Did you know that many homeowners insurance companies “ban” certain dogs?
If your dog bites or injures somebody, your homeowners policy must pay for the injured’s medical fees. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average dog bite claim is $44,670, so this is a pretty expensive risk!
Therefore, many insurance companies have lists of “banned” dogs.
What does this mean?
These companies will not provide coverage if the customer owns one of the breeds on their list, as they believe these breeds are liable to cause injury. These lists are often hidden from consumers’ view, but Forbes Advisor gathered data on 42 of these lists from different homeowners insurance companies.
- Doberman pinschers, pit bulls, and rottweilers are on 100% of these 42 lists of banned breeds.
- Chow chows are on 95% of the banned lists.
- Wolf dogs, canary dogs, and akitas have the next highest frequencies of being banned — all three are included on over 75% of the banned lists.
Some other insurers will allow all dogs, while others decide whether or not to cover the dog based on if they have a history of violence.
In Massachusetts, there is no legislation forbidding insurance companies from discriminating against certain breeds.
Nevertheless, dogs are a wonderful addition to the family and not all “banned” dogs are dangerous. Give us a call if you plan on bringing a new dog home! We will review if your premium may change and can give you quotes on pet insurance.
