You almost certainly have liability insurance for your car, and perhaps your business. You may not realize it, but your homeowner’s insurance policy probably includes protection against liability for injuries that occur on your property. In short, liability insurance is a staple of modern life. But chances are you’ve never considered liability insurance for your dog. Some homeowners insurance policies provide for dogs. However, if your policy doesn’t cover dogs or certain breeds, or you own a “dangerous” dog, it may be in your best interest to consider canine liability insurance.
What is Canine Liability Insurance?
Canine liability insurance protects you if your dog injures someone else and a jury finds you negligent and liable. It is optional insurance that a dog owner can purchase to protect him against liability for his dog causing another harm.
If you’ve been bitten by a dog belonging to a friend or neighbor and are hesitant to commence a legal claim against the dog’s owner, you may want to check into whether they carry canine liability insurance. You may be able to fully recover for your injuries without costing your friend a dime. If you have questions, a dog bite lawyer in Houston can help you understand your rights.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Dog Bites?
Homeowner’s insurance policies may or may not cover injuries caused by the policyholder’s pet. You have to check the specific policy. In recent years, some insurance companies have eliminated this coverage, while others have placed caps on coverage or begun excluding breeds that are perceived to be dangerous. As a result, this type of coverage no longer offers sufficient protection for many dog owners.
It’s no surprise that homeowner’s insurance carriers and underwriters want to limit the liability associated with dogs. According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than 1/3 of all homeowner’s insurance claims in 2016 were dog-related. Those claims cost insurers an aggregate $600 million in a single year. Still, with more than 4.5 million dog bites nationwide each year, that coverage limitation is a serious problem for many Americans—especially those who live in cities that require dog owners to carry liability insurance.
Worse, many dog owners assume their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies will cover dog bites, only to discover the exclusion or limitation after an incident occurs.
Do I Need Canine Liability Insurance?
While some breeds are generally considered riskier than others, any dog can cause a serious injury that could trigger significant liability. If your policy excludes coverage, canine liability insurance may be a wise choice. If you’re one of the many Poodle, Yorkie, Bichon, or Pekingese owners who think that liability insurance is unnecessary—who may even laugh at the image of your five-pound dog causing a serious injury—think again. Small breeds that are generally considered low risk may not cause the type of injury that a Pit Bull attack or Presa Canario attack can cause, but since people are less cautious with small dogs and more likely to pick them up or allow children to play with them, these dogs may bite small children or cause injury to a person’s face, requiring expensive medical treatment.
Thus, canine liability insurance may be a smart investment for any dog owner whose homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy excludes dog-related injuries, limits payouts for dog-related injuries, or excludes the breed owned by the policyholder.
Insuring Dangerous Dogs
One reason the canine liability insurance market has grown is the trend toward homeowner’s insurance policies excluding what they consider “higher risk” breeds or dogs declared dangerous by a municipality. Some companies offer canine liability insurance for any breed, regardless of statistics or perceived threat, and will even insure known biters with certain restrictions.
Given the exposure associated with dog bites, canine liability insurance can be surprisingly affordable. Dog owners can purchase coverage of up to $300,000, with many policies having no deductible.
Additional Benefits of Canine Liability Insurance
Complying with local law and protecting yourself against liability if your dog bites or otherwise injures someone are good reasons to seriously consider canine liability insurance. However, there are other perks to consider, as well. One significant advantage of dog liability policies in some areas is that landlords may be willing to accept dogs otherwise deemed too risky if the owner brings adequate insurance to the negotiation.
In these situations, canine liability insurance may open options for apartment renters who own breeds insurance companies sometimes view as higher risk, such as Chow Chows or German Shepherds, or for those already renting who want to buy a dog their renter’s policy excludes.
Consider Canine Liability Insurance
Canine liability insurance can be an affordable safeguard against liability if your dog bites or otherwise injures someone. However, the benefits of canine liability insurance go beyond financial protection: a canine liability policy may be required to comply with local law or may be the difference between struggling to find a rental unit that will accept your pet and having a range of options to choose from. If you own a dog, take time to explore this niche coverage. And if you’ve been bitten by a dog, investigate whether a canine liability policy is in place to cover your losses.
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