Great Dane insurance cost
A 3-year-old Great Dane typically costs $67 a month to insure, with a likely range of $35–$99. Expect about $65 for a puppy and $117 at age 7. That is 88% more than the median dog breed.
Estimates only, not a quote. Not financial or veterinary advice. Full disclaimer.
Estimate for your Great Dane
$67 /month typical
Likely range $35–$99 a month ($417–$1,185 a year)
- Average dog premium at the reference age$52.83/mo
- Age 3 years×0.68
- Great Dane×1.86
- National average (no state selected)×1.00
- Accident & illness plan×1.00
Estimates only, not a quote. Not financial or veterinary advice. Based on a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement and $5,000 annual limit. Actual prices depend on the insurer, ZIP code and your pet's history.
Monthly cost by age
| Age | Typical | Likely range | All-breed median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy (6 months) | $65 | $34–$97 | $35 |
| Young adult (3 years) | $67 | $35–$99 | $36 |
| Middle-aged (6 years) | $99 | $52–$147 | $53 |
| Senior (7 years) | $117 | $61–$173 | $64 |
Great Danes rank 147 of 154 dog breeds by price in the quote data (1 = cheapest), in the most expensive quarter. Between age 3 and 7 the typical premium rises 1.8-fold. AAHA guidelines treat dogs as seniors in the last 25% of their expected lifespan, which for a Great Dane (AKC life expectancy 7–10 years) starts around age 6.4. Add your state in the calculator above: state prices range from about 31% below to 18% above the national average.
Why a Great Dane costs more to insure
Great Danes combine a short life expectancy with two emergencies that are expensive to treat: bloat, with an estimated lifetime risk above one in three, and bone cancer. Their median age at death in UK records was 8.9 years. The same bloat study discusses preventive gastropexy (tacking the stomach) for at-risk breeds; whether a policy pays for it depends on whether it covers preventive procedures.
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Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV) Higher risk
Researchers estimated a 36.7% lifetime risk of bloat (GDV) for Great Danes, the highest of the five breeds modeled. [source]
Typical US treatment cost: $2,000–$7,500. On a $4,750 bill, a $500 deductible / 80% / $5,000 policy would pay $3,400. Read the guide
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Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) Higher risk
Great Danes had 34.24 times the odds of osteosarcoma compared with crossbred dogs. [source]
No treatment cost shown for bone cancer (osteosarcoma): we have not found a reliable published US cost range yet, and we do not estimate one ourselves. Ask your vet for a written estimate.
Lifetime cost: insurance vs paying the vet yourself
Insuring a Great Dane from puppyhood to an expected lifespan of about 8.5 years adds up to roughly $8,995 in typical premiums at today's prices (national average, accident and illness, no inflation). Compare that with what a single episode of this breed's documented conditions can cost:
| Condition | Cost range | Policy pays at midpoint* | Years of premiums |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV) | $2,000–$7,500 | $3,400 | 5.9 |
*$500 deductible, 80% reimbursement, $5,000 annual limit, first claim of the year. "Years of premiums" = midpoint cost divided by the typical annual premium at age 3. Insurance is a hedge: most years you pay more in premiums than you claim, and a policy pays off in the years with a large bill. If you could pay the bills in this table from savings without hardship, self-insuring can make sense; see is pet insurance worth it?
Which coverage fits a Great Dane
- Accident and illness, not accident-only. The conditions documented for Great Danes are illnesses or degenerative problems, which accident-only plans do not cover. Accident-only costs about 31% as much as accident and illness in the quote data, so it suits a tight budget but leaves out the main risks for this breed.
- An annual limit above $5,000. The published cost range for bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus, gdv) goes up to $7,500. A limit of $10,000 or unlimited would cover the top of that range in a single year.
- Enroll early. Anything noted in your dog's records before coverage starts can be excluded as pre-existing. Premiums for a Great Dane are $67 a month at age 3 versus $117 at 7 in the quote data.
Similar breeds
- Saint Bernard $70/mo
- Newfoundland $62/mo
- Bullmastiff $73/mo
- Bernese Mountain Dog $73/mo
- Dogue de Bordeaux $74/mo
Related guides
- Bloat (GDV) surgery cost for dogs
- How to choose a pet insurance annual limit
- Pet insurance for senior dogs
- Pre-existing conditions and pet insurance
- Accident-only vs accident and illness pet insurance
Frequently asked questions
How much is pet insurance for a Great Dane?
About $67 a month for a 3-year-old Great Dane (likely $35–$99), $65 for a puppy and $117 at age 7, for an accident and illness policy with a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement and $5,000 limit, before any state adjustment.
Is a Great Dane expensive to insure?
At the reference age of 6, a Great Dane costs 88% more than the median dog breed in our data, and ranks 147 of 154 breeds from cheapest to most expensive. The main driver in the research is bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus, gdv).
Does pet insurance cover bloat in Great Danes?
Accident and illness policies generally cover it if it was not present, treated or showing signs before the policy started or during the waiting period; that is the NAIC Model Act definition of a pre-existing condition. Policies that exclude hereditary or congenital conditions must say so in their disclosures. Published treatment costs run $2,000–$7,500.
At what age is a Great Dane a senior, and what happens to the price?
AAHA guidelines define a senior dog as one in the last 25% of its expected lifespan. With an AKC life expectancy of 7–10 years, that is about age 6.4 for a Great Dane. In the quote data its premium at 7 is 1.8 times the price at age 3.
How much does it cost to insure a Great Dane for life?
If you insure from puppyhood to an expected lifespan of about 8.5 years, typical premiums add up to roughly $8,995 at today's prices (no inflation, no state adjustment). Premiums usually rise over time, so the real figure is likely higher.
Breed facts: AKC Great Dane page (Working Group; weight 140-175 pounds (male), 110-140 pounds (female); life expectancy 7-10 years).
Sources
- American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). 2023 AAHA Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Accessed 11/06/2026.
- American Kennel Club (AKC). Dog breed pages (weight, life expectancy, group). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- MetLife Pet Insurance. Bloat in Dogs: Warning Signs, Causes, & Surgery Cost. Accessed 11/06/2026.
- MoneyGeek. How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost? (10/14/2026). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- MoneyGeek. Best Dog Insurance. Accessed 11/06/2026.
- MoneyGeek. Pet Insurance Methodology (04/24/2026). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Pet Insurance Model Act (MO-633) (08/13/2022). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- O'Neill DG et al., Canine Medicine and Genetics (2023). Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study. Accessed 11/06/2026.
- O'Neill DG et al., Companion Animal Health and Genetics (2026). Giant dog breeds under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, common disorders and mortality. Accessed 11/06/2026.
- Ward MP, Patronek GJ, Glickman LT, Preventive Veterinary Medicine (2003). Benefits of prophylactic gastropexy for dogs at risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus. Accessed 11/06/2026.
Full list, limitations and how each figure is used: methodology.
Data last reviewed: · How we estimate