How Breed Can Impact Pet Insurance Costs
A pet's breed can make them more susceptible to hereditary conditions and certain health and medical concerns. Thus, pet insurance carriers will usually consider your pet's breed when calculating premiums.
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It doesn’t matter what type of insurance you’re looking for — from health insurance to life, auto, homeowners, or even renters coverage — certain factors will play a role in the cost of your policy. This is true for pet insurance, too: pet insurance companies will often calculate premiums with your pet’s age, medical history, location, and even breed in mind.
The breed of your pet is a significant factor for pet insurance companies. This is because some breeds are more prone to certain illnesses, indicating an increased likelihood of veterinary care in the future.
Today, let’s look at why your dog’s breed is a factor in your pet insurance policy premiums, what you can expect to pay for coverage, and how you can reduce your plan’s costs regardless of your dog’s breed.
In this article:
- Why breed is a factor in determining your premium
- Pet insurance costs by breed
- Ways to lower costs if your pet’s breed tends to have high premiums
Why breed is a factor in determining your premium
An insurance carrier’s job is to offer trusted coverage when you need it most while mitigating the company’s losses. Thus, premiums are calculated according to each policy’s level of risk.
There are a few reasons why your pet’s breed can impact your premium cost. These include:
Different breeds are different sizes
Each dog breed follows its own patterns regarding size and build—for instance, a Yorkie will always be smaller than a Great Dane. Unfortunately, larger breeds are often prone to certain medical conditions such as hip dysplasia and heart conditions. Thus, a pet insurance carrier may charge a higher premium for a larger dog breed than a smaller one.
Some conditions are common in certain breeds
Size-related issues aside, some breeds are more prone to certain medical conditions. For example, Rottweilers are more affected by osteosarcoma, an aggressive type of bone cancer, than other breeds, with more than one out of every eight Rotties being diagnosed. Some breeds—like Saint Bernards and Great Danes—are more susceptible to bloat (or stomach flip)—a life-threatening emergency.
If your dog’s breed is more likely to have an urgent or emergency condition, expect that you may pay more for coverage.
Certain breed traits can lead to health concerns
Some dogs are bred to produce specific traits, which may only be possible by breeding two dogs with the same lineage. This inbreeding may result in a purebred dog displaying those desired traits. However, such can mean a higher risk of congenital defects or hereditary conditions. Full-breed French Bulldogs, for instance, are more prone to congenital heart disease than many other breeds.
Some dogs are simply riskier from an insurance carrier’s perspective, meaning you’ll often pay different pet insurance rates by breed.
How much does pet insurance cost for each breed?
To demonstrate the impact your pet’s breed can have on the premium you pay, we submitted quote requests to three highly-rated pet insurance providers for some of the most popular dog breeds.
All details outside of breed were the same for each quote to ensure any difference in price was strictly due to a change in the breed of the pet.
These quotes were for a one-year-old male in Charlotte, North Carolina. The policy terms include a $5,000 annual benefit, 90% reimbursement rate, and $500 deductible for an accident and illness policy with no wellness add-on.
Here are the quotes we received from each provider:
| Breed | Embrace | Spot | ASPCA |
| Labrador Retriever | $55.56 | $49.51 | $49.51 |
| French Bulldog | $85.25 | $69.04 | $69.04 |
| German Shepherd | $55.56 | $41.06 | $41.06 |
| Golden Retriever | $55.56 | $49.51 | $49.51 |
| Bulldog | $85.25 | $60.43 | $60.43 |
| Poodle | $64.50 | $49.51 | $49.51 |
| Beagle | $52.37 | $41.06 | $41.06 |
| Rottweiler | $96.43 | $69.04 | $69.04 |
| Australian Shepherd | $45.02 | $35.62 | $35.62 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | $31.93 | $31.47 | $31.47 |
As you can see, your pet’s breed can have a significant impact on the price you pay for a policy. In some cases, the difference can be as much as $64.50 per month!
Interestingly, not all breeds were priced differently. For example, Embrace offered the same price for Retrievers and German Shepherds, while Spot and ASPCA offered the same price for German Shepherds and—surprisingly—Beagles.
For the ten breeds we received quotes for, the average monthly premium was $54.
In the following table, we’ll take a look at how much more or less expensive each breed was compared to this average. Here are the results:
| Breed | Average Premium | Difference from Average |
| Labrador Retriever | $51.53 | -5% |
| French Bulldog | $74.44 | 38% |
| German Shepherd | $45.89 | -15% |
| Golden Retriever | $51.53 | -5% |
| Bulldog | $68.70 | 27% |
| Poodle | $54.51 | 1% |
| Beagle | $44.83 | -17% |
| Rottweiler | $78.17 | 45% |
| Australian Shepherd | $38.75 | -28% |
| Yorkshire Terrier | $31.62 | -41% |
The most expensive breed to insure based on our research was Rottweilers, with an average premium 45% higher than the average of all ten breeds. The cheapest breed was Yorkshire Terriers, with an average premium 41% lower than the average of all ten breeds.
To prove that the size of your pet doesn’t always lead to higher premiums, French Bulldogs and standard Bulldogs were each pricier to insure than German Shepherds and Retrievers.
Ways to lower the cost of a policy if your pet’s breed tends to come with high premiums
When it comes to the cost of your pet’s insurance policy, some factors are beyond your control (such as the effect of your dog’s breed). However, there are some things that you can do to lower the cost of your pet insurance policy.
- Get a quote from multiple insurers. Each insurance carrier has its own pricing and may consider certain breeds riskier than others. It’s important to shop around before buying a policy to ensure that you find the best deal for you and your pup. Check out our picks for the best pet insurance companies to get started.
- Enroll in an accident-only plan. When discussing pet insurance, most people are referring to an accident and illness policy. As the name implies, these policies reimburse you for both accidents and illnesses. A lesser-known option, which is more affordable, is an accident-only policy. This plan only reimburses you for accidents suffered by your pet, not illnesses.
- Raise your deductible. Most carriers require you to pay a deductible, which is the portion of your pet’s veterinary costs that you must cover before reimbursement kicks in. A higher deductible usually means lower monthly premiums, so adjusting your deductible can help you reduce costs.
- Lower your benefit limit. The more coverage your pet insurance plan offers, the more you can reasonably expect to pay for the policy. Many carriers let you choose the benefit level you want; opting for a plan with a $5,000 annual maximum will likely cost less than a plan with a $10,000 annual maximum.
- Lower your reimbursement rate. Your reimbursement rate is the percentage of covered costs on your veterinary bill that will be paid back to you after filing a claim. By lowering your reimbursement rate, you’re reducing the amount the insurance company has to pay you for veterinary care, which in return, should lower your premium.
- Check for discounts during enrollment. Discounts make for a great way to save on policy costs without sacrificing coverage. Some plans offer discounts for association members, certain affiliations (e.g., active duty military, etc.), or multiple pets, so see what’s available to you.
- Pay your premium annually. Paying your premium annually instead of monthly may lead to a discounted premium. If you can afford to pay the total cost upfront, ask your carrier whether any such discounts exist.
- Enroll your pet at a young age. You can pretty much expect that all pet insurance policies will exclude pre-existing conditions. Buying pet insurance when your pet is still young and healthy can typically lead to lower premium costs.
Many factors can impact pet insurance costs, and your dog’s breed is an important one. However, whether you have an Anatolian Shepherd or a teacup Chihuahua, you can typically find a pet insurance plan that’s affordable and offers you peace of mind for years to come.
To learn more about pet insurance for specific breeds, check out these resources: