Animal Liability – Home Insurance

animal liability

Having a dog (or any other pet for that matter) can bring great joy to the owner. However, dog ownership can invite the opportunity for unwanted trouble even for the most responsible pet parent. Home insurance could protect you against an animal liability claim.

A dog owner may be liable in a civil lawsuit for a bite or another kind of injury caused by an animal. Exposure to legal trouble does not always have to be a result from an actual bite. There are many examples where dog owners have been held responsible for non-bite events including their dog injuring or killing another animal.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (iii) the state of Florida came in second nationally for the number of “dog bite” claims in 2018. California was number 1. Last year there were 1,281 dog-related injury claims in Florida. The average cost per claim was $43,893. A whopping $56.2 million dollars was paid out last year in Florida alone for dog-related injury claims.  

Many people are unaware that their home insurance policy may include coverage for such an event. The liability associated with the home insurance policy is a very broad, worldwide coverage. It provides coverage for many things homeowners might not consider such as animal liability. However, it is important to note that some home insurance policies specifically exclude the coverage for animal liability. While other policies may limit the amount of coverage provided.

Education, awareness and responsibility are the keys to limiting the risk of an animal liability claim. The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association cited socialization between 2 and 14 weeks is crucial in the behavioral development of dogs.

Dog owners need to understand the liability coverage on their home insurance policy. This allows for better understanding of personal financial exposure. Also, consider a personal umbrella policy for an additional layer of liability protection.