Owning a restricted breed may increase a homeowner's insurance premiums.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites account for over one-third of the claims made against homeowners insurance policies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over 31,000 dog-bite victims required reconstructive surgery in 2006. Because of the tendency of certain dog breeds to be aggressive, some insurance companies consult a list of potentially dangerous dogs when a pet owner applies for or attempts to renew a homeowners insurance policy. If an insurance applicant owns a dog whose breed is on the list, he may be denied coverage or required to pay higher premiums.
Dangerous Dogs
The list of restricted dogs includes 11 breeds and any dog that is mixed with any of the breeds identified by the list. Dog breeds considered dangerous include: Akita, Alaskan malamute, chow chow, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, American pit bull terrier, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Siberian husky, Staffordshire bull terrier and wolfdogs, also known as wolf hybrids.
Law
Statutory law determines liability for dog bites. Under a dog-bite statute, a state considers a pet owner liable for any injury or property damage caused by his pet regardless of the circumstances in which a bite or destructive behavior occurs. A state's one-bite law exonerates a pet owner of liability resulting from a dog's first biting incident. Negligence laws assign liability to a pet owner who demonstrates utter irresponsibility by not safely securing his dog.
Insurance Coverage
Most homeowners insurance policies include a provision of $100,000 to $300,000 for dog bites. A pet owner remains responsible for costs arising from a biting incident that exceed his policy's limit. If a bite occurs, a pet owner may be required to pay higher premiums to maintain his homeowners insurance policy.
Owners of restricted breeds may have to pay higher insurance premiums or be denied coverage altogether regardless of whether their pets have bitten anyone or have been destructive in the past. To secure homeowners insurance an owner of a dangerous dog breed may be required to sign a waiver excusing his insurer from any and all liability for the dog's actions.
An owner of a dog identified as potentially dangerous may supplement or replace coverage for his pet's behaviors by purchasing an umbrella policy. An umbrella policy protects the insured from liability in a broad range of circumstances including incidents of dog bites and damaging behaviors.
Being Proactive
Since dogs that are fixed are less likely to bite than those that are not, an owner of a restricted breed increases his chance of securing affordable homeowners insurance by spaying or neutering his dog. Providing proof that a pet owner has completed a certified training program with his dog may also prevent his homeowners insurance from being denied, canceled or provided at a high cost. Putting up a secure fence or having a containment system professionally installed may also help an owner of a restricted breed obtain homeowners insurance at a reasonable cost.
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