The Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Insure (And Why)

How We Ranked the Most Expensive Breeds

Total annual cost of owning a dog with insurance has two components: monthly premium × 12 plus average annual veterinary costs. The premium is what you pay the insurer; the vet cost represents what you'd spend on average (before reimbursement) on your breed's typical health needs.

We calculated this figure for all 213 dog breeds in our database. The results confirm what experienced dog owners already know: giant breeds dominate the expensive end. But the data also reveals some surprises.

The Top 15 Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Insure

1. Saint Bernard — $3,011/year

The Saint Bernard tops our list with a total annual cost of $3,011 — $88/month in premiums ($1,056/year) plus $1,955 in average annual vet costs. These gentle giants weigh 120–180 pounds and are prone to hip dysplasia, bloat (GDV), and bone cancer. A single GDV emergency can cost $5,000–$7,500 — making insurance not just advisable but essentially mandatory for this breed.

2. Dogue de Bordeaux — $2,976/year

The Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff) comes in at $2,976 — $78/month premium plus $2,040 in vet costs, the highest average vet cost of any breed in our dataset. Their short lifespan (5–8 years) and susceptibility to cardiac conditions, hip dysplasia, and cancer drive extraordinary veterinary expenses concentrated into fewer years.

3. Newfoundland — $2,900/year

The Newfoundland holds the highest monthly premium of any giant breed at $100/month ($1,200/year), with $1,700 in average vet costs. Their massive frames (100–150 lbs) create orthopedic stress, and they're prone to hip dysplasia, cruciate ligament tears, and GDV. Despite the high premium, our break-even analysis shows Newfoundlands net +$110/year in insurance value.

4–7. Rottweiler, Bullmastiff, Irish Wolfhound, Scottish Deerhound — $2,891/year (tied)

Four breeds share fourth place at $2,891 each — all at $78/month premium and $1,955 average vet costs. The Rottweiler is the most popular of the four, ranking in the top 10 by AKC registrations. Rottweilers face osteosarcoma at alarming rates — this bone cancer has one of the highest treatment costs of any condition ($5,000–$20,000). The Irish Wolfhound, the tallest of all dog breeds, has among the shortest lifespans at 6–8 years. The Bullmastiff and Scottish Deerhound share similar giant-breed health profiles.

8. Mastiff — $2,840/year

The Mastiff has the second-highest monthly premium ($95/month) with $1,700 in vet costs. At 120–230 pounds, Mastiffs are among the heaviest breeds, and that weight creates enormous stress on joints and cardiac systems. Hip dysplasia surgery for a dog this size is at the top of the cost range due to the complexity of operating on such large frames.

9. Bernese Mountain Dog — $2,735/year

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a beloved family breed with a heartbreaking health profile. At $65/month premium and $1,955 in vet costs, the Bernese has one of the highest cancer rates of any breed. Histiocytic sarcoma — an aggressive cancer affecting up to 25% of Bernese Mountain Dogs — can appear as early as age 4. This breed's combination of high cancer risk and relatively short lifespan (6–8 years) makes insurance particularly important.

10. Great Dane — $2,723/year

The Great Dane rounds out the top 10 at $2,723 — $64/month premium plus $1,955 in vet costs. Despite being the tenth most expensive overall, Great Danes have one of the best insurance value propositions: their premium is relatively modest for a giant breed, while their vet costs are among the highest. Our break-even analysis shows Great Danes net +$546/year from insurance — the highest positive return of any breed we analyzed in detail.

11–15: Akita, Bloodhound, Old English Sheepdog, Giant Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso — $2,636–$2,700/year

Rounding out the top 15, the Akita, Bloodhound, Old English Sheepdog, and Giant Schnauzer each come in at $2,636/year ($78/month premium, $1,700 vet costs). These breeds share giant-breed health profiles — orthopedic conditions, cardiac risk, and shorter lifespans.

The Lhasa Apso at $2,700/year ($90/month premium, $1,620 vet costs) is notable as the second non-giant breed in the top 15. Like the Pekingese, the Lhasa Apso's premium is driven by a concentration of breed-specific conditions rather than sheer size. Eye conditions, kidney disease, and skin problems create a costly health profile.

The Anomaly: Pekingese at $111/Month

The most surprising data point in our entire dataset isn't a giant breed at all. The Pekingese — a small breed weighing just 7–14 pounds — carries the highest monthly premium of any breed at $111/month. That's $1,332/year in premiums alone, more than any giant breed.

