If you have a dog, you probably just think of him or her as a part of the family. You might not necessarily think about how your homeowners insurance applies to your dog, but it does. If Fido or Fefe were to ever bite someone and cause damage, you’d be liable for the damages. The right homeowners insurance could help pay the medical bills, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering, but it’s important to note that not all homeowners insurance policies are created equal.
Dog Bite Statistics
Serious injuries caused by dog bites are rare. About 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but fewer than 1 in 5 dog bites require medical treatment. Kids between the ages of 5 and 9 years old account for the most emergency room visits. The Insurance Information Institute reports that dog bites account for about one-third of all homeowners insurance claims, with an average payout of nearly $30,000 per insurance claim.
Dangerous Dog Lists
Purchasing an appropriate insurance policy and taking the proper precautions can contribute a lot towards fending off lawsuits. Insurance policy coverage can very, though. Some insurance companies have dangerous dog lists and will not insure you if you have a breed of dog that appears on its list. Most often, these breeds are pit bulls, Rottweiler, Dobermans and sometimes German shepherds. If you have a dog that could appear on a dangerous dog list, we may need to shop around for you to find a policy that works for situation.
Even though some types of dogs are singled out on dangerous dog lists, any dog can be a liability. Sometimes the sweetest labs have a bad day or a child steps on the golden retriever’s tail and something bad and unexpected happens. It’s smart to make sure you have homeowner’s insurance policy that covers your dog, too.
Reduce Your Dog’s Liability Risk
There are things that you can do reduce the chances that you’ll have to use your insurance to pay for an injury caused by your dog. Take a look at the following list to help get you started with reducing your dog’s liability risk.
- All interactions between children and dogs should always be supervised.
- Teach kids about dog bite prevention and how to tell when the dog wants to be left alone.
- Keep the dog under control at all times, such as with a collar or harness and a leash, a dog-run or kennel, and perhaps a fence around your yard.
- Spay or neuter dogs to do away with incidents of hormone-related aggression.
- Take the time to train your dog at home or bring it to classes to teach them proper conduct and enhance your control of their behavior.
- Socialize them with well with other pets and people besides the members of your household so they are less likely to be afraid of strangers.
- Avoid or minimize common aggression triggers such as loud noises, unfamiliar places, crowds, and more.
- If your dog starts to show any signs aggression, don’t hesitate to seek professional help from a qualified animal behaviorist specialist.
With some responsible dog ownership and the correct homeowners insurance policy, you’ll be setting yourself up for success while also covering yourself for the worst-case scenario. With all this talk of dangerous dogs and insurance liabilities, though, you could be rethinking your furry family member. There’s no reason to bring Fido to the pound, because as we mentioned earlier, dog bites that result in injury are incredibly rare. Americans share our homes more than 80 million dogs and most of them never cause anyone any major harm.
If you have questions about how insurance related to your dog or any other pet, give Monty a call at: (608) 442-6666.
