
| 164 | Kerry Blue Terrier | Medium | $560 | $32,500 |
| 165 | Kishu Ken | Medium | $560 | $28,500 |
| 166 | Kromfohrlander | Medium | $560 | $32,000 |
| 167 | Lagotto Romagnolo | Medium | $560 | $34,100 |
| 168 | Miniature American Shepherd | Medium | $560 | $31,800 |
| 169 | Mountain Cur | Medium | $560 | $27,500 |
| 170 | Nederlandse Kooikerhondje | Medium | $560 | $28,900 |
| 171 | Norrbottenspets | Medium | $560 | $32,800 |
| 172 | Norwegian Buhund | Medium | $560 | $30,300 |
| 173 | Norwegian Lundehund | Medium | $560 | $28,900 |
| 174 | Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever | Medium | $560 | $30,800 |
| 175 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Medium | $560 | $27,600 |
| 176 | Peruvian Inca Orchid | Medium | $560 | $28,500 |
| 177 | Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen | Medium | $560 | $29,200 |
| 178 | Polish Lowland Sheepdog | Medium | $560 | $34,600 |
| 179 | Portuguese Pointer | Medium | $560 | $33,200 |
| 180 | Portuguese Sheepdog | Medium | $560 | $30,600 |
| 181 | Portuguese Water Dog | Medium | $560 | $33,200 |
| 182 | Puli | Medium | $560 | $34,300 |
| 183 | Pumi | Medium | $560 | $26,500 |
| 184 | Schapendoes | Medium | $560 | $31,600 |
| 185 | Shikoku | Medium | $560 | $26,800 |
| 186 | Skye Terrier | Medium | $560 | $34,600 |
| 187 | Sloughi | Medium | $560 | $29,700 |
| 188 | Slovensky Kopov | Medium | $560 | $28,600 |
| 189 | Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | Medium | $560 | $31,200 |
| 190 | Spanish Water Dog | Medium | $560 | $37,200 |
| 191 | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Medium | $560 | $29,000 |
| 192 | Standard Schnauzer | Medium | $560 | $35,400 |
| 193 | Sussex Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $34,300 |
| 194 | Swedish Lapphund | Medium | $560 | $30,000 |
| 195 | Swedish Vallhund | Medium | $560 | $28,800 |
| 196 | Taiwan Dog | Medium | $560 | $25,200 |
| 197 | Treeing Tennessee Brindle | Medium | $560 | $26,200 |
| 198 | Welsh Springer Spaniel | Medium | $560 | $32,300 |
| 199 | Whippet | Medium | $560 | $29,700 |
| 200 | Working Kelpie | Medium | $560 | $31,600 |
| 201 | Xoloitzcuintli | Medium | $560 | $33,700 |
| 202 | Yakutian Laika | Medium | $560 | $27,100 |
| 203 | Beagle | Small | $480 | $23,600 |
| 204 | Dachshund | Small | $480 | $26,500 |
| 205 | Yorkshire Terrier | Small | $480 | $26,000 |
| 206 | Affenpinscher | Small | $380 | $22,500 |
| 207 | American Eskimo Dog | Small | $380 | $24,200 |
| 208 | American Hairless Terrier | Small | $380 | $26,100 |
| 209 | Australian Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,100 |
| 210 | Basenji | Small | $380 | $23,400 |
| 211 | Bedlington Terrier | Small | $380 | $25,000 |
| 212 | Bichon Frise | Small | $380 | $31,300 |
| 213 | Biewer Terrier | Small | $380 | $25,500 |
| 214 | Bolognese | Small | $380 | $21,400 |
| 215 | Border Terrier | Small | $380 | $21,900 |
| 216 | Boston Terrier | Small | $380 | $20,800 |
| 217 | Brussels Griffon | Small | $380 | $22,600 |
| 218 | Cairn Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,700 |
| 219 | Cesky Terrier | Small | $380 | $23,200 |
| 220 | Chihuahua | Small | $380 | $21,200 |
| 221 | Chinese Crested | Small | $380 | $23,400 |
| 222 | Cirneco dell’Etna | Small | $380 | $22,300 |
| 223 | Coton de Tulear | Small | $380 | $32,000 |
