The data revealed that 38,591 Labs were insured last year, followed by Golden retrievers (19,313 insured) and Yorkshire terriers (14,074).

Labs have also been the most commonly registered breed with the American Kennel Club for the past 17 years. The breed is the only one to occupy the same position (No. 1) on both the VPI and AKC lists. Although the AKC’s registration numbers indicate a large amount of registered beagles (No. 5), dachshunds (No. 7), poodles (No. 8) and miniature schnauzers (No. 10), none of these breeds was among VPI’s most commonly insured breeds.

VPI also calculated the average amount its policyholders spent on nonroutine veterinary care for each of the top insured breeds in 2007. The medical care costs—the average annual submitted claim amount—appear directly related to the size of the breed, with larger breeds costing more than smaller ones.

German shepherds topped the list at $296, followed by boxers at $295 and Labs at $287.

The disparity of expense is most likely due to the fact that larger breeds can require larger doses of medication, according to VPI. <HOME>