French Bulldog
- Lifespan
- 10–12 yrs
- Weight
- 16–28 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 1
Dog breed data & insurance cost intelligence
Pick the right dog with numbers, not guesswork.
Pawgraded grades every breed on the data that actually shapes ownership — documented health risk, lifespan, temperament, and the real published insurance averages. Where no source exists, we say so instead of inventing a figure.
- Breed profiles
- 175
- Data points per breed
- 25+
- Insurers reviewed
- 11
Breed database
Most popular breeds, graded
Ranked by registration popularity and scored across seven traits — from trainability to shedding — plus the documented health conditions that come with each breed.
Labrador Retriever
- Lifespan
- 11–13 yrs
- Weight
- 55–80 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 2
Golden Retriever
- Lifespan
- 10–12 yrs
- Weight
- 55–75 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 2
German Shepherd
- Lifespan
- 9–13 yrs
- Weight
- 50–90 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 2
Poodle (Standard)
- Lifespan
- 12–15 yrs
- Weight
- 40–70 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 1
Dachshund
- Lifespan
- 12–16 yrs
- Weight
- 11–32 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 1
Beagle
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
- Weight
- 20–30 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 1
Rottweiler
- Lifespan
- 9–10 yrs
- Weight
- 80–135 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 2
Bulldog
- Lifespan
- 8–10 yrs
- Weight
- 40–50 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- 4
German Shorthaired Pointer
- Lifespan
- 12–14 yrs
- Weight
- 45–70 lbs
- High-risk conditions
- None documented
Pet insurance intelligence
What coverage really costs
We compare reimbursement terms, deductibles, limits and waiting periods across major pet insurers, and publish the industry's actual average premiums — the only premium figures that have a source behind them.
Lemonade Pet
4.4
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Budget-conscious owners of young, healthy dogs who value fast digital claims.
Pros
- Lowest starting premiums we tracked
- Fast, app-first claims experience
- Transparent policy wording
Cons
- Not available in every state
- 6-month cruciate ligament waiting period
- Behavioral therapy only via add-on
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Owners who want exam fees and dental illness covered without paying for add-ons.
Pros
- Exam fee coverage included
- Broad dental and behavioral coverage
- Covers boarding fees if you are hospitalized
Cons
- Up to 15-day waiting period is longer than most rivals
- 6-month hip/knee waiting period unless waived by exam
- No wellness or preventive care plan
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Owners of older pets or breeds prone to orthopedic issues who want no extended orthopedic waiting period.
Pros
- No special waiting period for cruciate ligaments or hip dysplasia
- Covers exam fees, behavioral issues, and microchipping
- Unlimited annual limit option
Cons
- 14-day accident waiting period is longer than competitors (2–3 days is common)
- Premiums above average for comparable coverage
- Wellness plans are reimbursement-capped add-ons, not true insurance
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Owners who stay claim-free and want their deductible to shrink over time, plus flexible routine-care budgeting.
Pros
- Diminishing deductible rewards claim-free years
- Covers exam fees and prescription diets
- Orthopedic waiting period waivable with a vet exam
Cons
- Maximum $30,000 annual limit — no unlimited option
- 6-month orthopedic waiting period unless waived
- Pets enrolled at 15+ are accident-only
Healthy Paws
4.5
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90% (varies by pet age and state)
Best for: Owners who want simple, no-cap catastrophic coverage and are willing to pay exam fees and routine care out of pocket.
Pros
- Truly unlimited payouts, no caps of any kind
- No confusing riders or add-on tiers
- Fast, highly rated claims process
Cons
- No coverage for exam fees
- No wellness or preventive care option
- 12-month hip dysplasia waiting period
Trupanion
4.1
reimbursement90% only
Best for: Owners who fear large surprise bills and want the vet paid directly, especially for breeds prone to chronic conditions.
Pros
- Direct payment to vets eliminates big out-of-pocket bills
- Unlimited payouts at a flat 90%
- Per-condition deductible never resets — ideal for chronic illness
Cons
- Highest entry premiums among the insurers we compared
- No exam fee coverage
- No new enrollments once a pet turns 14 — seniors are shut out
reimbursementVaries by plan — 50% to 90% on Whole Pet plans
Best for: Owners of birds or exotic pets, and loyalists who want wellness bundled with medical coverage from an established brand.
