All homeowners and renters who own dogs or exotic animals need liability insurance for pets to protect themselves and others. Animals can harm people, other pets, and their own property or the property of others. This type of policy reimburses medical expenses due to personal injury, clothing and eyeglasses replacements and property damage inside and outside the involved property.
Even the sweetest family dog can become aggressive towards a visitor, friend or family member. Some animals display hostility towards the mail person, UPS delivery person, sales people or other delivery people. If the animal breaks free from a fenced yard, they may become scared and disoriented, and harm an innocent pedestrian or child. A young puppy or dog can often be overly playful and accidentally nip, bite, or scratch an adult or child. An animal responsibility policy covers damages, injuries and death caused by pets. Many of those owners risk losing their home and all their possessions if sued by the victim to cover medical, replacement or repair costs.
Exotic Pets
Some areas allow exotic or unusual pets such as snakes, lizards, pot bellied pigs, monkeys, tigers and lions. It is extremely important when owning these pets to have this type of coverage as well as more than adequate housing and safety precautions.
Many of the insurance companies who offered this type of coverage in the past are slowly phasing out this coverage. More and more companies are either not offering this type of policy any longer, changing current policies to omit this clause or charging higher premiums. If a dog owner finds an insurance company that offers this coverage, a few factors will be taken into consideration to determine whether the pets will be insured and for how much. Sometimes an agent will be sent to the home to witness the dog and his behavior. A spayed or neutered animal often exhibits a calmer disposition. Being licensed and up to date on shots is also important. A certificate or other proof of obedience training may be needed if applicable. The home and yard will also be inspected to see if the yard is fenced. It may be difficult to obtain coverage if the dog has a history of biting or aggression. Some businesses such as breeders, stud services, kennels and pet sitters require this insurance for the safety of their employees and customers.
Insurance Premiums
Insurance premiums could cost up to $1,000 per year with the same or higher deductible. This premium may be higher if the animal has a history of biting. The coverage is usually around the one million dollar range. When researching this coverage, it is important to find out everything that would be included in the policy. Some policies will only cover a set number of dog bites or incidents and have a limit to the amount paid per incident. Other policies will charge higher premiums or refuse to cover certain breeds of dogs such as pit bulls, German Shepherds, Dobermans, Great Danes, Akitas, rottweilers, chows and huskies. Some companies also limit the number of family members or employees covered on the policy. Some states require a certain amount of coverage depending on the breed of dog or the type of exotic or unusual animal.
Since animals are unpredictable, it is important to obtain liability insurance for pets. The owner and those interacting with the animals in their own home or in the homes of others are covered in case of any unforeseen occurrence. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind.