I have three pitbulls that I have had for five years. Now I am trying to buy a house and I know it's going to be a problem trying to get HO Ins. Is there any way around getting the ins. with the dogs?
2006-10-27 08:36:52 · 15 answers · asked by trinam04 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Well, if you don't mention them, they won't cover you when you get sued my someone, if your dogs attack.
2006-10-27 08:46:18 · answer #1 · answered by fairly smart 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The insurance agent typically asks you if you have any dogs, the breed, and their past bite history. Even if they don't ask prior to the policy inception, most insurers have the ability to cancel you later down the line. Several states' insurance commissioners have banned insurers from denying coverage to homes based on the breed of the dog. It's no secret that pit bulls have a bad reputation for being aggressive, although there are many sweet ones. Some companies will deny you coverage, some will exclude claims that arise from the dogs, and some will charge extra to cover the breed. The insurer I work for will not accept you unless you live in Michigan (where it is illegal to decline coverage for a specific breed of dog), but you may want to try State Farm, Fireman's Fund, or even Lloyd's of London. It may be hard to find coverage, but there is an insurer out there to provide you coverage. Each state has an assigned risk plan for people who can't find an insurer to accept them. You would have to contact the state insurance department and they will assign you an insurer who has to provide coverage, no matter the risk.
2016-05-22 01:21:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You get around this by lying.
Problem is, if you make a claim against your policy and they find out, not only will your claim be denied, they may decide to sue YOU for fraud.
Your claim may not even have anything to do with the dogs, lets say a backyard shed catches fire. If an adjuster comes and sees evidence of a dog, and this information was required by your policy application, this may cancell out ALL your coverage and may affect your ability to get coverage in the future.
Best bet is to fill out any information they ask for. Even if you think it's none of your business, if you sign the bottom of the application that the information is true, they can sue you for perjury if it is not.
The problem with lying is that you have to maintain the lie. Not an easy thing to do for an extended period of time. AND, you have to get the whole rest of the world to lie for you. Not possible. All it will take to catch you at a lie will be a few questions asked of your neighbors on either side of you. And the ones behind. And the ones at the corners of your property. And the ones across the street.
And their kids and their friends.
Even you, yourself recognize the risks, as indicated by the fact that you mention Pit Bulls, by breed. If they are genuinely no risk to you or anyone else, then there is no reason to lie. If the dogs even MIGHT be a risk, all the more reason to include their presence on the application.
2006-10-27 08:51:38 · answer #3 · answered by Vince M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Years ago, I had Rottweilers & State Farm Homeowners insurance. Their policy was not restricted by breed, but by deed (as they ALL should be): if our dog bit someone, they would pay...but only once. After that, it would be on our shoulders. I have also heard in the past that Nationwide insurance does the same. I don't know if either of these companies still do not discriminate by breed, but some companies do & some don't. Call around & ask till you find the ones that don't, and get quotes.
2006-10-27 08:54:44 · answer #4 · answered by mustanglynnie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would contact your local city haqll and ask if there is any restrictions on pitt bulls, here they require the home owner to take out liablity insurance. IF there is a restriction, you can get around it by saying the dogs are staffishire terriors, I know a lady who ownes a pit and has her liecenced as a staffy so she doesnt' have to follow the stupid restrictions here. The pit bull bylaw here is, the dog must be contained in a chain link dog pen, with a roof and concrete floor, and must be locked at all times, when in the house the dog has to be with an adult at all times, when being walked the dog must be muzzeled, the home owner must have 1/2 million liablity insurance in their home insurance.
2006-10-27 08:53:39 · answer #5 · answered by pharfly1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are going to be a responsible dog owner, you MUST own up to it and pay the extra money. It's a choice you made when you took on that particular breed. Also, you may want to check on BSL in the area you are looking to move. That's Breed Specific Legislation, some communities have banned dangerous breeds such as pits, presos, corsos, brasileros, etc. The dogs that are used for fighting and killing people.
2006-10-27 08:53:31 · answer #6 · answered by Don't shop, adopt! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No pit bulls can be dangerious so you have to disclose that info.If you try to lie and something happens you will be liable in more ways than you know.I think that if you are a responsible pet owner you would want to protect yourself and the dogs just in case anything ever happened.
2006-10-27 09:26:33 · answer #7 · answered by plumcouch30 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, no. Coming from a pitbull owner and lover myself, you definitely have to disclose all your information, especially those dogs considered 'dangerous'. If not, you could get in serious trouble later on. It's best to buck up and tell them and pay the little bit more you have to.
2006-10-27 08:44:45 · answer #8 · answered by Barbi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to State Farm ,they are the best insurance around when it comes to the black listed breeds.They have no black listed breeds. All State is the worst insurance company to go to.Pits are at the top of the list that they will deny.I'm with a private comany for my dogs which works for me.
2006-10-27 09:02:42 · answer #9 · answered by pitbullmom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately no, if you are found out it can lead to helfty fines or losing your insurance all together.
Go to an independent insurance agent, they can shop around and you get the best deal, with the dogs, That is what my parents did when they bought their new house, they rescue Rotts, I believe they have Allstate.
2006-10-27 08:50:29 · answer #10 · answered by Nikki T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my husband and i have a pit and we also own our own house. when we were getting the quote for insurance they asked us if we had any german shepards, rotties, pits or any other kind of dog and we told them that we did have a pit he told us that they (state farm) does not care about dogs it is just one of the questions that they ask because they then explain to you that they will only pay for dog bite once then you are resposible for the bills after that so i would suggest state farm their are alot of companies that will not cover you if you have an "aggressive breed" just call around and ask the quotes are free
2006-10-27 09:10:29 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