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| pitbull friendly home insurance |
Owning a pit bull means that you are responsible for any damage it causes, whether digging a hole in a neighbor's yard or biting someone. For most dog owners, an owner or tenant insurance policy provides coverage against these actions. However, some insurers deny coverage specifically to pit bull owners, while those who provide coverage often put restrictions in place.
- Do home and tenant insurance cover pit bulls?
- Pit Bull Friendly Home and Tenants Insurance Options
- Do Pit Bulls Increase Your Insurance Rates?
- Alternatives for Pit Bull Insurance
Do home and tenant insurance cover pit bulls?
The liability portion of most home and tenant insurance policies provides financial protection against damage or injury caused by your pets. However, insurance companies apply different rules to pit bulls.
While some providers such as State Farm have no dog breed restrictions, others like Esurance deny liability coverage for incidents involving pit bulls. In these cases, hiding your pit bull is not an option: if you fail to inform your insurer that you have a "dangerous breed", he may have legal grounds to refuse any claim you make - even claims not related to liability.
If you already have an existing home insurance policy and have recently become a pit bull owner, you should check to see if your policy has breed exclusions. Additionally, you should verify that dog bites are covered on and off your property. Some policies cover dog bites that occur during walks or trips outside your home or apartment.
States where insurance must accept pit bulls
The blacklist of breeds has been banned in some states, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. In these states, insurers are legally prohibited from canceling your coverage based on the breed of your dog. However, most other states allow insurance companies to provide and deny coverage to dog owners as they see fit. Pit bulls are among the most rejected dog breeds by home insurance companies.
Pit Bull Friendly Home and Tenants Insurance Options
Fortunately for pit bull owners, there are a few owner and tenant insurance companies that do not blacklist pit bulls. Instead, these companies examine the past behavior of an individual dog to assess insurance risk and are considered among the best owner or tenant insurance companies that cover pit bulls.
Unless your pit bull has bitten someone in the past, you are eligible for homeowners' insurance coverage through State Farm. The company takes into account each dog's personal bite history to assess its insurance risk rather than having a rule that affects each dog of a specific breed. State Farm offers pit bull owners access to owner and tenant insurance policies.
Nationwide offers insurance to tenants and owners to those who own pit bulls if you have also obtained a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate. The CGC program is managed by the American Kennel Club and the certificate is awarded to dogs that meet certain standards of behavior. For example, dogs must accept friendly strangers and be able to sit politely while being petted.
Although the USAA limits its policies to the United States military and their families, it is one of the best insurance companies for pit bull owners. The owner and tenant insurance policies of the USAA have no restrictions on dog breeds. In addition, the company determines whether it should provide coverage based on a dog's bite history, which means that most pit bulls with a clean record are eligible for coverage.
Do Pit Bulls Increase Your Insurance Rates?
Whether you buy a new policy or tell your current insurer about your new pitbull, you should expect insurance rates from your owners or renters to increase. The increase is highly dependent on the insurance company you select and the history of your pitbull.
Pit bulls have a reputation for being aggressive dogs and, therefore, are considered to pose a greater risk of liability. Dog bite claims are extremely expensive for insurance companies. In recent years, dog bites and dog-related injuries have accounted for a third of all owner liability claims. The cost to insurance companies as a result of these claims exceeded $ 600 million.
Alternatives for Pit Bull Insurance
If you are satisfied with your current home insurance company or tenant, but still want to be covered for your pit bull's actions, there are several alternatives.
Umbrella policy: An umbrella policy can be purchased as a workaround that can be used as a means of protecting yourself from damage or injury from your pitbull. An umbrella insurance policy is designed to complement your existing home insurance by offering you a higher liability insurance policy limit. For example, if you are found liable for $ 400,000 in injuries, but your home insurance policy has a personal liability limit of $ 300,000, your health insurance would cover the remaining $ 100,000.
Pit Bull insurance (canine liability insurance): Pit Bull insurance is an autonomous policy that offers policyholders extensive coverage for all breeds of dogs. Pitbull liability insurance can usually be purchased from small insurance companies. Keep in mind that even if you purchase pitbull liability insurance, you must still notify your insurance company of owners or tenants that you own a pit bull.