As a dog owner, it may be shocking to hear that man’s best friend accounts for one third of all homeowner’s insurance claims in the United States. There is an estimated 70 million dogs living in households across the nation. Each year, 4.5 billion Americans are bitten. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 885,000 of those bites, most of which are children, require medical attention.
It may be hard to believe that your beloved pet would ever harm another person. But every dog owner is exposed to the possible liability for dog bites and other canine inflicted injuries. In honor of dog bite prevention week this month, take this opportunity to learn about dog bite statistics and how to protect yourself in case an incident occurs.
Dog bites are the most common homeowner’s insurance policy liability claims. Last year there were 15,352 reported claims due to dog inflicted injuries. Bite injuries total over $500 million in medical and liability claims every year. According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), the average cost of a dog bite claim in 2015 was $37,215—16 percent more than 2014.
While there were over 800,000 severe dog inflicted injuries, there were only 15,352 reported insurance claims due to dog bites last year. This means that thousands of pet owners were left paying out of pocket expenses.
To reduce exposure to injury, we suggest applying some risk management practices. Here are some ways to make dog ownership safe as well as enjoyable:
- Avoid playing aggressive games with your dog
- Never leave infants or small children alone with a dog
- If you have children, teach them basic safety around dogs
- Dogs should be spayed/neutered to reduce aggressive tendencies
- Carefully choose a pet by evaluating your environment and lifestyle
- Dogs with histories of aggression are inappropriate for families with children
- A bite should be reported immediately
In addition to these risk management tools, it is important for every dog owner to have a homeowner’s insurance policy that includes coverage for dog bites. Without insurance, you could be left paying thousands of dollars out of pocket. Since 61 percent of dog bites occur at the owner’s home, some homeowner’s insurance policies may cover liability for canine injuries. However, there are many homeowner’s and renter’s insurance polices that exclude injuries caused by any animal or certain dog breeds.
The experienced insurance agents at Berliner-Gelfand & Co, Inc. in Connecticut have been helping individuals and families protect themselves for more than 50 years. We can help you select the right homeowner’s insurance coverage for you, so please contact our office for a quote today (203)-367-7704.