I am trying to find some liability insurance for my pitbull dog so I can have her stay at my house? Is it out there and where can I find it so she can stay.
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I am trying to find some liability insurance for my pitbull dog so I can have her stay at my house? Is it out there and where can I find it so she can stay.
Hello,
I would imagine it would depend on the company, but I know State Farm Insurance covers animals under your own home insurance policy. It is usually part of a Personal Liability Umbrella. Check out home insurance providers in your area, and ask if your dog is covered. Kudos to you for being responsible for your pitbull. I run a petsitting business in Ontario, Canada, where pitbulls are now banned, and before we can care for a pitbull we ask for proof of a home insurance policy, as that is what covers pet liability up here. Good luck & good thinking!
My homeowner insurance (Allstate) has a "dangerous breed" clause... basically stating that they would not be responsilbe for any injuries cause by said breeds. Pitbulls are on the top of the list... so I feel you may have a hard time finding a carrier, but good luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hundalei
The dog should be covered by the basic policy and the umbrella covers what goes over the policy limit - the dog wouldn't be covered on the personal liability umbrella without being on the basic policy - in the US, of course.
I think you have to check around and see who is insuring and who is not - different companies write depending on the State. What they will write in one State they will not write in another.
I had difficulty getting insurance with German Shepherds - I guess they are turning into banned breeds, too. When they came to the house I had no problem because I am totally fenced and they never, ever run loose but the company did send a rep out to look.
Many insurance companies, and I beleve including state farm exclude from coverage specific breeds, and in fact ( and I am sure this will be a state by state issue ) the application asks if you have any dogs and what kind. If you have specific breed dogs, some companies will not insure you, and others if you don't inform them, will merely not pay a claim since they have a clause that they have to be notified of certain breeds as part of the policy.
So you need to talk to your insurance company as to what they will or will not cover.
It depends on the state and the company. You do have to check around.
In my state many people have pit bulls. In my daughters state -Ohio- she has a German Shepard but said her insurance company will not cover a Pit bull
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
Now that breed banning goes on I see a fair number of dogs that are very clearly one breed but registered/licensed as a mix or another breed. The Town Clerks don't see the dog and so they list whatever the owner says. Some Vets must be sympathetic because I see Rabies Vaccine records which list a breed which clearly does not describe the dog.
People don't realize that by lying in order to insure a banned breed they can be denied coverage if there is a bite - for lying on the application.
I agree but I think they do it more because they do not want to lose their 'member of the family' and they figure they will worry about it when the time comes. I don't think they are meaning to defraud the insurance co, of money. More like they don't think it will ever happen to them.
Personally I do not think it is right to ban breeds because many ARE very lovable. I think there are more suitable ways to deal with dangerous dogs than banning entire breeds.
I'm with you on that one NoHlp. I Think it's about time there was dog owner licensing instead of dog licensing. Would stop the whole problem!
Hello I'm adding to my own question but I just wanted to give more information I am basically renting this house with my boyfriend his parents own the house and have recently just had a problem with the dog not that she tears the house up she is the most perfect dog in the world but just the fact that she isn't covered because she is a pitbull.. so is there some renters insurance or a policy all by itself that I can get on renting the house and include my dog... I need something.. I can't image taking her to the pound because of this... I have no other place to take her... help me..
You've got to pick up the phone and start calling every insurance company in the book. Someone has to be able to cover you, it may cost you, but someone out there has to be willing to take on the risk. I just googled Pet Liability insurance and came up with this site. Maybe they can give you some answers/help. Follow the "Who needs Pet Insurance" Link
Who Needs Pet Liability Insurance?
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Originally Posted by N0help4u
I am told that Farmers writes for all breeds - might surcharge but they do write, at least in my area.
My suggestion for OP would be to contact a broker who handles multiple lines - he/she can run through the companies they write for and tell you in one phone call.
And, no, people don't intend to defraud - they lie to save money, get insurance which otherwise would not be available, who knows - ? They also never seem to realize it will come back at them if there's a problem.
Wish there were some other way to handle dangerous dogs other than banning certain breeds - don't know of any. I also think the media goes a little crazy when there's a dog bite - it's always a pit and it's always an "attack." About 75% of the time in my area they are wrong on both counts but it sells newspapers - and further defames the breed.
