Are you in the market for a dog? Before you bring your new pet home, you should know what dog breeds home insurance companies may not cover.
You and your family may be lucky enough to have already adopted a dog, or you may just now be searching for a four-legged friend to add to the family. Whether you’re a current or future dog owner, the Morse team wants to make sure you are aware there are specific canine breeds that some home and renters insurance companies consider high-risk and may either not cover, limit coverage for, or increase your premium to cover.
What dog breeds do insurance companies consider risky?
Your pooch may have aced doggy training school and won awards for good behavior, or they could be more of a lazy mutt who can’t even get motivated to chase a squirrel. Unfortunately, no matter what your dog is like at home with you, your insurance company may not see them in the same light. Instead, home and renters insurance companies that have coverage restrictions for dogs focus on your pup’s breed and how risky it is to insure when determining coverage eligibility.
Dog breeds that insurance companies consider riskier tend to be larger and may have a reputation for being dangerous based on the number of dog bite claims filed involving that breed and the extent of injuries these attacks have caused. If you get a dog whose breed your insurance carrier considers to be a higher bite risk or more aggressive, then your home or renters insurance coverage may not provide any financial protection for injuries or damages caused by your pet.
While not all carriers have the same list of dogs that they are reluctant to insure, the following are several common breeds that we have seen insurance companies exclude from coverage.
- Dobermann Pinschers
- German Shepherds
- Great Danes
- Huskies
- Mastiffs
- Pit Bulls
- Rottweilers
- Wolf-Dog Hybrids
There are some insurance carriers that don’t restrict coverage based on a dog’s breed but do take into consideration your dog’s personal bite history. If the dog you’ve adopted has bitten people in the past, your insurance company may increase your home or renters policy premium, or simply decline to cover your pet.
Morse, of course, is here to help you find insurance coverage for your dog.
If you already have your heart set on a dog in the difficult-to-insure category, Morse is going to walk you through some things you can do to address this situation.
Most importantly, do not hide your new family member from your insurance agent. Be transparent about having a new dog, no matter what its breed or history is. If you leave your insurance carrier in the dark about your canine buddy, then you are putting yourself at risk that any future claims related to this pet could be denied.
So, the first thing to do is to give your Morse agent a call to tell us all about your dog. We should be able to help you find an insurance solution that provides proper protection for both your home and new pal, whether it’s with your current provider or a new insurance company. Morse, of course, has access to numerous top-quality insurance companies with competitive rates, so our team should be able to find a good homeowners, renters, or condo insurance solution for you, regardless of what dog breed you have now or intend to bring home.
It may also be valuable, no matter what type of dog you have or which insurance carrier and coverage you choose, to invest in an umbrella insurance policy. This additional liability coverage is triggered when an injury or property damage claim exceeds the limits of the liability coverage included in your home or renters insurance policy. An umbrella policy can also fill in any risky gaps in your overall insurance coverage, such as a dog breed exclusion. So, having an umbrella policy in place when your dog nips at an unsuspecting passerby or chews apart your neighbor’s fence should make it far less likely that you will have to pay out of pocket for your dog’s behavioral issues. The peace of mind an umbrella policy offers could be well worth the $3 to $6 it may cost you a month.
As your local insurance professional, we want you to know that as your life continues to change, whether by adding a new family member, car, or property, we are here to make sure that your insurance protection adjusts and grows with you and your changing needs. Please contact us today for help with coverage for your dog or any other personal insurance needs or questions.