Home Insurance and Dogs: Certain Breeds Cause Policy Trouble

Is it possible that the deterrent value of having a dog on your premises is causing you to pay more for your home insurance? It doesn't appear that owning a dog is seen as a security enhancement by insurance companies. There is a debate raging about the high rates being charges by some companies that issue home insurance because the policyholders own dogs of a certain breed. The problem with dogs is that they present a liability hazard if a person is bitten by a dog that is owned by the policy holder.

The increase of dog mauling cases have prompted insurance companies to profile 11 Dog Breeds that have been listed as potential liability hazards due to high bite rates. The Doberman Pinscher, Chow Chow, Alaskan Malamute, Akita, Wolf Hybrid, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull, German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Rottweiler and the Presa Canario which drew heightened attention in 2001 after the fatal attack of a San Francisco woman are all cited as the reasoning behind the higher premiums the owners of these dogs are being charged.

There are some home insurers who will not issue or renew the policies of homeowners who own certain breeds of dog. Homeowners argue that any dog has the potential to bite and that selecting certain breeds is not fair in addition to the fact that some of the breeds on the list do not have an aggressive nature.

While some home insurance companies note that a flat statement about certain breeds of dog may not be accurate, if your dog has a history of biting you can expect to pay more for your home insurance coverage. The home insurance companies cite the statistics related to large canines; in the year 2000 there were 25 breeds of dogs that were responsible for over 200 fatal dog bite incidents and in more than half of these incidents Pit Bulls and Rottweilers were the culprits.

Dog advocates believe that the home insurance companies are "dog profiling' in order to make more profits, their argument is that there can be a possible threat to an individual who encounters any dog breed. But the reality of lawsuits in dog bite cases is real and home insurance companies are faced with the challenge of managing an increasing number of liability claims against homeownera who own dogs that bite forcing the home insurance companies to pay out more money.