If you\u2019re a dog owner, you don\u2019t want to get a call or letter from Paul Cannon. It means your pooch is in trouble. Paul is an attorney who represents people who have been bitten or injured by dogs. But Dogster did talk to Paul, and his insider info could save you from a devastating insurance shocker.<\/p>\n
Does Your Policy Cover Dogs?<\/h3>\n
Think you\u2019re insured if your dog causes some sort of injury or damage? Paul says he\u2019s had bite cases where the dog owner files a claim only to get a canine curveball: Their insurance company won\u2019t cover it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe company will send a letter saying, \u2018I\u2019m sorry, you don\u2019t have coverage for dog bites.\u2019 Their reason for this will be that either they have a clause in the policy that specifically says, \u2018This breed of dog is excluded,\u2019 or they have a clause that says, \u2018We don\u2019t cover dog bites at all.\u2019 They may also have a clause that\u2019s so broad that the policy doesn\u2019t cover any kind of injury pertaining to animals,\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n
How could that happen? Experts say dog owners may not have asked enough questions about what their insurance covered or perhaps the policy changed when it renewed.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody\u2019s going to stop and read an entire homeowners policy. It\u2019s very easy to go from having coverage to not having the same coverage,\u201d Paul says. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of scary because you can drop your coverage accidentally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dog owner Dannielle L. had that scary moment. She recently decided to ask her insurance agent if her homeowners policy covered her pooches. She was stunned to learn it never did.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very surprised,\u201d Dannielle says. \u201cI assumed pets were part of the coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
She immediately bought additional insurance for her dogs that costs about $40 a year. \u201cI felt so relieved to have it, just in case something ever happened,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Dog Liability Insurance<\/h3>\n
If your renters or homeowners insurance doesn\u2019t cover your dog, you may need animal liability insurance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt covers you if your dog causes damage to someone else\u2019s property or injures someone. You are responsible for your pets,\u201d says Janet Ruiz, from the Insurance Information Institute.<\/p>\n
John L. had to pay between $1,500 and $2,000 a year for canine liability insurance and get new homeowners coverage after an incident with one of his dogs.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur dogs were out playing, and a door-todoor salesperson came walking up our long driveway. My wife was waving her hands, yelling, \u2018No! No! Don\u2019t come here,\u2019 and the dogs started barking,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
But the sales guy kept approaching, past the dogs\u2019 invisible fence line. \u201cMy wife was telling him to back up, but he didn\u2019t. One of the dogs nipped at his leg and tore his pants,\u201d John says. \u201cI was angry at the person for coming in my yard.\u201d<\/p>\n
John says the sales guy went to the hospital. The skin on his leg was slightly broken. He did not need stitches and was not seriously hurt.<\/p>\n
A week later, he put in a claim with John\u2019s homeowners insurance. His company paid the claim but then didn\u2019t renew John\u2019s policy because of the bite.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was stunned. I had been a customer for at least 12 years,\u201d John says. \u201cI never had a claim on the dog before, or for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Limiting Your Liability<\/h3>\n
Deborah J. Turner is the president of Dean Insurance Agency, which sells canine liability insurance. The policies cost between $175 to more than $1,000 a year, depending on your dog and your situation. Her best advice: Be smart and try to prevent problems. Don\u2019t put your dog in a situation where he might injure someone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care how well-trained your dog is. I don\u2019t care what pretty dresses they wear. I don\u2019t care that they\u2019re 8 years old and have never bitten anyone,\u201d Deborah says. \u201cDon\u2019t tell people, \u2018My dog will lick you to death.\u2019 Don\u2019t say, \u2018My dog is only 7 pounds.\u2019 Risk management is a better solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Insiders say to get your dog training if he isn\u2019t behaving appropriately, and expect the unexpected. They\u2019ve seen situations where dogs nip, scratch, jump or scare someone who then trips, falls or gets knocked over and injured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen cases where a cute, little, fluffy dog bit somebody in the face because they got in the dog\u2019s face,\u201d Paul says. \u201cI\u2019ve seen bite cases where somebody dropped a utensil and leaned down to get it while the dog was under the table trying to get scraps.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average dog bite claim is nearly $45,000. \u201cWe do see tragic cases where they are higher than that, and we\u2019ve seen fatalities,\u201d Janet says.