Home Insurance: How to Stay Out of the Doghouse

Thinking about adding a new four-legged family member? You might want to consider more than the opinions of your family and friends before you make that decision. Another opinion you probably should give some consideration to is that of your insurance company. 

According to Forbes Magazine, insurance companies are becoming increasingly picky about which dog breeds they are willing to insure, and having the wrong breed of dog can result in higher premiums for your home insurance, failure to renew coverage and even exclusion of claim costs, leaving you to foot the bill if your canine companion misbehaves. 

So which dog breeds are on the naughty list? There are 10 breeds which insurance companies tend to look at less favorably, but the four most notorious ones are Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and German Shepherds. 

Needless to say, if your heart is set on one of the breeds listed above, or if you already own one of them, this can cause some heartache. There are, however, some things that can be done to decrease the likelihood of your ever having to file a claim, which may keep you on your insurance company’s good side. 

According to the AKC, the best defense against claims is a well-socialized dog. Other common sense actions they say can decrease the chance of an adverse event are leashing your dog when walking it, vaccinating it properly and never allowing it to be around strangers (especially children!) unsupervised. 

Of course, some homeowners may consider searching for a less intimidating breed that does not appear on any insurance company’s list. They should bear in mind, however, that none of the named breeds made it to the top list of biters in the United States this year. The two breeds most likely to bite, according to MSN Money, are the Dachshund and the Chihuahua. 

Still have questions about whether or not your best friend could land you in hot water? Contact us to help find the best homeowners insurance policy for all of your family members. 

Does your dog affect your coverage? Call SunStar Insurance of Arkansas at 504-225-3454 for more information on home insurance.