FLORIDA/TEXAS—Without a doubt, dogs are humans’ best friends. Some families don’t even feel complete if they don’t have their beloved furry friend alongside.
When we adopt or buy a new pet, there are many things to take into consideration. Some are very individual, such as allergies, dog size and space, or grooming and maintenance when it’s a breed with long hair. When you get a dog you are making a serious long term commitment to keep him/her healthy and protected from danger.
BUT DID YOU KNOW?
Dog bites and other dog-related injuries cost U.S. homeowners insurers $881 million in 2021, accounting for more than one-third of all homeowners liability claim payments, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The number of dog bite claims increased 2.2% nationwide, from 2020.
According to this report from the III, COVID-19 could be a factor for the rise in dog-related claims. Dogs got adapted to have their owners at home for long periods of time, and the return to normalcy seems to have had an impact in aggressive and destructive behavioral issues, such as separation anxiety, as their owners returned to the workplace or school.
The one great thing you can start doing to prevent the risks associated to facing an aggression from your dog to a visitor or neighbor is to: Train your dog!
Dog training is considered a mitigator, especially when it comes to high risk dog breeds. Certain insurers may offer credits or discounts for training such as from an American Kennel Club-certified trainer.
Having a dog may have an impact on your homeowners or renters insurance. You may find easy to avoid telling insurers about the breed of dog you own, or its history of biting. Such important fact can make home insurance more costly for you in the long run, or even get canceled, making you inelegible to get insurance in the standard market again.
To give you an idea, these are the six breeds most companies may currently not insure:
- Pitbulls and Staffordshire Terriers
- Doberman Pinschers
- Chows
- Rottweilers
- Presa Canarios
- German Shepherds
- Others also difficult to insure are:
- Great Danes
- Akitas
- Alaskan Malamutes
- Siberian Huskies
- Wolf hybrids
What you can do to prevent a negative impact on your homeowners insurance policy:
It is important to know that is there is no one-size-fits-all approach among insurers to dealing with different breeds. For example, there area a couple of insurance companies that will for sure ban certain dog breeds from coverage, while there are others that simply charge a higher premium to cover breeds that are seen as higher-risk. There are also a few insurers that will not put any restriction on breeds, as they put their focus on the dog history of bites, if any.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
You have options! You don’t need to necessarily compromise your breed preference for a “best friend.” What really matters is that you are accurate in declaring your situation at the time of purchasing your coverage, and if your company happens to have restrictions for certain dog breeds, you still have time to search other companies in the market that would allow you to include your dog pet.
ALSO— Consider adding supplementary liability coverage.
As you may know, homeowners and renters insurance policies will typically cover the legal expenses for dog bite liability, up to a limit that is usually enough to take care of an average dog bite claim in the U.S. If a claim exceeds a policy’s liability limit, the dog owner is responsible for all damages above that amount.
One possibility is that your insurance company may extend you a policy if you sign a liability waiver excluding the dog in its home coverage. Adding a rider for extra home coverage if your dog has been involved in a liability claim may be a good idea, but it will also increase your premiums.
You always have the option to purchase an umbrella policy, which extends your liability coverage — typically of up to $1 million.
Did you know Buscando Seguro now also has offices throughout the state of Texas? You can visit us in Houston/Katy, Dallas/Irving, Midland, The Woodlands, and we continue to grow, to not only offer you great online services but the best customer service experience on face to face visits.
To protect your family, home, your vehicles, your business, and your future, talk to our local, bilingual experienced agents from Buscando Seguro and let them know what your needs and priorities are. Give us a call today at (877) 427-9671— for an initial consultation and quotes from a myriad of insurance carriers who support us in Florida, Texas, and many other states!
Gloria Rivera, 2-20
Agente de Seguros
