| How will having a dog affect your homeowners | | | | wind has caused so much damage. |
| insurance rates? What kind of dogs will cause | | | | Some home insurers will require those seeking a |
| your home insurance rates to increase or even | | | | homeowners policy with them to sign a liability |
| possibly cause you to be ineligible for coverage? | | | | waiver for dog bites. All of which means that if |
| Is it possible to find cheap homeowners insurance | | | | the homeowner desires liability coverage for his |
| even with a dog?Across the U.S. owners of | | | | dog he will have to purchase a separate policy, |
| certain breeds of dogs are being told by | | | | and of course, that means more money paid out |
| homeowners insurance carriers that they need to | | | | in premiums. |
| give up their dogs or risk having their | | | | WHAT IS GOING ON IN LEGISLATION |
| homeowners insurance policy canceled or not | | | | CONCERNING "DANGEROUS DOGS"? Laws on |
| renewed at the end of their contract period. | | | | dangerous dogs and homeowners insurance differ |
| In most states it is also legal for homeowners | | | | from state to state. In the state of Illinois Bill, |
| insurance companies to charge higher premiums | | | | H184 established a definition for "dangerous dogs' |
| based on the breed of the dog. While there is no | | | | and 'vicious' dogs. It also outlines certain |
| standard list of 'high risk' dogs among different | | | | requirements for owning these dogs and lays out |
| insurance carriers, some of the breeds that are | | | | the penalties for violating these standards. In |
| most often targeted are Rottweilers, German | | | | addition, all dogs are now required to be |
| Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, Huskies, | | | | vaccinated against rabies. Inside the bill H184, |
| Malamutes, Chow Chows, Great Danes, and Saint | | | | certain jurisdiction was also given to county |
| Bernards. | | | | governments that they did not formerly have. |
| With one third of all homeowners liability insurance | | | | This bill now allows counties to require micro |
| claims being filed as a result of dog bites, | | | | chipping dogs, and they are also given the power |
| insurance carriers are becoming increasingly | | | | to require animal and litter registration fees. |
| reluctant to insure owners who have breeds that | | | | In Palos Heights, a city in Cook County, Illinois a |
| statistics have shown to cause the most personal | | | | micro chipping requirement was put into place. |
| injury. In 2006 insurers spent 35.14 million to | | | | The City Council approved an ordinance that not |
| cover the costs of dog bites alone. | | | | only required owners with dogs classified as |
| STATISTICS CONCERNING DOG BITES | | | | "dangerous" to micro chip their dogs, but in |
| - Of all childhood hospital emergency room visits, | | | | addition they are required to take out a $100,000 |
| dog bites rank second as the most common | | | | liability insurance policy for their pet. Under their |
| cause of injuries. | | | | definition, a "dangerous dog is one that "Exhibits |
| - 60% of all dog bites involve children. This | | | | extremely aggressive menacing behavior toward |
| includes the family dog as well as dogs not known | | | | humans or domestic pets and must be confined |
| to the child. | | | | to prevent injury or death to human or pets." As |
| - Annually, the number of Americans that suffer | | | | a result of this definition, 'dangerous dogs "must |
| dog bites exceeds 4.7 million. | | | | be kept in their home or in a secure enclosure. |
| - Rottweilers and Pit Bulls account for over 50% | | | | Outside trips are banned, unless a veterinary visit |
| of all dog attacks. (A male dog is 80% more likely | | | | needs to be made. A muzzle is also a requirement |
| to bite than a female dog.) | | | | for the dog to visit the vet. |
| - Surveys show that about 40% of households | | | | On the insurance end, legislation is pending that |
| own a dog or dogs, and that the majority of dog | | | | would prohibit insurers form canceling or denying |
| bites occur in or near the house where the dog | | | | coverage based solely on the breed of a dog. |
| lives. | | | | Several others states, New Jersey, New York, |
| WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO FIND AMONG | | | | South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington also |
| VARIOUS HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE | | | | have similar legislation in the works. Michigan and |
| COMPANIES IF I'M AN OWNER OF A | | | | Pennsylvania already have a law in place that |
| 'DANGEROUS BREED'? | | | | makes it illegal for homeowner insurance |
| Some home insurers will have a list of breeds and | | | | companies to deny coverage based on breed. |
| cross breeds that are banned from coverage and | | | | HOW DO I FIND HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE TO |
| you will not be able to get a homeowners policy | | | | COVER MY DOG? |
| from them as long as you own that breed of | | | | Call around. This will take some diligence on your |
| dog. This is their policy regardless of how long | | | | part, but there are still some insurance carriers |
| you've owned the dog or how sweet its | | | | that offer coverage on a case to case basis and |
| temperament. | | | | do not discriminate against a breed. These would |
| Some insurance carriers will consider dogs on a | | | | seem to hold to the American Kennel Association |
| case by case basis and not automatically ban | | | | position of "Punish the deed, not the breed." |
| insuring a dog based on its breed. Their | | | | Shopping around is key to finding cheap |
| homeowners insurance questionnaire may include | | | | homeowners insurance. |
| questions such as, "Has your dog bitten anyone?" | | | | If your dog has completed some kind of |
| or "Has your dog been trained to bite or attack?" | | | | obedience training program, make that |
| Also, the issue of whether a dog was provoked | | | | documentation available to the insurers. If your |
| into biting or attacking may be taken into | | | | dog has not participated in an obedience program, |
| consideration. If in the past a dog has had an | | | | as if that would help you obtain liability insurance |
| incident of attacking someone unprovoked, most | | | | or even give you a better rate. |
| insurers will not offer coverage and in many | | | | Finally, if your dog has less than a stellar dog |
| cases not renew a policy. | | | | history, you might have to purchase a separate |
| Some insurers will offer liability insurance coverage | | | | liability policy to cover your dog. |
| but require higher premiums if you are the owner | | | | Whatever you decide to do - be sure that you |
| of a 'high risk' dog. With liability claims sky | | | | shop around and compare homeowners insurance |
| rocketing in the area of injuries incurred by dog | | | | quotes from multiple companies. Shopping around |
| bites and by "dangerous breeds", insurers have | | | | is key to not only find the coverage for your pet |
| increased their premiums to offset the cost in | | | | and home that you need but also to save money |
| much the same way as homeowners are being | | | | in the process. |
| required to pay higher premiums in areas where | | | | |