<\/p>\n Experts say not having insurance to cover someone\u2019s damages can be catastrophic. \u201cIt can put you in a situation where you would have to file bankruptcy because of a judgment. It could ruin you financially,\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n Even a bite from a tiny dog in a vulnerable spot can lead to expensive medical bills. \u201cI\u2019ve seen people who have gotten bitten on the lip and had speech issues because scar tissue develops. They may require multiple surgeries just to get their speech back to normal,\u201d Paul adds.<\/p>\n Janet recommends having an annual checkup with their insurance agent. \u201cPets would be one aspect of that, and if your policy doesn\u2019t cover your dog, ask about umbrella or dog liability insurance,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Be honest with your insurance agent. \u201cIf you have a dog that nips or bites, ask the agent, \u2018Is this policy going to cover it? Do I need to get other coverage?\u2019\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n Insurance also protects you from people who aren\u2019t dog savvy, like in John\u2019s case. \u201cIt is sad people don\u2019t pay attention to warning signs,\u201d he says. \u201cOur property was invaded. We can\u2019t control people doing dumb things.\u201d<\/p>\n Dannielle says one of her dogs can be fearful, so having insurance gives her peace of mind. \u201cI don\u2019t think she would ever bite, but now I know I\u2019m covered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2765 Get a privacy fence to keep a physical barrier between your dog and strangers \u2014 a ripe situation for dog bites. This prevents non-savvy dog people from walking up to your dogs or a child from trying to reach through a seethrough fence to pet your dog.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 Put a padlock on the gate, so no one can just walk in, like yard service personnel that accidentally mistake your house for your neighbor\u2019s or a stranger cutting through your yard.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 If your front yard is not fenced, keep dogs on a leash or inside to prevent dog bites to visitors or delivery personnel who must enter your property. Mail services ask that dogs be restrained or kept inside when they deliver the mail. If your dog is loose, the mail carrier may not deliver your mail and you will have to pick it up at the post office.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 Have a front porch? Gate it. This gives an added level of security, both in preventing your dog from escaping and from allowing roaming dogs, strangers or delivery people to have access to your dog while he is relaxing on the front porch with you.<\/span><\/p>\n The post Fetch Fido Some Liability Insurance<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post Fetch Fido Some Liability Insurance<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a dog owner, you don\u2019t want to get a call or letter from Paul Cannon. It means your pooch is in trouble. Paul is an attorney who represents people who have been bitten or injured by dogs. But Dogster did talk to Paul, and his insider info could save you from a devastating insurance shocker.<\/p>\n Think you\u2019re insured if your dog causes some sort of injury or damage? Paul says he\u2019s had bite cases where the dog owner files a claim only to get a canine curveball: Their insurance company won\u2019t cover it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe company will send a letter saying, \u2018I\u2019m sorry, you don\u2019t have coverage for dog bites.\u2019 Their reason for this will be that either they have a clause in the policy that specifically says, \u2018This breed of dog is excluded,\u2019 or they have a clause that says, \u2018We don\u2019t cover dog bites at all.\u2019 They may also have a clause that\u2019s so broad that the policy doesn\u2019t cover any kind of injury pertaining to animals,\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n How could that happen? Experts say dog owners may not have asked enough questions about what their insurance covered or perhaps the policy changed when it renewed.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody\u2019s going to stop and read an entire homeowners policy. It\u2019s very easy to go from having coverage to not having the same coverage,\u201d Paul says. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of scary because you can drop your coverage accidentally.\u201d<\/p>\n Dog owner Dannielle L. had that scary moment. She recently decided to ask her insurance agent if her homeowners policy covered her pooches. She was stunned to learn it never did.<\/p>\n \u201cI was very surprised,\u201d Dannielle says. \u201cI assumed pets were part of the coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n She immediately bought additional insurance for her dogs that costs about $40 a year. \u201cI felt so relieved to have it, just in case something ever happened,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n If your renters or homeowners insurance doesn\u2019t cover your dog, you may need animal liability insurance.<\/p>\n \u201cIt covers you if your dog causes damage to someone else\u2019s property or injures someone. You are responsible for your pets,\u201d says Janet Ruiz, from the Insurance Information Institute.<\/p>\n John L. had to pay between $1,500 and $2,000 a year for canine liability insurance and get new homeowners coverage after an incident with one of his dogs.