It is no secret that it can be hard for owners of certain breeds to find home insurance coverage.
Many companies have policies in place that allow them to cancel or deny coverage if someone owns breeds the company deems dangerous.
According to Pyschology Today, these are the 14 breeds that are most often blacklisted by insurance companies:
- Pit Bull Terriers
- Dobermans
- Rottweilers
- Staffordshire Terriers
- German Shepherds
- Presa Canarios
- Chow Chows
- Akitas
- Wolf Hybrids
- Mastiffs
- Cane Corsos
- Great Danes
- Alaskan Malamutes
- Siberian Huskies
Unfortunately, anyone who has dog with a bite history – regardless of breed – will have a hard time finding insurance says Sarah Sprouse, from the American Kennel Club’s Government Relations department.
And, even if your dog hasn’t bitten, many states require extra precautions to insure homes with these breeds living in them.
Sprouse says the riders vary depending on state regulation but she has heard they are usually expensive.
Even worse? According to the National Council On Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), the number 1 and 2 reasons for relinquishment are moving and landlord not allowing pet.
“We can infer that insurance plays a roll in that,” says Sprouse.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) knows that people can have trouble finding insurance. They have six tips for people looking for coverage:
- Shop around. Ask your dog-owning friends which company they use and if they have had problems. Your dog’s national breed club may also have suggestions.
- Contact the insurance commissioner in your state. The phone number can also be found in the state government section of the blue pages of your phone book. The commissioner can provide you with a list of all insurance companies doing business in your state. Work your way down the list to find out who can provide you with coverage that best suits your needs. When you speak to the commissioner, share your frustration over companies’ discriminatory practices. _Specifically ask him or her to review a cancellation or refusal to renew your policy. Existing law may already prohibit insurance companies from discriminating by breed, particularly if you live in Pennsylvania or Michigan.
- Talk to more than one representative for a particular carrier before giving up. Agents within the same company may have different policies.
- Show that the dog has completed some type of obedience training program, such asAKC’s Canine Good Citizen® program.
- Contact your state senator or representative. Discuss your insurance problems and suggest that he or she introduce legislation prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against homeowners based on the breed of dog they own. The Government Relations department (doglaw@akc.org) has materials to assist you in these efforts.
- As a last resort, consider buying a separate liability policy or separate rider to your existing policy that is specifically directed towards your dogs.
(reprinted with permission from the AKC site)
