Why Does Homeowners Insurance Ask About Dogs?

Part of getting the best rates for homeowners insurance involves shopping around once a year or so. This includes spending time answering questions so insurance agents can give you the best coverage and an accurate quote. These queries cover specifics like the age of your roof, the presence of security features, and your home's proximity to fire hydrants. However, one question that may surprise you is whether or not you have dogs. Though it may just sound like a way to make you pay more money every month, there are good reasons why homeowners insurance companies ask about dogs — namely, because dogs can be a liability, and your policy may include coverage for bills and fees if your dog bites a guest.

Although it sounds beyond the scope of what your homeowners insurance covers, answering this question honestly can actually add some protections to your plan for your dogs and their actions. Most of the time, your dog is probably well-behaved and wonderful. However, there's always a chance that something could go wrong or quickly get out of hand. This is also why, even if your insurance doesn't ask first, it's always a good idea to bring up that you have a dog upfront. Your precious pets are a part of your home, and by paying for homeowners insurance that also covers your furry companion, you can prepare for problems you may face because of your dogs. While it's not always listed as one of the types of insurance homeowners may need, it's important for those with pets.

Homeowners insurance can cover dog bites for guests on your property, like food and mail delivery people. Sometimes, they may even provide protections in certain public areas where dogs are allowed, such as dog parks. In these instances, the insurance company can cover fees related to medical bills and legal issues. It also protects you even when you're not near your pet, like if your dog injures a pet sitter, for example. The amount covered is usually somewhere between $100,000 and $500,000 depending on the insurer, though you can add more coverage if necessary.

However, there are times when you'll still be in charge of paying for issues because of your dogs. Insurance rarely covers damages to your house incurred by your furry companion, like ruined floors or chewed-on parts of your home. Bites or injuries to family members who live in the home are oftentimes not included in the insurance, either.

You may like to think that your dog wouldn't bite anyone, or that you have them fully under control. However, sometimes things happen. Over 4.5 million people are bitten by a dog every year in the U.S. according to the Insurance Information Institute. While some bites are not on the owners to pay for, there are several instances where they would likely be expected to cover the costs: if the dog bit without any provocation, if it's been known to bite in the past, or if the owner was not watching or controlling their dog as they should.

The reason this insurance is so important is that it's up to the owner of the biting animal to pay the fees for any injuries. If you find a stray dog in your yard, for example, and they bite you, you cannot get the medical costs covered by your own home insurance. Instead, you'd need to find the owner of the animal. Also, just because companies ask whether you have a dog doesn't mean they will cover your pet. In certain instances, the company is likely to deny covering anything related to your dog unless you get a specific coverage that's typically more expensive.

Unfortunately for anyone who has what's considered an "aggressive" breed, sometimes insurance may want to know what breed you have to determine whether to insure you. 22 states have some sort of breed-specific legislation, which usually focuses on breeds with stronger bites or a higher chance of aggressive behaviors. In some cases, farm dogs may also not be covered. Pets that have a history of biting can be excluded, or increase the cost of insurance. Thankfully, some of the best homeowners insurance companies, according to Consumer Reports' data, are more likely to offer coverage for these breeds.