Dogs and Homeowners Insurance

Did you know that if you have a certain breed of dog, it might be harder for you to get insurance on your house? Many insurance carriers exclude dogs that are considered to be aggressive breeds, such as American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bulls, Rottweiler, Chow, Doberman Pinschers and Wolf Hybrids. When those types of dogs bite, they can inflict a lot of injury.

Liability Coverage for Dogs

Most homeowner’s policies provide liability coverage. Liability covers you if you’re negligent and someone should get hurt on your property or by your property—animals/pets are considered your property. That’s why many insurance agencies, including ours, will ask you if you have any pets, and if so, what kind and have they ever bitten anyone before. The problem with dogs specifically are the claims expense associated with dog bites and other dog related injuries. According to the Insurance Information Institute the average dog bite claim is around $44,760.

At Hanby, we love all dogs, big or small, no matter the breed. But we also must follow the rules set forth by our carriers.

Insurance Options for Dog Owners

Our office does have multiple options for homeowners insurance, and we do have carriers that will insure you no matter what dog breed you own—as long as your dog has not bitten anyone before. Unfortunately, if you have a dog that has bitten before your options for homeowners insurance will be very limited.  You can read more about Dogs and Home Insurance from Forbes.com