How much more will a dog breed increase insurance? It depends on which insurance you mean. On your homeowners or renters policy, a “restricted” breed usually adds little to your premium (often around 1%), but the real risk is bigger — the insurer can exclude your dog’s bite liability or deny coverage entirely, leaving you exposed to a dog-bite claim that now averages about $69,000. On pet insurance, breed matters a lot: high-risk breeds can cost 50% to 75% more, so a French Bulldog might run about $71 a month while a mixed-breed dog runs $30 to $40. Different policies, very different breed effects.
How Much More Will a Dog Breed Increase Insurance: Quick Reference
| Insurance type | How breed affects it |
|---|---|
| Homeowners/renters | Small premium bump (~1%), but possible liability exclusion or denial |
| Pet insurance | Big difference — high-risk breeds cost 50–75% more |
| Most “restricted” breeds | Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, and more |
| Priciest to pet-insure | French/English Bulldog, Bernese, Rottweiler, Great Dane |
| Cheapest to insure | Mixed breeds and small, hardy dogs |
When people ask how much a dog breed will raise their insurance, they’re usually mixing up two very different things. One is the liability risk a dog adds to your home policy — that’s about who pays if your dog bites someone. The other is pet insurance, which covers your dog’s own vet bills. Your breed affects both, but in completely different ways and amounts. Let’s untangle it.
How Does a Dog Breed Affect Homeowners Insurance?
On homeowners insurance, your dog’s breed mostly affects your liability coverage, not your base premium. Owning a so-called “restricted” breed typically raises rates only slightly — around 1% on average — but it can lead to your dog’s bite liability being excluded, or your policy being denied or non-renewed.
That liability piece is what matters most. A standard home or renters policy includes personal liability that covers dog bites up to your limit (usually $100,000 to $300,000). But dog-bite claims are expensive — insurers paid out roughly $1.5 billion in 2024, and the average claim hit about $69,272. If your breed is excluded and your dog bites someone, that whole bill can land on you.
What Dog Breeds Do Insurance Companies Not Like?
Insurers most often restrict breeds they associate with more frequent or more severe bite claims. The lists vary by company, but these breeds show up most often:
- Pit Bull Terriers (and Staffordshire Terriers)
- Rottweilers
- Doberman Pinschers
- German Shepherds
- Akitas
- Chow Chows
- Great Danes
- Presa Canarios and other Mastiffs
- Wolf hybrids
- Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies
It’s not always about temperament — a big dog’s physical ability to cause expensive injury is part of the math. A gentle individual dog of a “listed” breed can still be restricted on paper.
What Are Progressive’s (and Other Insurers’) Dog Breed Restrictions?
Breed restrictions vary a lot by company, so the same dog can be fine with one insurer and denied by another. Some insurers maintain long restricted-breed lists; others ignore breed entirely and look only at a dog’s bite history.
A few patterns worth knowing: State Farm, USAA, and Chubb generally don’t restrict by breed and instead ask about bite history, while Farmers tends to restrict a short list (pit bulls, Rottweilers, and wolf hybrids). Carriers like Progressive and others apply their own breed guidelines that differ by state. The practical takeaway: if one insurer restricts your dog, another may not, so shopping around is your best tool.
Which States Ban Dog Breed Discrimination in Insurance?
Several states prohibit insurers from denying, canceling, or pricing home insurance based solely on a dog’s breed. In those states, insurers can still act on a dog’s actual bite history, just not its breed alone.
States that have passed breed-discrimination protections include New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and Minnesota. If you live in one of these and an insurer rejects you purely over breed, you may have recourse — but rules change, so confirm your state’s current law.
How Much Does a Dog Add to Home Insurance?
For most owners, a dog adds little or nothing to the home insurance premium itself — the cost shows up only if you own a restricted breed or your dog has a bite history. Even then, the average surcharge for an “aggressive” breed is small (about 1%).
The bigger financial question isn’t the premium, it’s the coverage gap. If your insurer excludes your dog, you can close that gap with a standalone canine liability policy or an umbrella policy, which adds about $1 million in liability for a few hundred dollars a year. One rule that’s non-negotiable: never hide your dog from your insurer. An undisclosed dog can be treated as misrepresentation and get a future bite claim denied entirely. If you’re already reviewing your policy, it’s a good time to shop for a better home insurance rate and ask directly about breed exclusions.
How Does a Dog Breed Affect Pet Insurance?
On pet insurance, breed has a large, direct effect on your premium, because it predicts how likely your dog is to need expensive care. High-risk breeds can cost 50% to 75% more than low-risk ones, with real-dollar differences of up to about $500 a year.