Pros
- Only major insurer covering birds, reptiles, and other exotics
- Bundled Whole Pet with Wellness option
- Decades of underwriting history and brand recognition
Cons
- Major Medical pays on a benefit schedule with per-condition caps that fall below real vet bills
- 12-month cruciate ligament waiting period
- Whole Pet plans cap reimbursement at 50%–70% for many customers
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Owners who want exam fees and behavioral coverage included with no orthopedic waiting period, at mid-range prices.
Pros
- Exam fee coverage included
- No special orthopedic waiting period
- Accident-only plan available
Cons
- 14-day waiting period applies to accidents too — most rivals cover accidents sooner
- Lower maximum annual limits than top competitors
- Unlimited option restricted to select states
Pets Best
4.2
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Cost-sensitive owners who want a low deductible, cheap accident-only option, or direct payment to the vet.
Pros
- Low $50 minimum deductible option
- Direct vet pay available on request
- Two routine-care add-on tiers
Cons
- 6-month cruciate ligament waiting period
- Exam fees cost extra unless you choose a higher-tier plan
- Rate increases with age can be significant
reimbursement70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%
Best for: Tech-friendly owners who want next-day accident coverage and the option of 100% reimbursement.
Pros
- Up to 100% reimbursement available
- Next-day accident coverage
- Unlimited annual limit option
Cons
- Exam fees and wellness cost extra via Powerups add-ons
- 6-month orthopedic waiting period unless waived by exam
- Premiums for the 100% reimbursement tier are high
reimbursement70%, 80%, or 90%
Best for: Multi-pet households that want one family policy with a shared deductible and immediate accident coverage.
Pros
- Unique multi-pet family policy with shared deductible
- No waiting period for accidents
- Exam fees covered at no extra cost
Cons
- 6-month orthopedic waiting period with no exam waiver
- 14-day illness waiting period
- Annual limit tops out at $25,000 — no unlimited option
Calculators
Tools built on the data
Dog Age Calculator
Convert dog years to human years using size-adjusted life-stage data, not the old 7× myth.
Open tool →Food Portion Calculator
Daily calorie and portion targets from weight, age, and activity level.
Open tool →Dog Cost Worksheet
Build a first-year, annual and lifetime budget from your own numbers — with no invented defaults.
Open tool →Premium Factor Tool
See your breed’s documented risk tier and your state’s real premium index — not a made-up quote.
Open tool →Guides
Latest from the guides desk
Pet Insurance vs a Savings Account: Which Actually Covers the Emergency?
A premium-matched savings account needs about seven claim-free years to cover one $6,000 emergency, and a policy pays the same bill in month one. The timing math, the discipline problem, and the hybrid most owners should actually run.
Best Pet Insurance for Labrador Retrievers in 2026: Orthopedics, Weight, and the Waiting-Period Trap
The Labrador Retriever carries two documented high-risk conditions — hip and elbow dysplasia, and obesity — and both sit exactly where insurers draw their exclusions. Which carriers fit the breed, and which policy terms to check first.
How to File a Pet Insurance Claim: Step-by-Step (2026)
You pay the vet, then the insurer reimburses 70 to 90 percent of the covered bill after your deductible. The exact documents, the submission steps, the reimbursement math, and the four reasons claims get denied.
Multi-Pet Insurance Discounts: How to Insure Two or More Pets for Less (2026)
Multi-pet discounts run 5–10% at most US insurers, and MetLife's family plan shares one deductible across up to three pets. A company-by-company comparison plus strategies for mixed-age households.
Our methodology
Why you can trust the numbers
Every breed score, premium range, and ownership-cost figure on Pawgraded comes from a documented pipeline: registry statistics, published veterinary literature, and insurer rate data we collect and normalize ourselves. We disclose exactly how each number is produced — and we never let affiliate relationships move a rating.
Read our methodology