| 224 | Dandie Dinmont Terrier | Small | $380 | $27,900 |
| 225 | Danish-Swedish Farmdog | Small | $380 | $20,100 |
| 226 | English Toy Spaniel | Small | $380 | $19,300 |
| 227 | Havanese | Small | $380 | $25,100 |
| 228 | Italian Greyhound | Small | $380 | $22,200 |
| 229 | Jagdterrier | Small | $380 | $20,700 |
| 230 | Japanese Chin | Small | $380 | $17,600 |
| 231 | Japanese Spitz | Small | $380 | $22,100 |
| 232 | Lakeland Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,800 |
| 233 | Lancashire Heeler | Small | $380 | $21,400 |
| 234 | Lhasa Apso | Small | $380 | $24,000 |
| 235 | Löwchen | Small | $380 | $23,300 |
| 236 | Maltese | Small | $380 | $24,800 |
| 237 | Maltipoo | Small | $380 | $25,600 |
| 238 | Manchester Terrier (Standard) | Small | $380 | $26,500 |
| 239 | Manchester Terrier (Toy) | Small | $380 | $25,200 |
| 240 | Miniature Bull Terrier | Small | $380 | $21,100 |
| 241 | Miniature Pinscher | Small | $380 | $21,100 |
| 242 | Miniature Schnauzer | Small | $380 | $29,500 |
| 243 | Mudi | Small | $380 | $22,700 |
| 244 | Norfolk Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,300 |
| 245 | Norwich Terrier | Small | $380 | $21,700 |
| 246 | Papillon | Small | $380 | $22,600 |
| 247 | Parson Russell Terrier | Small | $380 | $23,100 |
| 248 | Pekingese | Small | $380 | $23,000 |
| 249 | Pomeranian | Small | $380 | $25,700 |
| 250 | Poodle (Miniature) | Small | $380 | $24,200 |
| 251 | Poodle (Toy) | Small | $380 | $27,900 |
| 252 | Portuguese Podengo Pequeno | Small | $380 | $21,500 |
| 253 | Pug | Small | $380 | $23,300 |
| 254 | Rat Terrier | Small | $380 | $25,100 |
| 255 | Russell Terrier | Small | $380 | $21,000 |
| 256 | Russian Toy | Small | $380 | $19,600 |
| 257 | Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka | Small | $380 | $23,000 |
| 258 | Schipperke | Small | $380 | $21,200 |
| 259 | Scottish Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,500 |
| 260 | Sealyham Terrier | Small | $380 | $24,800 |
| 261 | Shetland Sheepdog | Small | $380 | $24,100 |
| 262 | Shiba Inu | Small | $380 | $24,900 |
| 263 | Shih Tzu | Small | $380 | $30,200 |
| 264 | Silky Terrier | Small | $380 | $23,600 |
| 265 | Smooth Fox Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,600 |
| 266 | Teddy Roosevelt Terrier | Small | $380 | $24,900 |
| 267 | Tibetan Spaniel | Small | $380 | $21,700 |
| 268 | Tibetan Terrier | Small | $380 | $29,200 |
| 269 | Toy Fox Terrier | Small | $380 | $20,600 |
| 270 | Welsh Terrier | Small | $380 | $25,000 |
| 271 | West Highland White Terrier | Small | $380 | $28,100 |
| 272 | Wire Fox Terrier | Small | $380 | $22,600 |
Compiled by the PawCosts data team from breed standards, NAPHIA averages and AAFCO/vet nutrition formulas.
Frequently asked questions
Why are some dogs costly to insure?
Breeds prone to costly chronic conditions carry higher premiums.
How is this ranking calculated?
From our sortable cost database: food via the vet RER/MER calorie formula, insurance from NAPHIA US averages by breed health-risk tier, and lifespan from published breed standards.
What is the typical insurance/yr for dogs?
The median across 272 breeds is about $560.
Are these exact prices?
No — they are modelled US planning estimates; your real cost varies by region, provider and the individual animal.