If you are shopping for a dog this Christmas, you might want to ask your insurance agent about things to consider when making that purchase from your homeowner’s liability standpoint. We know, the puppy seems cute and harmless but believe it or not there’s reason to pause.
Dog bites are the #1 cause of liability claims under homeowners insurance in America.
According to reported statistics, dog bite claims totaled 18,522 in 2017 with an average claim settlement of $37,051, for a total annual payout of $686,258,622. So your insurance carrier has a good reason to want to know the breed of dog you are purchasing. Some dogs simply have a much greater potential to do more damage to someone if they are involved in an attack because of the power of their bite.
Some carriers exclude certain breeds in MD, other carriers do not exclude, but if your dog has a claim from a bite to a person or another dog, the dog will have to be removed from your ownership or the carrier will not renew your policy. We understand that sometimes the bite was not the fault of the dog, but that is very hard to prove, and if the victim is a child, really will not count for much in a court of law. It seems like the carrier will always have to pay a settlement.
Breads with the highest risk
- Pit Bulls & Staffordshire Terriers.
- Doberman Pinschers.
- Chows.
- Rottweilers.
- Presa Canarios.
- German Shepherds.
- Great Danes.
- Akitas.
If you have any questions, please give us a call at 410-398-6700.
We love dogs and understand the value they can bring to their owner’s life, but like most things, there are issues to consider, you do not want a large lawsuit hanging over you head and not have coverage for it.
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