Dogs are great family pets and in most cases truly are man’s best friend. But many property and casualty insurance companies take exception to certain breeds they deem to be
prone to violent or aggressive behavior. In some instances, if an insurance company learns a homeowner has a breed of dog it considers to be prone to vicious behavior living on the premises, the insurer might cancel coverage with the proper notices given and certainly will not renew coverage when the current policy expires. Many breeds of dogs have such a reputation for vicious behavior, whether deserved or not, that insurers consider them to be too great of a risk reasonably underwrite coverage for damages caused by them.
Pit Bulls Top List of Dog Breeds Insurers Dislike
As most might expect, pit bulls far more than any other breed have such a reputation for vicious behavior that no home insurer will provide coverage for dog bite liability or other potential damages that might occur. While most pit bulls arguably are perfectly docile family pets that make wonderful companions, too many people use the dogs for more sinister purposes and essentially train the dogs to be vicious. Add in negligent supervision in many cases, as occurs when any dog is allowed to run loose in public, and pit bulls commonly show up in news reports of vicious dog attacks on unsuspecting adults, children and other people’s pets.
Many Other Dog Breeds Also Commonly Uninsured
Rottweilers, German shepherds, doberman pinschers and great Danes are among other breeds generally excluded from homeowners insurance coverage. Others includes the chow chow, akita, Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky also commonly make lists of banned dog breeds. The less commonly known presa canario and virtually any wolf-hybrid dog also will nix coverage for dog bite claims and other damages and losses caused by breeds of dogs that insurers consider to be unacceptable risks for homeowners. Any family dog that is known to bite others, which could occur if a neighboring child is bitten by family dog and his or her parents file a lawsuit, and insurer might provide coverage for the initial bite but likely will not for subsequent bites that might occur.
Do you have a family dog whose breed insurance companies don’t like to insure?