Should insurance companies control what dogs you can have?

Question

I have read a few other questions regarding pit bulls and other "dangerous" dogs, and have been shocked by knowing that insurances can make pet decisions for you.
Listen, I do believe that the owner should be responsible for its dogs, but that doesn't mean that you can't have certain breeds. I think the government should limit itself to controlling where these dogs are being kept. These are living beings we are talking about, and we treat them as if they were commodities.
It is almost like insurance companies saying that you can only have two children, one boy and one girl, and if the girl has bad temperament, then she should be destroyed.
I fully understand that some dogs are a little mean, but that's why the owner of such dogs should attend training and obedience classes regularly, until the dog behaviourist is satisfied with the dog.

Answer 1

It kinda blows, but its the fact of Private/Public Ownership of a Corporation in a Capitalist Society. You don't like it, change insurance companies. Write your Congressman. Vote down any laws that make one species illegal and another legal. Its about time to take America back from the Professional Politicians and the Lobbyists that own them.

Answer 2

They can't tell anyone what kind of pet they can have.They can however cancel or refuse coverage to an owner of a vicious dog.
They always ask what and how many pets are on the property and rates reflect that as liability insurance increases to cover the dog.One or 2 so called dangerous dogs won't hurt your premium but when they find out you've got 5-10 of these animals they will probably drop your coverage.The liability to them is too great.

Answer 3

Insurance companies are private FORprofit companies that try to reduce risk of pay out and increase returns.

Many Ins. co's require owners of certain breeds to pay extra for insurance because these breeds are seen as more likely to result in a claim. If you own a fast car or a car more likely to be stolen, you pay more too.

If you live within 50 feet of a fire hydrant you pay less than someone who lives 700 feet away from a hydrant.

If you own a dog of a "dangerous" breed that passes the canine good citizen test held by the akc your insurance rate goes down because you have established the good behavior of the dog.

Just like taking driver's classes as a kid means lower car insurance.

So, the companies aren't saying you can't own a certain breed (or certain car) what they are saying is that statistically it puts you in a higher risk category and you have to pay for that.

Some co's. won't cover certain breeds? Change companies. Some co's won't insure you if you have a trampoline in your backyard...

Answer 4

The reason for this, is because some dogs actually will tear up the inside of the home to the point of walls have fallen. Also because some dogs are so agressive that they can actually break through windows to get to service people, mail carriers, delivery men, electrical workers, they have injured these people so badly, that they ended up in the hospital. Now, that makes the homeowner responsible, but its the homeowners insurance that will pay out for that. The insurance pays the hospital bills, and if the people decide to sue, which 99.99% of the time they do, and its the insurance company that pays that out. So you see, they do have the choice to say no you may not have that dog in your home. Which is why people that have these animals usually end up having the minimal home insurance, which means should soemthing actually happen to the home, it does'nt get repaired, unless the home is like burned down to the ground, or flooded.

Answer 5

Insurance companies are private companies and are entitled to decide whether or not they want to insure you or not. They don't "control" what dogs you can have, because that's entirely up to you. But I think insurance companies, because they are privately owned companies, are entitled to limit the risk that they're undertaking by refusing to provide insurance policies to homeowners or apartment renters who own certain, "dangerous" breeds of dogs.

Also, you mention a "dog behaviourist"...maybe that would work, but it seems like it would cost the insurance companies a lot of money to figure out which "dangerous" dogs have been sufficiently trained, and which ones weren't, and the possibility of fraud seems pretty high.

Answer 6

Insurance companies are private companies and they have the right to refuse you or to accept you as a client. Here the state regulates the insurance so you don't really have much of a choice as to who covers you; however, some states you have a whole line of choice to who covers you for property and different rules and regulations.

Just like car insurance companies charge a different rate based on how you drive, at times not even that but your age and sex. They give a higher rate towards those under 25 and male as to female who are under 25. Or perhaps a higher rate to males over 25 tan females over 25. They may not cover someone charged with a DUI. They even charge different rates based on the car you drive.They have the right to do this, because they want to judge how much you are a risk to their company based on what you drive, your sex, age, etc. That's unfair itself. They don't charge a rate based on knowing you and yourself personally but based on a record or if you don't have a record based on others in your group/age/sex/etc.

I am assuming the same things go for dogs. You can have a really sweet dog that is consider a dangerous dog, but they don't see that.They don't really know you as a person nor know your dog. All they see is that you own this breed of dog and based on the history of others is what your rate is going to be. In the end they need to consider how much of a risk you are to them and what their loss is going to be.

Since each insurance company (that isn't regulated by the state) has their own rules/regulations, you have to read the fine print and try to figure out a company that works best for you with the type of pets you own.

know my renters insurance knows I have a dog on the premises but they told me that the breed of the dog doesn't matter as long as I have the 1 dog that I signed for. Which is good. I don't know how dangerous my dog is consider to be by others or my insurance company (miniature pinscher), but she sure made my mail person jump when she barked @ her (even though inside she's really incredibly friendly and will bark @ a person and then run up to them and play).

Answer 7

Yes I do believe they should have that option . Should you choose to own a dangerous dog then it is you who are saying that you have the right to own that dog so in turn it is you who are opting to pay the higher insurance rates so that you may keep that type of dog. Those types of dogs have been known to tear through a window to get at people just passing the window . so you see the insurance would have to pay for any damages done to the innocent party. That my dear is the cost you pay for owning a dangerous dog. good luck .

Answer 8

No they shouldnt in any way be able to dictate to you what you can and can not have but then again the owners should be held more responsible for the actions of their pets and since they dont insurance companys have to make rules. A couple bad owners will ruin it for the majority!

Answer 9

They can't control what dogs we have, but they can control the policies they provide, or rather refuse to provide us.

Answer 10

YES