Dog Bite Liability

Do you own a dog? If so, you may or may not be aware that if it bites somebody you could be sued. In fact, many people are looking for a reason to sue others, and this is quite common all over the country.

There is a very good chance that your dog will bite somebody sooner or later. Every year, nearly 5 million dog bites take place in the United States alone. In turn, this results in a cost of approximately $1 billion.

For this reason, more and more homeowner's insurance companies are not covering dog bites. And if they do, they demand proof that your dog is not a known "aggressive breed.'

Often times, the insurance company will make these changes to a policy while it is already in force. Of course, they will tell the policy holder, but often times this goes by without notice. So if you are a dog owner, make sure that you carefully read your policy. You will want to make sure that you are covered if your dog happens to bite somebody.

In most cases, if your policy covers dog bites it will provide somewhere between $100,000 and $300,000 worth of liability coverage. And if a claim goes beyond this, you will be responsible for the rest.

If your dog bites somebody and a claim has to be made, your insurer may suggest that you get rid of it. And if you do not, your homeowner's insurance will increase, or worse yet they may not let you renew your policy.

Here are some tips for minimizing the chances that you will run into this problem.

Socialize your dog at an early age. This will get them used to dealing with people in a kind and gentle manner.
Spayed or neutered dogs are less likely to bite.
When you play with your dogs, make sure that they are having fun and are not acting aggressively.
Obedience training can go a long way in helping to socialize your dog.