Dog Liability Insurance

In spite of insurance companies offering different kinds of pet insurance, many people around the world still do not have the right kinds of policies to cover their canine friends. Recent statistics show that only 1 in 10 dog owners have an insurance policy and the numbers are poorer when it comes to dog liability insurance. Liability refers to that portion of your insurance that covers your legal responsibility to pay for any damages caused by your dog. These damages may be due to accident or loss. Naturally, dog bites are the biggest contributors to this cause. In a nutshell, every dog owner must have insurance that:
- Includes injuries inflicted by the dog, and
- Has a limit of at least $100,000 for personal liability

This kind of dog liability insurance enables the owner to pay the appropriate amount of compensation for most kinds of accidents caused by his dog. Research shows that the most likely victims of a dog’s attack include neighbors, relatives and friends. Having a dog liability insurance means that an owner can protect the people who are closest to him. This ensures maintaining and protecting valuable relationships, while ensuring proper treatment of loved ones. Every dog owner is vulnerable to possible liability for bites and other canine-inflicted injuries like scratches etc. Annual losses from such injuries almost approach the billion dollar mark. These losses do not have to be borne by the dog owner when there is a dog liability insurance policy to take care of it.

The good news for dog owners and victims is that there are different types of insurance covers that offer protection to the insured. For instance, automobile liability insurance covers any accidents that may take place inside an automobile; workers compensation coverage takes care of bites and injuries that happen ‘on the job’. Many insurance companies are however trying to segregate the dog owner’s insurance policy to exclude dog liability insurance. All dog owners must keep a sharp eye out for policies that do not cover injuries inflicted by the dog, unless they have a supplemental insurance that covers this exigency. Some insurance companies have (unfairly) identified certain breeds of dogs as high-risk dogs and refuse to sell dog liability insurance to cover such dogs. Some such dogs include Rottweilers, Pitbulls, Akitas and Chow-chows. Owners of such dogs will find it difficult to qualify for a homeowner’s insurance policy. Current policy holders may be paying very high premiums to cover a high-risk breed. This kind of distinction is biased and not very sound because every dog has the potential to be dangerous. But that’s reality for you. Uninsured dogs run the risk of being taken away from their owners and sent to shelters.

Unless they are insured, dog owners may lose their homes, assets and their income as a result of a single ‘accident’. Although many dog bites may not result in serious injury, quite a number of bites lead to permanent disfiguration and scars. Therefore dog bite victims definitely deserve to receive payment for their grievous loss. If dog owners are not insured, they have no way of recovering. The reluctance of insurance companies to cover dog liability means that many victims are denied the coverage that is rightfully theirs. ‘Breed bans’ is another kind of ploy that seeks to deny victims and dog owners.

When buying dog liability insurance, look out for policies that:
- Exclude dog bites
- Exclude high-risk breeds
- Offers coverage only for a limited number of accidents
- Sets a ceiling for the amount that will be offered

Dog Insurance Articles

Dog Health Insurance - A article about dog health insurance, what to think about when getting a dog health insurance and if you really need one
New Trends in Dog Ownership and Care - An short article about pet owners and their dog insurance.