Why? The Pekingese is a textbook example of how breed-specific health risks outweigh size. Their extremely flat face creates severe brachycephalic airway syndrome ($2,000–$5,000 for corrective surgery). Protruding eyes are vulnerable to ulcers, prolapse, and injury. Their long, low-slung back predisposes them to intervertebral disc disease ($3,000–$8,000 for surgery). Each of these conditions individually is expensive; together, they create an insurance risk profile that exceeds most dogs twice their size.

The Pekingese's total annual cost ($111/mo × 12 + $1,080 vet = $2,412) is lower than the top 10 giant breeds because average vet costs are lower. But that $111/month premium means your insurance bill alone exceeds $1,300/year — making the Pekingese the most expensive breed to insure even if not the most expensive breed to own.

What Makes Giant Breeds So Expensive

The top 10 is exclusively giant breeds. Three factors explain this concentration:

Orthopedic costs scale with size. Hip dysplasia surgery on a 150-lb Newfoundland is more complex, requires more anesthesia, and uses larger implants than the same surgery on a 30-lb dog. The cost difference can be 2–3x.

Giant breeds face more emergency conditions. Bloat (GDV) — a life-threatening stomach torsion requiring emergency surgery — disproportionately affects deep-chested giant breeds. The surgery costs $3,000–$7,500 and must be performed within hours. Giant breeds are also more prone to osteosarcoma and cardiac conditions.

Shorter lifespans concentrate costs. Giant breeds live 6–10 years vs. 12–16 for small breeds. Their health problems appear earlier and progress faster. A Bernese Mountain Dog might develop cancer at age 4; a Chihuahua might stay healthy until age 12. The vet costs arrive sooner and in larger amounts.

The Cheapest Breeds for Comparison

For perspective, here are the five least expensive breeds to insure (total annual cost): breeds at the bottom of our ranking come in under $1,100/year total. Small to medium dogs with clean genetic profiles and long lifespans — think Australian Cattle Dog, Rat Terrier, and similar hardy breeds — pay $24–$35/month in premiums with average vet costs under $800/year.

The spread between the most and least expensive breeds is roughly $2,000/year — meaning the most expensive breed costs nearly three times what the cheapest breed costs to insure and maintain. This gap illustrates why breed selection is the single most important factor in your long-term pet ownership costs — more impactful than the plan you choose, the deductible you pick, or even the state you live in. Knowing where your breed falls on this spectrum helps you budget realistically and choose insurance that matches your actual risk profile.

What This Means for Your Insurance Decision

If your breed appears in the top 15, insurance isn't optional — it's essential financial planning. A single emergency for any of these breeds can cost $5,000–$15,000, and the probability of at least one major health event is extremely high. As we detailed in our break-even analysis, giant breeds consistently show positive insurance value.

If your breed is in the middle of the ranking, check your breed's specific conditions in our dog insurance directory. The condition list for your breed tells you exactly what you're insuring against. Use our insurance selection guide to make sure the plan you choose actually covers those conditions — breed-specific exclusions could undermine the entire point of coverage.

For a complete breakdown of pricing by breed, size, and age, see our 2026 cost guide. Every dollar figure in this article comes from our breed database — find your specific breed for personalized cost data.

A Note on Data and Methodology

The figures in this ranking represent typical costs based on industry rate data and veterinary cost surveys. Your actual experience will vary based on your specific dog's health, your geographic location (vet costs in Hawaii average $2,200/year vs. $1,177 in West Virginia), and the insurer and plan you choose. Premium quotes for the same breed can vary 30–40% across insurers.

We calculated total annual cost using adult premiums. Puppy premiums are approximately 15% higher; senior premiums are 45–65% higher. A Saint Bernard at senior rates ($128–$145/month) would push the total annual cost above $3,500. This underscores the importance of enrolling early while premiums are at their lowest — and before any conditions become pre-existing exclusions.

For breeds not in the top 15, the picture is more nuanced. Many allergy-prone breeds in the medium and large categories accumulate significant vet costs over their longer lifespans even though their per-year average is lower. A Cocker Spaniel living to 14 with chronic ear and skin conditions may cost more in total lifetime vet bills than a Great Dane living to 8, even though the Great Dane's annual costs are higher. Total cost of ownership depends on both annual expenses and lifespan — something our breed-level pages explore in detail.