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Pets can be expensive, but some are cheaper to look after than others. So, let's take a look at which breeds are the cheapest to insure...
- Dog insurance can vary hugely depending on the age, breed and size of your dog
- Terriers are one of the cheaper breeds to insure thanks to their size and clean bill of health
- Before you consider buying or adopting, make sure you know the cost of caring for a pet
Having a pet doesn't need to break the bank
How can you get cheap dog insurance?
The price of your dog’s insurance depends on a number of different factors. This can be things like their age, breed and location.
The best way to get cheap dog insurance is by researching which dogs have the lowest insurance costs and doing a comparison to make sure the dog you’re wanting falls within your budget. Be sure to check the types of insurance you’re looking at covers everything you need.
Comparing quotes from different insurers before you adopt or buy a dog is the best way to get pet insurance with the cover you need within budget.
The cheapest dog breeds to insure
While dogs come in all shapes and sizes, their size, gene pool and body shape can impact the cost to insure. Some of the biggest dogs aren’t always the costliest with compact French Bulldogs one of the most expensive dogs to insure. Below are some of the cheaper dogs to insure:
Border Terrier
The Border Terrier is another small pooch with a robust health history. Similar to the Jack Russel, a Border Terrier is relatively cheap to buy and has the same diverse gene pool, which makes poor health less likely and brings the insurance costs down
Shih Tzu
Small and fluffy, Shih Tzus tend to live a long and happy life. Their small stature means they have cheaper vet bills and their wide gene pool means they have few health conditions. With a life expectancy of between ten and 16 years, they make for a great cheap companion.
Yorkshire Terrier
Another pint-sized breed of Terrier, the Yorkshire Terrier is another hugely popular breed in the UK. It has all the same advantages of the other terrier breeds, being cheap to buy and quite healthy overall, meaning insurance can be cheaper.
Jack Russell
Small, hardy and very popular, a Jack Russell Terrier is one of the most economical dogs to insure in every way. Thanks to their popularity, Jack Russels have a large gene pool and few hereditary health conditions. This means that there’s much less chance of you needing to make a claim on their policy throughout their lifetime, which is usually reflected in the policy price.
Mixed-breeds
When compared to pedigrees, mixed-breeds may be cheaper to insure. Their mixed breed heritage may mean there is less chance of health problems being passed on and they may have a more rounded immune system. However, this will depend on what breeds the dog is mixed with, as some breed combinations can still be more prone to health problems than some pedigrees.
Should I be looking for cheap pet insurance?
When looking for pet insurance you shouldn’t be trying to scrimp if possible. Cheap doesn’t necessarily always mean better, especially when it comes to looking after your pride and joy. You’ll want to make sure you have a comprehensive enough level of cover in place if your furry friend does develop a health condition as it can be a huge expense to pay in vet bills if not. It’s a good idea to look for multi-group policies where you can insure multiple pets at once if you’re looking to make savings.
It’s also really important to do your research before buying a pet. This is to make sure that the breed you’re wanting is in your price range when you add up their costs over a lifetime, taking into consideration insurance and potential health problems they may develop. Of course, you want to give your pet the standard of care he or she deserves but without overstretching your budget. It’s recommended that you insure your pet from day one to avoid any costly vet fees should anything unexpected happen.
How can you get cheap pet insurance for cats?
Cats tend to be much cheaper to insure than dogs overall but there are some exceptions. It’s important to do your research especially when it comes to cat breeds like Maine Coons and Russian Blues as these pedigree breeds can cost a significant amount more to insure than your regular moggie.
As cats are much smaller than dogs, this also helps to keep costs down and makes them overall a cheaper pet to insure. If budgets are a big concern for your family, then perhaps looking at moggies over pedigree cats and dogs is a better option for the time being.
Is now the right time?
It’s a good idea to think long and hard about whether it’s the right time for you to get a pet before diving in. Pets are a long-term commitment that you are entering for the lifetime of the pet so it’s good to test out whether you can still afford your pet should your circumstances change. Just like the cost of life insurance for us, as pets get older they become more expensive to insure which is why you’ll see premium increases at renewal. It's also worth remembering that many pets are considerably more expensive than they were previously, due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent increase in pet purchases. So, make sure you do your research and don't pay over the odds for your pet or your insurance.
If you’re considering taking our pet insurance, take a look at LV=’s range of pet insurance policies.