Dog Breeds That Will Affect Your Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners̵7; insurance policies protect the homeowner against many risks, including the owner̵7;s liability for damages caused by injuries, including dog bites. Many insurance companies will not provide insurance for certain breeds of dogs. Others will charge increased premiums if one of those breeds is in the household. Still others will insure all breeds and pay damages to the extent of the policy limits, but terminate the coverage if a dog bites someone. Others treat dogs as any other risk, regardless of breed.

  1. The Dog̵7;s Reputation

    • Pit bulls and Rottweilers are considered aggressive dogs. Owners of these dogs will argue that their particular dog is a sweet, unaggressive dog, friendly to people and other dogs and gentle with children. This may well be true, but insurance companies base their premiums and willingness to cover risk on actuarial computations. Pit bulls and Rottweilers have a higher incidence of serious bites than any other breeds.

    The High Risk List

    • In addition to pit bulls and Rottweilers, insurance companies consider other dog breeds to have the highest risk of causing serious injury. Chows, German shepherds, huskies, malamutes, Doberman pinchers, Great Danes, boxers, Akitas, wolf-hybrids and several crossbred dogs are on the list. There may be others, specific to a particular insurer.

    Overcoming Difficulties

    • Some insurance companies require prospective policyholders to provide information about the dog, such as whether it has ever bitten anyone or is considered aggressive. Failure to answer such questions honestly may void the policy if the dog bites someone. Some insurance companies will provide coverage if the dog owner agrees to go to training classes. There are some insurance companies that provide insurance coverage only for injuries caused by dogs, separate from homeowners̵7; insurance.

    What to Do

    • If you don̵7;t already own a dog, give careful consideration to the breed of dog you wish to own. There are many breeds, and many dogs in shelters waiting for adoption, that make wonderful pets and do not cause any problem with insurance companies. If you already own one of the dogs on the risk list, shop around for an insurance company that will provide coverage. In any case, make sure you get liability coverage for your dog. Failure to do so can cause an economic catastrophe, resulting in the loss of everything you own.