Pet insurance cost by breed / Dogs
Published premiums · checked October 20, 2026
How much is pet insurance for a Shih Tzu?
Pawlicy Advisor's 2026 customer quotes put the Shih Tzu at a median $44.72 a month, with the middle half of quotes between $32.75 and $58.82. That is 36% below NAPHIA's 2025 average for every insured dog ($69.67 a month for accident and illness cover).
- 1Pawlicy median $44.72/mo
- 2Middle half of quotes $33–$59
- 3NAPHIA 2025, all dogs $69.67/mo
- 4Rank of 82 dogs 68th priciest
Every published Shih Tzu figure
Each source measures something different, so the figures sit side by side and are never averaged together. 2 published monthly figures run from $30 (Fetch Pet Insurance, average) to $44.72 (Pawlicy Advisor, median).
| Source | What it measures | Monthly | Dated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawlicy Advisor | Median of customer quotes; middle half $32.75–$58.82 | $44.72 | October 15, 2026 |
| Fetch Pet Insurance | Listed by Fetch as "Shih-Tzu"; all policy configurations, Fetch policies 01.01.25 through 11.01.25 | $30 | November 1, 2025 |
| NAPHIA | Average for all insured dogs, accident and illness, 2025 | $69.67 | June 21, 2026 |
Where the Shih Tzu sits among 82 dog breeds
Ranked by Pawlicy's median, the Shih Tzu is the 68th most expensive of the 82 dog breeds and types Pawlicy lists. Its median is 25% less than the middle dog breed on that list ($59.27) and 2% less than Pawlicy's mixed-breed dog ($45.70).
The spread inside the breed matters as much as the median. A quarter of Shih Tzu quotes came in under $32.75 and a quarter over $58.82; the middle half spans 58% of the median. The range sits fairly evenly around the median ($12 below, $14 above). Pawlicy does not say which ages, deductibles or limits sit at each end.
What dog claims are usually for
None of the six ACVS condition pages used on this site names the Shih Tzu, which says nothing either way about its health: those pages list only the best-known examples. Across the whole insured population, NAPHIA's 2025 report ranks the most common dog claims as gastrointestinal, ear infection (otitis), skin conditions, anxiety, behavioral or neurological and allergies. Breed-predisposed conditions for other breeds are listed under health problems by breed.
Premiums against a real vet bill
Insurers' own claim data gives a sense of scale. For swallowing a foreign object, a common accident in any breed, Trupanion publishes an average claim of $2,964. At $44.72 a month that bill equals 66.3 months of premiums.
Worked through a policy with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement (the terms Forbes Advisor priced): the policy pays ($2,964 − $250) × 80% = $2,171, leaving $793 for the owner. Add a year of premiums ($537) and the insured year costs $1,329 against $2,964 without cover, $1,635 less. *The break-even bill, where both cost the same, is $250 + $537 ÷ 80% = $921 in a policy year; a year with smaller bills costs more insured. The calculator reruns this with other terms, and is pet insurance worth it? shows the method.
Age moves the price more than breed
These all-breed figures cannot be applied to the Shih Tzu figure above, but they show the direction. Forbes Advisor's average for a dog at a $5,000 limit runs from $43 at 3 months to $74 at 7 years (72% more). Insurify's medians climb from $46 for an adult dog to $116 for a senior, 152% more. NAPHIA's average dog premium rose 34% from 2021 to 2025. See pet insurance cost by age.
Similar dog premiums
- Yorkshire Terrier: $44.77 a month (Pawlicy Advisor)
- Mixed-breed dog: $45.70 a month (Pawlicy Advisor)
- Australian Cattle Dog: $45.74 a month (Pawlicy Advisor)
- Maltipoo: $42.77 a month (Pawlicy Advisor)
Premiums also vary by state: Pawlicy's all-pet median runs from Hawaii ($64.01) through Oklahoma ($43.97) to Alaska ($28.02). No source publishes breed figures by state, so this site does not combine the two. Browse every state or every breed.
Sources: Pawlicy Advisor (Median monthly premium of real Pawlicy customer quotes across the insurers it sells; the range is the 25th to 75th percentile. The page labels the median as the average.), Fetch Pet Insurance, NAPHIA State of the Industry 2026, Trupanion claims examples, NAIC Pet Insurance Model Act. Last checked October 20, 2026. Method on the methodology page.