Does homeowners insurance cover dog bites?

When does homeowners insurance cover dog bites?

According to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), dog-related liability claims cost insurers more than $1.1 billion in 2022. Homeowners insurance may cover damages resulting from dog bites through the liability or medical payments coverage portions of your home insurance policy.

• Medical payments coverage: This coverage pays for medical costs if a guest is injured on your property, regardless of fault. If your dog bites a guest, this may pay for their medical bills up to your policy limits.
• Personal liability coverage: This coverage type covers legal costs related to incidents that occur on your property where you or a member of your household is liable. As your dog is your responsibility, if the dog bites someone, personal liability may be used to cover any legal fees associated with the incident, up to your policy limits.

Your dog bite insurance coverage may also apply if your dog bites another dog that does not live in your household. For example, if your dog runs off your property and bites another dog, you could be found legally liable for the incident.

If you have filed a claim with your home insurance after a dog bite, you know that your policy contains limits to your liability and medical payments coverage. If you believe those limits are insufficient, you may want to consider increasing them or purchasing a supplementary umbrella policy to provide more robust coverage. Although this additional insurance is likely to increase the cost of pet ownership for you, it can provide additional peace of mind if you are worried about your dog's behavior. If you do purchase extra insurance, however, be sure to ask if there are any breed exclusions.

Breed-specific legislation

Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a heavily debated topic among dog owners, insurance companies and animal professionals. BSL are laws that control or prohibit certain dog breeds that could be considered more dangerous to humans and other animals.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) notes that BSL became more popular in the 1980s due to high-profile dog attacks. Many studies of dog bites related to dog breeds ensued, with the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) releasing a list of aggressive dog breeds. Insurance companies have used this list for homeowner and renters insurance underwriting purposes ever since.

However, since 2006, the CDC has changed its stance and no longer supports dog-breed legislation. Due to DNA technology and several advocacy groups, over 100 cities have repealed breed-specific laws since 2018. Multiple states, like New York and Nevada, no longer allow insurance companies to use breed type as the sole reason to decline a homeowners policy to a dog owner.

As of November 19, 2022, the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) created and adopted the Dog Breed Insurance Underwriting Protection Model Act. This provides guidance for states who want to make using breed-specific laws to decline home and renters insurance to policyholders illegal.

When does homeowners insurance not cover dog bites?

While homeowners insurance may cover dog bites in certain situations, some exclusions exist. Below are examples of common exclusions your homeowners insurance company may have for dog bites. Checking with your insurance agent or carrier is likely the best way to see how your coverage may or may not apply to dog-related incidents.

Excluded coverage for dog breeds

Your property insurer may have a restricted dog breed list. Dog breeds and mixes that are commonly excluded from coverage by homeowners insurance companies are:

• Akita
• Alaskan Malamute
• Chow Chow
• Doberman Pinscher
• German Shepherd
• Great Dane
• Mastiff
• Pit Bull
• Presa Canario
• Staffordshire Terrier
• Rottweiler
• Siberian Husky
• Wolf dogs and hybrids

Should your dog fall on a restricted dog breed list, even if you got the dog after getting a homeowners insurance policy, a bite will likely not be covered. Check with your insurer, though, as carriers may have different breed restrictions (or none at all).

Excluded coverage for household members

Your homeowners insurance also will not cover dog-related injuries to you, your household members or your home or personal property if caused by a dog that you own. Say your dog bites a family member, such as your spouse, your homeowners liability coverage or medical payments coverage would not help cover any medical bills associated with this incident. The same restrictions apply if your dog bites another dog in your household.

How to file a homeowners insurance dog bite claim

The first step in filing a dog bite claim is to find out what your policy covers. You may be able to file a claim online by visiting your homeowners insurance provider’s website and following its steps. You can also contact your insurer, as many companies have 24/7 claims services. If your policy was set up with a local agent, you might have to contact them during regular business hours. The policy paperwork you received when setting up your homeowners insurance policy, including your declarations page, usually has a phone number listed on it to contact customer service or the claims department.

When filing a liability or medical payments claim for a dog bite, you may have to provide the following details to your insurance company: 

• The name(s) of the injured individuals or animals
• Veterinary and behavioral records for the biting dog
• The date and circumstances surrounding the incident 
• Any receipts for medical care related to the incident  
• Any relevant legal documents related to litigation following the incident 

How to prevent dog bites

Having your dog bite someone can be devastating for both you and the person who’s injured, so it’s important to try and minimize the likelihood of that happening. Here are a few tips that may help you prevent dog bites:

• Leash your dog: If you are in a potentially stressful situation (such as when guests are visiting your home), consider putting your dog on a leash until you are reasonably sure it will not act in an aggressive manner. This is also true when out walking your dog, and leashing your pet may in fact, be the law in many places.
• Take it slowly: When introducing your dog to new people or other animals, especially smaller ones, go slowly. When bringing new animals into your home, consider keeping them in a separate space and allowing them to become accustomed to the smells of your animal by placing a blanket it has used in the room. When introducing new people, have them stand still while you walk your leashed pet up slowly so it can sniff them.
• Be transparent: If you have guests who are not familiar with dogs, let them know what they should be aware of — for example, avoiding any quick movements or loud noises. They may want to let your pet sniff their hand before reaching out to pet it or interact with it in any way. It is usually a good policy to let the dog determine when it is comfortable with a person, rather than the other way around.
• Teach your dog to stay at a distance from others. Training your dog to remain at a distance from others is another way to help keep your dog from intentionally or accidentally biting someone. This can be done by training your dog to stay on their bed in the living room or by rewarding them for not engaging with guests unless invited to. If your dog is aggressive toward guests, consider leaving the dog in their crate or a separate room while guests are over.
• Teach your dog to only chew on specific items. Teaching your dog to chew on or bite specific items, such as a chew toy, may help to prevent your dog from getting mouthy with guests or their belongings.
• Hire a professional dog trainer. Dogs with a history of aggression or fear of new people may require extra training. A professional dog trainer can help you properly train your dog to prevent bites by others. They also can recommend different training methods and other safety tips to help your dog safely interact with others.

Frequently asked questions