Dangerous Pets: Why It Affects You and Your Insurance

No matter how dangerous we may think a certain breed is, they are being discriminated against and there’s really not much we can do about it. Pit bulls, Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers, for example, are at the top of the vicious animal list and can cause your insurance company to either void your policy or have you get rid of your pet. What most insurance companies don’t understand is any dog type can be vicious to a certain instinct. How a dog is raised or trained all depends on the dog’s actions. In other words, no matter how mean a dog may look that dog could be the sweetest animal you’ve ever met.

What is Breed Specific Homeowner’s Insurance?

As stated before, most Homeowner’s Insurance companies will make it known they don’t tolerate certain breeds on the premises when clients purchase policies from them. In fact, if policy termination occurs or if one gets turned down before hand, insurance companies include written exclusions in their homeowner’s policies to make the process go smoothly. Homeowner’s should know that even though you may already have insurance and decided to purchase a dog that prohibited on their insurance, the homeowner is more likely to lose insurance coverage.

Does breed specific Homeowner’s Insurance affect dogs are actually vicious?
Homeowner’s Insurance companies never take into consideration how an individual dog behaves. It all boils down to the dog’s appearance. Yes, you’ve read that right! Affected dogs may not have a history of biting, growling or barking. These dogs could be bred champions with obedience titles or Canine Good Citizen or APDT C.L.A.S.S certificates. These dogs could even be doing therapy work in local nursing homes and still be considered vicious causing you to lose your Homeowner’s Insurance. Remember, there doesn’t have to be a file claimed against your animal in order to lose your Insurance policy.

What breeds are affected?
Here’s the breakdown of what breeds and mixes of those breeds most Insurance companies consider vicious:

1. Akita
2. American Bulldog
3. American Pit Bull Terrier
4. American Staffordshire Terrier
5. Bull Terrier
6. Chow Chow
7. Doberman Pinscher
8. German Shepherd
9. Mastiff type
10. Olde English Bulldog
11. Presa Canario
12. Rottweiler
13. Shar-Pei
14. Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Choosing between your home and pet could be the hardest decision ever made.
There may be a time when one may not find insurance for their home due to the type of breed they have on the premises. In most cases, those who have mortgages are required to have homeowner’s insurance therefore are forced to choose between their home and pet. While this may be the hardest decision to make, most people choose to give their pets to someone closes to them in their family who can have pets on their property. Other’s either end up choosing to let their homes go and move where their pet may be accepted while others have no choice but to give their dogs to the pound.

What would you do if you were in this situation?