When it comes to homeowner’s insurance, many people wonder whether dog bites are covered under their policy. Generally, homeowner’s insurance does provide coverage for dog bites, unless specifically excluded by the policy. However, insurance companies often have specific guidelines and may inquire about the breed of your dog before providing coverage. This is because certain dog breeds are statistically associated with a higher risk of biting incidents, and insurers want to assess this risk before issuing a policy.
Insurance providers commonly maintain lists of dog breeds that are known to have a history of aggression or higher likelihood of biting. Breeds like German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, and Rottweilers frequently appear on these lists. If your dog falls into one of these categories, some insurance companies may be reluctant to cover your home or might offer limited coverage. It’s important to accurately disclose your dog’s breed and any related history when applying for insurance to ensure you have appropriate coverage.
Despite these considerations, if your policy does include coverage for dog bites, it generally means that if your dog were to bite someone, your homeowner’s insurance would help cover legal costs and medical expenses related to the incident. To avoid any surprises, review your policy carefully and discuss any concerns with your insurer to understand the specifics of your coverage. This way, you can ensure you have the protection you need for all potential risks associated with owning a dog.
Our owner and founder, Pat Brennan, explains more. Check out the video below!
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Dog Bites? – Entrust Insurance, St. Clair Shores
Video Transcription
“It will, unless it states that it’s excluded on the policy, but most of them will. A lot of companies will ask, if you have a dog, what type of breed it is. So they want to kind of narrow down, if you have a dog, is it something that we want to ensure? There’s certain dog breeds, there’s a list of dog breeds, and almost the same breeds are on every company’s list, that are known to bite. Have a history as a breed of being more aggressive and, uh, more prevalent that they’re going to bite.
So the insurance company is going to kind of safeguard themselves. So if you have, believe it or not, like German shepherds fall on that list quite a bit, pit bulls, Rottweilers, you know, a lot of the common dogs that you would think a lot of companies will not insure you period if you have that type of dog, but if they don’t ask the questions about the dog or they will still offer you a policy and answer those questions accurately. Coverage is provided through the policy if your dog does happen to bite somebody.”
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