I agree the media and all the hype has everybody thinking all pit bulls and other breeds are dangerous. Where I live many people have pit bulls and I have one too. My landlord didn't say anything about me having her and I haven't heard of insurance being a problem here.
I would love to move to another state but it scares me to think they can suddenly decide to ban the Pit bulls and take her away as some places are doing. So far Pittsburgh hasn't made much of an issue out of any breeds.
I think there are some things that can be things done. Such as mandatory annual check ups to check on your dogs temperament -through the vet or whoever/where ever.
Following up on reports of problem dogs. Often police think that until a dog bites they can't be bothered.
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Originally Posted by N0help4u
Exactly - and I think you owe it to your dog to keep him/her safe, healthy, protected and that includes fencing or leashing or, as you said, Vet visits and treatment if necessary. And if your dog is nervous or aggressive around strangers, then keep the strangers and the dog apart. It's part of a person's duty as a dog owner. I know some Cities with banned breeds are "grandfathering" in dogs which already live there - which brings us full circle to "what if my town decides my dog is dangerous." Scary stuff.
Kids and dogs can be a bad mix and I always wonder about adults who put their 2 or 3 year old (or even older) and that child's friend in a room with a dog and then are surprised when the dog bites somebody and the kids don't think anybody was teasing the dog - what were they thinking?
And I have my dogs for protection as well as companionship - I don't want a little foo-foo dog. I want a big dog with a big bark and if it comes down to it, big teeth.
Unfortunately, there will always be irresponsible people.
In all the years I have done dog bite investigations I know of 3 that could not be explained by bad training (they wanted a mean guard dog and so... ) or lack of supervision (kid, cookie, dog) or teasing (chain a dog, go to work, come back and have no idea what's gone on all day). Exactly three.
With our Pitbull ban in Ontario, any dog that was already born by the date the law went into effect was allowed to live, under certain rules, the main one being that they must be muzzled in public. Any dog found to be a pitbull that was born after the ban is in danger of being euthanized. Recently a pitbull looking dog got out of a yard in Toronto and now it's heritage is being examined. His age puts him at being born after the ban was in place. If it is found to be a pit, it will be destroyed. He did not bite anyone, was just roaming the streets after someone irresposibly left the gate open. Something should be done to protect these poor things. I agree with both of you & your suggestions on monitoring the dogs, however I am still pushing for monitoring of the owners. I've been thinking lately that the best thing would be mandatory obedience courses for both owner & any pet that falls into the dangerous breeds category. As for the original OP's question, go for the broker idea, and let that person make all the calls to individual agencies. Liability Ins. For pets does not seem to be an easy find.
N0help4u agrees: Exactly and I never want a little foo foo dog either... one exception I do want a Jack Terrier some day.
I have a horse farm down the road from me - and the barn is guarded by (drum roll!) Jack Russell terriers. Apparently they are tenacious little beasts, bark their little heads off, don't bother the horses and are friendly to visitors when the barn is open.
I enjoy them because they are like wind up toys, running and jumping. They all look like they're on speed.
I think there are 4 of them.
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Originally Posted by Hundalei
Do you know what they are using as a means of identifying the breed other than AKC papers? I recently investigated a dog bite accident ("is it a dangerous breed? Should they have known? Was there a higher standard of care?") and to my surprise the owners had had DNA testing done on the dog some time ago (perhaps for breeding purposes - ?) and the test determined the dog was a mixed breed.
I've been wondering if this is true - it's what the owners said and I haven't had an opportunity to check if certain DNA results are breed specific.
From everything I know and have read they are determining breed by DNA. The papers are faked to easily. I was reading a bit about the story I was mentioning and came across this article on how Alberta is controlling the problem. With a dangerous dog rule instead of dangerous breed. Quite ingenious really. Leave it to Calgary to come up with a smart law. Story is linked here: The Rambo Saga | Mississauga South Provincial Liberal Association
Hi nicole, sorry for the late response. I will ask my husband exactly how he did it and will get you a telephone number so you can contact usaa yourself. We already had our renters insurance with them so it was easy to add a clause including the dog. Will get back to you soon with all the info
Xx
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Originally Posted by isabelgopo
If you search usaa on the internet and go to their website you can ask them if they discriminate against breeds (which is what it's called).
Usaa.com
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