If you are a pet owner, you may love to share your friendly pet with neighbors and friends at a neighborhood barbecue or afternoon walk. However, if your dog becomes spooked and bites someone, you could be on the hook for a lot of money. Fortunately, many home insurance policies cover dog bites, even some that don’t occur on your property. Your agent at Saucon Insurance Agency in Bethlehem, PA can help you determine whether you are currently covered for dog bites.

Dog Bite Insurance Coverage

Dog bites fall under your liability coverage unless the breed of your pet is on an exclusion list. For example, pit bulls account for about 63% of complex bite wounds and appear on the excluded breeds list of many insurers. Rottweilers and Dobermans also appear on most exclusion lists because they are perceived as dangerous.

Your insurance agent can explain how your dog bite coverage works. You may be covered up to your policy limit or a percentage of your limit, depending on how the insurer writes the policy. Your coverage may also include legal costs and settlement amounts related to a case that goes to court.

Read the Fine Print

Some insurance companies may only payout on one claim per animal. If your dog has already bitten someone, the insurance company may consider it to be dangerous and uninsurable. This means that you would be on the hook for expenses if your dog bites anyone else. 

Where Are You Covered?

If your dog bites someone at the park or during a walk around the neighborhood, your home insurance policy may have you covered. Ask your insurance agent to double-check if you aren’t clear on the language in the policy. 

Contact Saucon Insurance Agency about your home insurance needs in Bethlehem, PA. We’d be happy to make sure you and your pet are covered in the case of dog bites and other perils.