The reason is health, not bite risk. Insurers price in breed-specific hereditary and congenital conditions — flat-faced breeds with breathing problems, large breeds prone to hip dysplasia and cancer, and so on. The average dog policy runs about $62 a month (roughly $750 a year) for accident-and-illness coverage, but your breed can push that well above or below the average.
Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Insure
The priciest dog breeds to insure are large breeds and flat-faced breeds prone to costly health problems. French Bulldogs are among the most expensive, often around $71 a month, with English Bulldogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Rottweilers, Great Danes, and Mastiffs close behind (Mastiffs can run $69 to $130 a month).
Here’s why these breeds cost more:
- French and English Bulldogs: brachycephalic (flat-faced), so they’re prone to breathing, skin, and eye issues.
- Bernese Mountain Dogs and Golden Retrievers: high cancer risk.
- Rottweilers and Great Danes: hip and joint problems, plus larger size and shorter lifespans.
- German Shepherds: hip and elbow dysplasia.
Cheapest Dog Breeds to Insure
The cheapest dogs to insure are mixed breeds and small, hardy breeds with fewer hereditary problems. Mixed-breed dogs are usually the least expensive because they’re statistically less prone to breed-specific conditions, often running $30 to $50 a month.
Small breeds like Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, and Dachshunds also tend toward the lower end. If you’re still choosing a dog and cost matters, a mixed breed is both cheaper to insure and often healthier over its lifetime — though every dog can develop problems, which is exactly why coverage helps.
Does Pet Insurance Charge More for Certain Breeds?
Yes. Pet insurance charges more for breeds with higher medical risk, because those dogs are statistically more likely to need expensive treatment. A breed prone to cancer, joint disease, or breathing problems lands in a higher-risk pricing tier.
What insurers generally can’t do is refuse to cover a breed outright the way home insurers do — instead they adjust the premium, and sometimes cap the reimbursement rate for very high-risk breeds or older dogs. Pre-existing conditions are excluded regardless of breed, which is the big reason to enroll while your dog is young and healthy.
How to Reduce Insurance Costs When You Own a Dog
You can lower both your home and pet insurance costs with a few deliberate moves. On the home side, shop breed-neutral insurers and document training; on the pet side, enroll early and adjust your deductible.
For homeowners and renters insurance:
- Compare quotes, since breed rules vary widely between insurers.
- Favor breed-neutral carriers like State Farm or USAA.
- Document obedience training and a clean bite history.
- Add an umbrella policy to backstop liability affordably.
For pet insurance:
- Enroll while your dog is young, before any condition becomes pre-existing.
- Raise your deductible or adjust your reimbursement rate to lower the premium.
- Compare several insurers, since the same breed is priced differently by each.
- Skip wellness add-ons if you only want protection from big bills.
Is Pet Insurance Worth It, and What’s a Good Price?
Pet insurance is usually worth it if your dog is young and healthy and you couldn’t easily absorb a surprise $3,000 to $9,000 vet bill out of pocket. A good monthly price for a young dog is roughly $30 to $60, depending on breed, location, and coverage.
It makes less sense if your dog is older with multiple pre-existing conditions (which won’t be covered) or if you have enough savings to self-insure comfortably. There’s no single “#1” insurer that fits everyone — well-reviewed options include Pets Best, Lemonade, Embrace, Fetch, ASPCA, Healthy Paws, and Trupanion (known for paying vets directly and having no payout caps, though it’s pricier). For how the major carriers actually compare on a real claim, see our breakdown in dog neurologist cost without insurance, and if you have an older dog, our guide to pet insurance for senior dogs.
The Honest Read
If you’re worried a dog breed will wreck your insurance, separate the two questions. For your home policy, the premium hit is usually tiny — what you actually need to confirm is that your dog’s bite liability isn’t excluded, because that gap, not the surcharge, is the real exposure. For pet insurance, breed genuinely changes the price, so if you own or want a high-risk breed, budget for it and enroll early before health issues become pre-existing.
The single most valuable habit either way: be honest with your insurer about your dog. Hiding a breed to save a little now is how people end up with a denied claim and a five-figure bill later.
Conclusion
How much more a dog breed increases insurance depends entirely on which policy you mean. On homeowners and renters insurance, breed barely moves your premium (about 1%) but can trigger a liability exclusion or denial against $69,000 average bite claims. On pet insurance, breed raises premiums 50% to 75%, with French Bulldogs and large breeds at the top and mixed breeds at the bottom. Shop breed-neutral home insurers, enroll pets young, never hide your dog, and you’ll keep both costs and risks under control.
FAQs
How much more will a dog breed increase insurance?
It depends on the policy. On homeowners or renters insurance, a restricted breed adds little to your premium (about 1%) but can cause a liability exclusion or denial. On pet insurance, high-risk breeds cost 50% to 75% more — a French Bulldog might run $71 a month versus $30 to $40 for a mixed breed.
