According to a survey report, around 39% of the American household has at least one dog. But getting homeowners insurance with your dog depends upon the breed of your dog, the state where you reside and the insurance company from where you’re getting your insurance done.

What should you consider when you buy a homeowners insurance policy?

Depending upon the high rate of dog bites, certain insurance companies refuse to offer homeowners insurance to people with certain breeds of dogs. You may think that having a dog can keep away burglars from your home but this is entirely untrue. You may install burglar alarms for that purpose. Dogs may injure innocent people and can increase the cost of your homeowners insurance. Dog bites claims can account for more than a half of all homeowners insurance liability claims. Before you get a dog, it’s advisable to check with your insurer which breeds are covered in homeowners insurance.

Which dogs are considered dangerous?

There are certain breeds of dogs that are considered dangerous looking at their biting history. Some of the insurers offer the dog owners liability coverage who own dogs with biting history. Some of the insurers just refuse to offer any homeowners insurance to dog owners with these breeds and others require people to sign liability waivers for dog bites and also may charge more. These dogs are – Pit bulls, German shepherd, Rottweilers, Boxers, Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, etc. Certain states have made it illegal for home insurers if they don’t provide homeowners insurance to dog owners.

What should you do when your dog bites?

It may happen that your dog may bite someone and you may have to take the person to the hospital. You must remember to take all the measures that can help you prevent any such untoward incidents with your dog. Restrain the dog if it bites someone and then immediately tend to the person and do whatever it needs. Once the victim is under professional care, call your insurance company and tell them about the dog bite incident. Cooperate with your insurer in every way you can and when they inspect the incident, tell them whatever they ask.

How should you prevent dog bites?

This is a hard question but you should take every measure to prevent your dogs from biting. Few dogs are vicious and ferocious but with good training, you can easily make your dog an obedient one. You may take your dogs to obedient schools or hire a trainer for that purpose. But if you train and teach your dogs from their young age, they’ll turn obedient with age.

You may fence the boundary of your house and put up boards with the inscription “beware of dogs”. If some children tease your dogs, ask them not to do so and reward them with candies and other stuff if they cooperate with you. Some of the home insurers may cancel your homeowners insurance after 1 dog bite but others may consider. But don’t give them any chance of doing so.

If you have a dog and want to get homeowners insurance, keep the above points in mind and don’t forget to ask questions pertaining to this to your insurer. Check with the rules of the state where you reside so that your policy doesn’t get cancelled.