What insurance does your dog need if it is considered a dangerous breed in the USA?
Homeowners insurance typically covers damage or injury caused by your dog to third parties. However, companies may exclude certain breeds deemed dangerous.
Americans love their dogs with roughly 65 million households having at least one. Insurers on the other hand are perhaps less keen on man’s best friend as they resulted in over $1.1 billion in liability claims in 2023 according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I).
While homeowners and renters insurance policies don’t cover damage or injury to occupants of a dog-owning home, they do generally cover claims made by third parties as a result of your pet. However, there are certain breeds that are deemed dangerous that insurance companies may not cover.
What insurance does your dog need if it is considered a dangerous breed in the USA?
Every year, there are around 4.5 million people who get bitten by a dog in the United States with the majority of those being children. In 2023, the average liability claim was $58,545 according to Triple-I. That is less than the typical standard annual payout limit that can range from $100,000 to $300,000.
However, your insurer may not automatically cover your specific breed of dog. For example, Doberman Pinschers, Pit bulls and Rottweilers are a no-go for all home insurance policies of the 42 companies that Forbes looked at. Breeds like Chow Chow, Wolf dogs and wolf hybrids, Presa Canario (Canary dog) and Akita will not receive liability coverage on homeowners and renters policies from most insurers too according to a list of banned breeds compiled by Forbes.
That means you may have to get a special liability policy specifically for your furry four-legged friend to protect you from potential dog-related lawsuits. This kind of insurance may be smart to have no matter what as even if your pooch is the sweetest thing on earth, if they get over excited and cause an elderly person to fall, the medical bills you may be liable for can add up fast.
You may be able to go through the same insurer with which you have your home insurance or you may have to find a specialty insurance company. Annual premiums for these kinds of policies typically range from $400 to $1,200 according to NerdWallet.
The amount depends on the breed, weight and dog’s history among other factors. However, be aware that if your dog’s history is too problematic, you may not be able to get coverage even from companies that specialize in animal liability insurance.