Dogs and Personal Liability Insurance

Dogs and Personal Liability Insurance

Approximately 89.7 million dogs are owned throughout the United States and about 80% of households have at least one dog, so as most can see, dogs really are a person’s best friend. They can have such a positive effect on on their owners and the people around them, no wonder why so many people find companionship with them. But of course, as much as we love our little fur balls, the worst can happen in a moments notice. Along with the fact that so many people own dogs, people in society are bitten by dogs, on average, every 6 seconds. Now the severity of these bites differ quite a bit, but some may require a doctor visit. When this happen, the owner is liable for the damages caused, similarly if someone were to trip on a broken porch step attached to your home. In a case of a broken porch step, your homeowners/renters insurance will cover that liability. But is this also the case for your dog? 

The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. There are many factors on whether or not your insurance would cover such a thing. One factor that most dog owners do not want to hear is that dog breed plays a very important role. As dog lovers, we all know that there are not necessarily bad/angry dog breeds, but it is all based on their owners and how they were raised. But, sadly, not everyone believes this and therefore dogs known as “Bully Breeds” are often the ones to hold this burden. Dog breeds that may not be covered by liability policies are: Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriers, Dobermans, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Chows, Presa Canario, Akitas, Great Danes, Bull Terriers, Siberian Huskies, Wolf/Wolf Hybrids or any mix of these breeds. As some renters may know, is that even apartment buildings and condominiums don’t allow these dogs on their premises. Some people would probably say, well if my insurance company will not allow coverage on my dog due to the breed, why should I tell them? Well if you were to withhold such information and something were to happen, they then have the right to deny any claim that may come their way. The Federation of Insured Dog Owners was an organization that was created in order to offer liability coverage to all breeds, no matter what. 

When it comes to your homeowners/renters policy and canine liability, there may be limits asked on coverage. For example, if your homeowners insurance has a injury policy for $250,000, in some cases maybe only $20,000 could be put towards injuries caused by canines. If this is the case, dog owners can always add an umbrella policy of an excess policy to extend coverage to your canine. An umbrella policy can fill in the gaps of homeowners/renters policies. As mentioned above, if your plan does not cover dog accidents, the umbrella policy can offer a higher liability limit, and can also broaden the overall coverage. An excess liability policy can provide  coverage above the limits of the underlying coverage—this is not as broad as an umbrella policy. 

In the United States, approximately $498.7 million in claims were paid to people injured by dog bites. So it is very important that owners have some type of contingency plan, because as much as we love our dogs they can sometimes be unpredictable. So for example, if you are taking your dog for a walk, if someone comes up to ask if they can pet them, be honest with the person and tell them about certain risks. If anything were to happen to the person petting your dog, you would be held liable and may have to end of paying a medical bill.