Dog Bite Insurance on Homeowners Policy

by admin | March 28th, 2010

As a dog owner and a homeowner, are you liable if your dog bites and injures someone on your property? The answer may be yes. In most cases, the the owner of the dog is responsible for physical injury or damage caused by their dog. The statutes vary from state to state, but dog bite insurance will be found on a homeowner’s insurance policy.

According to the Humane Society of the US, 2/5 of all households have at least one dog.Many homeowners are taking advantage of dog bite insurance to cover medial or property damage caused by their dogs. But, depending on the type of dog you own, dog bite insurance may not be easy to get. Some breeds are blacklisted because they are vicious or aggressive. The blacklisted breeds include but are not limited to:

Pit Bulls
Chows
Rottweilers
Huskies and Malamutes
German Shepherds
Dobermans
Great Danes
Akitas
Boxers
(Dachshunds aren’t on the list! We may be little ankle-biters, but we aren’t vicious.)

Some insurance companies charge higher premiums for the blacklisted breeds and some companies won’t offer dog bite insurance on them at all. Statutes differ from state to state so the best strategy is to contact your insurance company and find out if your dog qualifies for this type of coverage under your homeowner’s policy.

The best way to avoid having to worry about dog bite insurance is to prevent your dog from biting anyone. Fence in your yard. Don’t leave your dog outside unattended. Spay or neuter your dog to prevent aggression and the urge to wander the neighborhood searching for a mate. Put up “beware of the dog” signs to discourage anyone from coming near your dog. Don’t leave your dog in a situation where he can be aggravated or teased by children. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and may prevent some serious injuries.