Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Will Your Dog Affect Your Homeowners Insurance?

In most states insurance companies charge higher homeowners insurance premiums for certain types of dog breeds that may live in the home. They also have the right to not renew a policy based solely on a dog's breed. If you have a dog that is not one of these breeds but bites someone, this could also result in a higher policy cost or cancellation of the policy. However, if the dog is one of the "high risk" breeds that has never bit someone, the above could also be an end result for the homeowner unless they give the dog away.

This may lead someone to not disclose this information to their insurance agency instead of shopping around for an agent that may allow their dog but charge them a higher premium. This is not a good idea because if your dog were to bite someone in your home, it could lead to the insurance company denying your claim and costing you thousands.

The following list are the top eleven dogs that insurance companies resist providing coverage for the most. The top four on the list are most often denied coverage.

  1. Pit Bulls & Staffordshire Terriers
  2. Doberman Pinschers
  3. Rottweilers
  4. German Shepherds
  5. Chows
  6. Great Danes
  7. Presa Canarios
  8. Akitas
  9. Alaskan Malamutes
  10. Siberian Huskies
  11. Wolf Hybrids
These dogs have mostly just received a bad reputation - especially the top four and this list should not stop you from bringing one of these guys home with you. However, you should probably consult with your insurance agent, if you have plans to get any of these dogs. They could work with you about your homeowners insurance policy. Making sure that you will be covered before adopting one of these dogs is a smart way to avoid losing your coverage.

Fortunately for Pennsylvania (one of two states - Michigan is the second.) residents and those insured by Main Line Insurance, their homeowners insurance cannot be denied based on the breed of their dog. 





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