What dog breed is most expensive to insure?
For pet insurance, French and English Bulldogs are among the most expensive (often around $71 a month), along with Bernese Mountain Dogs, Rottweilers, Great Danes, and Mastiffs, because they’re prone to costly health conditions.
What dog breed is the cheapest to insure?
Mixed-breed dogs are usually the cheapest to insure (around $30 to $50 a month) because they’re less prone to breed-specific conditions. Small, hardy breeds like Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, and Dachshunds also tend to cost less.
Does pet insurance charge more for certain breeds?
Yes. Pet insurers charge more for breeds with higher medical risk, like cancer, joint disease, or breathing problems. They generally won’t refuse a breed outright, but they adjust the premium and sometimes cap reimbursement for very high-risk or older dogs.
What dog breeds do insurance companies not like?
On the home insurance side, commonly restricted breeds include Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Akitas, Chow Chows, Great Danes, Presa Canarios, wolf hybrids, and some Mastiffs. Lists vary by insurer, and some ignore breed entirely.
How much does a dog add to home insurance?
Usually little or nothing to the premium itself — the average surcharge for an “aggressive” breed is about 1%. The bigger issue is whether your insurer excludes your dog’s bite liability or denies coverage, which can leave a $69,000 average claim on you.
Which states ban dog breed discrimination in insurance?
Several states prohibit home insurers from denying or pricing coverage on breed alone, including New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and Minnesota. Insurers there can still act on a dog’s actual bite history.
How can I reduce pet insurance costs?
Enroll while your dog is young and healthy, raise your deductible or lower your reimbursement rate, skip wellness add-ons you don’t need, and compare several insurers since the same breed is priced differently by each.
What is a good monthly price for pet insurance?
For a young, healthy dog, roughly $30 to $60 a month is a good price for accident-and-illness coverage, though breed, age, and location move it. Older dogs and high-risk breeds cost more.
At what point is pet insurance not worth it?
Pet insurance makes less sense if your dog is older with multiple pre-existing conditions that won’t be covered, or if you have enough savings to comfortably absorb a large vet bill yourself. For young, healthy dogs, it usually pays off.
Is Trupanion pet insurance worth it?
Trupanion is well-regarded for paying vets directly and having no payout caps, which helps with big bills, but its premiums tend to be higher and it uses a per-condition deductible. It’s worth it if those features matter to you; compare quotes against other top insurers first.
Should I tell my insurer about my dog’s breed?
Yes, always. Hiding your dog’s breed or bite history can be treated as misrepresentation, and your insurer can deny a future claim entirely, leaving you fully exposed. Honesty protects your coverage.
About the Author
Md Shahinuzzaman writes about insurance and out-of-pocket costs at InsuranceGuidances.com, turning confusing coverage rules into clear, source-backed guidance. For this guide, every figure traces to a named source — the Insurance Information Institute, NAPHIA, Pawlicy Advisor, The Zebra, MoneyGeek, and ValuePenguin — and it separates the two very different ways breed affects home insurance versus pet insurance, which most articles blur together.
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute — dog bite liability ($1.5B+ in claims; ~$69,272 average in 2024). https://www.iii.org/article/spotlight-on-dog-bite-liability
- U.S. News — does homeowners insurance cover dog bites (claim trends, breed exclusions). https://www.usnews.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance-does-homeowners-insurance-cover-dog-bites
- MoneyGeek — dog-friendly homeowners insurance (states banning breed discrimination). https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/homeowners/dog-friendly-homeowners-insurance/
- ValuePenguin — restricted dog breeds for home insurance (breed-neutral insurers). https://www.valuepenguin.com/homeowners-insurance-restricted-dog-breeds
- SmartFinancial — dog breeds that affect homeowners rates (~1% surcharge). https://smartfinancial.com/what-dog-breeds-affect-homeowners-insurance
- Pawlicy Advisor / NAPHIA — pet insurance cost by breed (~$62/month average). https://www.pawlicy.com/blog/pet-insurance-cost/
- The Zebra — most and least expensive dog breeds to insure. https://www.thezebra.com/resources/personal-finance/most-and-least-expensive-dog-breeds-to-insure/
- Money — most expensive dog breeds to insure (up to ~$500/year difference). https://money.com/dog-insurance-for-popular-breeds/
- NerdWallet — how much is pet insurance (breed and location effects). https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet/learn/cost-of-pet-insurance
- Policygenius — dog breeds home insurance won’t cover. https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/which-dog-breeds-will-homeowners-insurance-not-cover/
By Md Shahinuzzaman — Insurance & Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Cost Specialist Reviewed June 2026 ·
