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Most expensive dogs to insure

Estimated annual pet-insurance premium by breed health-risk tier. The top pick is the Akita.

Most expensive dogs to insure — top 6

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

Ranked from our sortable database. Food = vet RER/MER calorie formula; insurance = NAPHIA US average × breed health-risk tier; lifespan from breed standards. US planning estimates.

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.

Open the full sorter →