Why do some dog breeds affect insurance?
When considering coverage on your home, did you know that your dog’s breed can affect your homeowners insurance? The reasoning behind this is that some dog breeds have a history of aggression. Insurance companies consider these dog breeds to be a liability and do not want to cover such costs through your homeowners insurance.
The Insurance Information Institute reported that dog-related injuries accounted for one-third of homeowners’ liability payouts in 2016. These payouts had a cost to claim of more than $37,000 per dog bite. With these new statistics, many insurance companies established rules against coverage when certain dog breeds are in the home.
When you are shopping for homeowners insurance with a dog in the home you may be concerned with which insurance companies will accept you. This is where an independent insurance agent can really help, not only can they compare your needs to what each company has to offer but also give you advice on making changes to your existing policy.
Here is a list of dog breeds that are most likely to be found on prohibited lists:
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Pitbull
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Rottweiler
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German Shepherd
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Akita
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Terrier
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Chow chow
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Siberian Husky
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Doberman Pinscher
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Great Dane
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Wolf or wolf hybrid
When it comes to homeowner insurance coverage for your dog, these companies may ask you to sign a waiver, exclude your dog from coverage, ask for your dog to attend obedience school, ask for a dog’s personal history, increase your payment, or not accept you as a policyholder at all. Simply stated, every insurance company is different.
Here are three examples of insurance company policies regarding homeowners insurance and their coverage with certain prohibited dog breeds:
Nationwide
It does not cover most of the breeds of dogs mentioned above or if the dog has a history of incidents related to biting.
Esurance
They consider what breed you have and your dog’s history of aggression. Depending on what type of dog you have, you could have an increased rate, need more liability coverage, or even be denied insurance altogether.
State Farm
They do not exclude homeowners insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned. State Farm believes that any dog might bite under the right circumstances, no matter what kind of breed.
If you are worried that your dog may fall under this category, we are here to help.
Being an independent Central Florida insurance agent means we are able to shop around and find you the best insurance to fit all of your needs. In addition, we also have the ability to find the most competitive rates to ensure that the policy you choose has the most affordable rate for you.
If you have any questions about how doing business with an independent agent could benefit you, please email or reach out on Facebook. We would love to be your go-to Downtown Kissimmee insurance agent.
