Home insurance for dog owners

Insurance for Pit Bulls, Chow Chows, Rottweilers, German Shepards, Akitas, or many more classified dangerous mix breeds.

Think moving or being with a home insurance company that does not allow Pit Bulls means you will have to part with your pet?  Think again!  There are options out there for Pit Bull and bully breed owners, and there are home insurance companies that do not carry breed restrictions. 

Whether your are a property owner or renter, there is no need for you to give up your beloved bully in exchange for housing – simply change your insurer and start enjoying your time with your pet.  This article will cover insurance options for both home owners and renters looking for Pit Bull friendly insurance, as well as a discussion of ways to keep your current Pit-friendly coverage.

For more information on this topic please read: What Is Dog Liability Insurance?


Depending on what breed of dog you own, where you live and your insurance company, it could be difficult to buy a home insurance policy that includes liability for your dog.

Roughly 39 percent of American households have at least one dog, according to The Humane Society of the United States. But as the costs of dog-bite litigation spiral, some home insurance companies are refusing to write coverage for owners of certain breeds. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), dog-bite claims account for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims, costing insurers about $479 million in 2011, up 16 percent from the previous year.

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Home Owners

There are presently a handful of companies that do not have any type of breed/pet restrictions for homeowners, and can be identified as Pit Bull friendly insurance companies.

The Pitbull friendly insurance agencies include:

1. Googley Insurance (If you contact them please mention Save A Bull, and for every policy they write, GoogleyInsurance will donate $20 to rescue)
2. TheOneandOnly Insurance ($20 to rescue)
3. Chubb Group
4. Metlife
5. United Services Automobile Association

These insurances may not be available in all areas or to all dog owners, so you will have to do a bit of independent research to determine which insurance agency will work for your and your pet Pit Bull.  Each owner needs to be sure their policy covers injuries inflicted by any of their pets and has personal liability limit of at least $100,000.

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Lists of dogs that insurance companies are wary of

While there might not be an industry-wide "blacklist" of breeds, it's best to check with your agent before you buy certain dog breeds. According to the Lester Kalmanson Agency Inc. — which sells liability insurance to owners of dogs commonly identified as "dangerous breeds" — the list could include:

• Pit bulls
• Rottweilers
• Chow chows
• German shepherds
• Siberian huskies
• Alaskan malamutes
• Doberman pinschers
• Presa Canario bulldogs
• Great Danes
• Boxers
• Akitas
• Wolf-hybrids

Some home insurance companies have lists of breeds and crossbreeds they will not insure; other insurers consider such breeds on a case-by-case basis, or charge more for certain "biting" breeds such as pit bulls. Some home insurers require dog owners to sign liability waivers for dog bites.

In Michigan and Pennsylvania, it's illegal for home insurers to deny coverage simply because a home has a dog of a particular breed, according to III.

Some insurance companies will sell you coverage regardless of what type of breed you own. Jeff McCollum, a spokesperson for State Farm, says that there are good and bad dogs within each breed, just like there are responsible and irresponsible dog owners.

Met life does require policyholders to answer questions about dogs on their home insurance applications. Specifically, the company wants to know if a dog has ever bitten anyone or if it has been trained for attack purposes.

Insurance companies paid out roughly $80 million annually, from 2002 to 2008, for dog bite-related claims, McCollum says. While the overall number of bites appears to be decreasing, the rise of medical costs per incident offsets the decrease, he adds.

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How to Get Homeowners Insurance to Cover Your Pit BullIf you own a dog on the aggressive dog list, here are a few tips to help you obtain insurance to cover any dog-related incidents:

• Check your policy first

Dust off your homeowners or renters insurance policy and make sure that you are currently covered. Check and see if there are any exclusions in the policy or attached by endorsement that are specific to the kind of dog you own. If there are no breed exclusions, check and make sure that dog bites that occur on and off your property are covered. A policy with a personal liability limit of $100,000 or more is a good idea. 

• Shop around

Search online for companies that insure dangerous breeds. There are insurance agencies that specialize in insuring higher risk dogs. You may also want to use online forums specifically for dog owners to see what insurance companies they use. If you have friends or family that own pit bulls or other typical “dangerous dogs,” contact them and ask for insurance recommendations. One of the benefits of using an independent agent is that they can do the shopping around for you, saving you time and hassle.

• Train and socialize your pet

The American Kennel Club offers a program called “The Canine Good Citizen Program.” This program teaches basic dog obedience skills, along with responsible pet ownership. This program has been recognized by many insurance companies as a way to get a discount on a homeowners insurance or renter’s insurance policy. Getting this certification may also be the only way some insurance companies will insure a family with an aggressive breed of dog for liability coverage.

It’s also important to socialize your pet with other animals and people. Exposing your dog to strangers, along with strange dogs, is an important part of developing a safe family member. You may also consider finding a dog trainer to help you with this process.

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• Spay/Neuter Your Pet

This may seem like common sense, but spaying or neutering your pet can decrease your chances of facing a dog bite lawsuit. In 2009, 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs - 94% of which were not neutered.

• Get an umbrella policy

An umbrella policy is extra insurance meant to cover liability for greater amounts and sometimes other things that a general homeowners policy doesn’t. If your homeowner’s policy does not cover dog bites or dogs of specific breeds, look for an insurance policy that will. A typical umbrella policy that covers dog bites will have a limit of $1,000,000. These policies are usually very affordable, at around $100-$300 a year.

• Get canine liability insurance (Pit Bull Insurance)

Canine liability insurance, or pit bull insurance, may be available and could cover any damages your dog does to property, animals, or people. Dog liability insurance can cover the following:

• Bodily injury to animals or people
• Third party property damage
• Vet bills
• Medical bills, including reconstructive surgery
• Attorney’s fees
• Income compensation for the injured parties.

Nobody expects a dog bite to happen. Taking the proper precautions and having adequate insurance can make the difference between financial stability and financial ruin after a dog bite. 

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