If you own a dog and also are in the process of buying or reinsuring your house, there are some dog breeds which you need to understand might greatly increase your homeowner’s insurance premiums. If you own any of the breeds on this list, be prepared to dish out a bit more. The reason these dogs are on the insurance bad dog list is the propensity for these dogs to attack, bite or intimidate visitors to your home, sometimes to include your immediate family. Since a dog bite lawsuit is usually pursued against the homeowners insurance, the premium is increased to cover for potential issues.
What Dogs Are On the Insurance Bad Dog List?
Keep in mind that different insurance companies have included different dogs on their own list. Not all insurance companies include all of the below breeds but many will:
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- Chow Chow
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Pit Bull
- Persa Canario
- Rottweiler
- Siberian Husky
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Wolf Hybrid
These are the most likely dogs to be on an insurance companies list for additional premium amounts.
How Do Insurance Companies Determine What Dogs On the Insurance
Insurance companies will collect claim data for previous homeowner’s incidents. Pet and dog bites are one of the categories that are regularly accessed. If the incidents of dog bites and attacks tend to favor certain breeds, these breeds are put on the bad dog list.
After the dogs are put on the list, all future homeowners that request a policy that also lists owning one of these dogs as a member of the household will have to pay an additional premium for owning the dog and having it on the premises. This is as a result of the additional risk that the insurance company is taking with this policy.
There are additional dogs listed on some insurance companies bad dog lists as well as these and there are some insurance companies that have shorter lists. The best way to find out the status of your dogs breed is to check with your insurance company.