<\/p>\n \u201cOur dogs were out playing, and a door-todoor salesperson came walking up our long driveway. My wife was waving her hands, yelling, \u2018No! No! Don\u2019t come here,\u2019 and the dogs started barking,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n But the sales guy kept approaching, past the dogs\u2019 invisible fence line. \u201cMy wife was telling him to back up, but he didn\u2019t. One of the dogs nipped at his leg and tore his pants,\u201d John says. \u201cI was angry at the person for coming in my yard.\u201d<\/p>\n John says the sales guy went to the hospital. The skin on his leg was slightly broken. He did not need stitches and was not seriously hurt.<\/p>\n A week later, he put in a claim with John\u2019s homeowners insurance. His company paid the claim but then didn\u2019t renew John\u2019s policy because of the bite.<\/p>\n \u201cI was stunned. I had been a customer for at least 12 years,\u201d John says. \u201cI never had a claim on the dog before, or for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Deborah J. Turner is the president of Dean Insurance Agency, which sells canine liability insurance. The policies cost between $175 to more than $1,000 a year, depending on your dog and your situation. Her best advice: Be smart and try to prevent problems. Don\u2019t put your dog in a situation where he might injure someone.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care how well-trained your dog is. I don\u2019t care what pretty dresses they wear. I don\u2019t care that they\u2019re 8 years old and have never bitten anyone,\u201d Deborah says. \u201cDon\u2019t tell people, \u2018My dog will lick you to death.\u2019 Don\u2019t say, \u2018My dog is only 7 pounds.\u2019 Risk management is a better solution.\u201d<\/p>\n Insiders say to get your dog training if he isn\u2019t behaving appropriately, and expect the unexpected. They\u2019ve seen situations where dogs nip, scratch, jump or scare someone who then trips, falls or gets knocked over and injured.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen cases where a cute, little, fluffy dog bit somebody in the face because they got in the dog\u2019s face,\u201d Paul says. \u201cI\u2019ve seen bite cases where somebody dropped a utensil and leaned down to get it while the dog was under the table trying to get scraps.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average dog bite claim is nearly $45,000. \u201cWe do see tragic cases where they are higher than that, and we\u2019ve seen fatalities,\u201d Janet says.<\/p>\n Experts say not having insurance to cover someone\u2019s damages can be catastrophic. \u201cIt can put you in a situation where you would have to file bankruptcy because of a judgment. It could ruin you financially,\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n Even a bite from a tiny dog in a vulnerable spot can lead to expensive medical bills. \u201cI\u2019ve seen people who have gotten bitten on the lip and had speech issues because scar tissue develops. They may require multiple surgeries just to get their speech back to normal,\u201d Paul adds.<\/p>\n Janet recommends having an annual checkup with their insurance agent. \u201cPets would be one aspect of that, and if your policy doesn\u2019t cover your dog, ask about umbrella or dog liability insurance,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Be honest with your insurance agent. \u201cIf you have a dog that nips or bites, ask the agent, \u2018Is this policy going to cover it? Do I need to get other coverage?\u2019\u201d Paul says.<\/p>\n Insurance also protects you from people who aren\u2019t dog savvy, like in John\u2019s case. \u201cIt is sad people don\u2019t pay attention to warning signs,\u201d he says. \u201cOur property was invaded. We can\u2019t control people doing dumb things.\u201d<\/p>\n Dannielle says one of her dogs can be fearful, so having insurance gives her peace of mind. \u201cI don\u2019t think she would ever bite, but now I know I\u2019m covered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2765 Get a privacy fence to keep a physical barrier between your dog and strangers \u2014 a ripe situation for dog bites. This prevents non-savvy dog people from walking up to your dogs or a child from trying to reach through a seethrough fence to pet your dog.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 Put a padlock on the gate, so no one can just walk in, like yard service personnel that accidentally mistake your house for your neighbor\u2019s or a stranger cutting through your yard.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 If your front yard is not fenced, keep dogs on a leash or inside to prevent dog bites to visitors or delivery personnel who must enter your property. Mail services ask that dogs be restrained or kept inside when they deliver the mail. If your dog is loose, the mail carrier may not deliver your mail and you will have to pick it up at the post office.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2765 Have a front porch? Gate it. This gives an added level of security, both in preventing your dog from escaping and from allowing roaming dogs, strangers or delivery people to have access to your dog while he is relaxing on the front porch with you.<\/span><\/p>\n The post Fetch Fido Some Liability Insurance<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s36700.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Fido-Liability-Insurance-600x362.jpg.optimal.jpg\")
Don\u2019t Be Caught Without It<\/h3>\n
\nHomeowner Tips<\/span><\/h3>\n
Does Your Policy Cover Dogs?<\/h3>\n
Dog Liability Insurance<\/h3>\n
Limiting Your Liability<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t Be Caught Without It<\/h3>\n
\nHomeowner Tips<\/span><\/h3>\n