Pit Bull Dogs and Home Insurance

If you are a home owner with a pit bull dog, or are considering getting a pit bull, you may be aware that your pet could affect your home insurance. Here are some things to consider.

American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are some of the more popular breeds commonly referred to as pit bulls. Many home insurance companies consider these dogs as a potential liability risk because their owners are often held accountable by law if the dog injures a person. When you purchase a homeowners insurance policy, you receive a certain amount of liability coverage to help pay for lawsuits filed against you.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites cost the property and casualty insurance industry about $317.2 million in 2005. Because insurers consider certain breeds of dog as a higher risk for a claim, they will often charge higher home insurance rates for pit bull owners.

However, the thing to realize is that each insurance company determines their rates and underwriting guidelines based on several factors that may be unique to that company. Thus rates -- as well as tolerance for accepting dogs -- can vary quite a bit from company to company. So whether you already own a pit bull, or are planning on getting one, you should get some comparison home insurance quotes. The Insurance Information Institute recommends getting at least three different quotes.

This is easy to do online by requesting quotes from different company Web sites. Or you may want to use an insurance comparison site. These sites don't represent one company. Instead, you only need to fill out one online quote form, then you get several different quotes back. These sites often use independent agents who will work to find you the lowest quotes.

To further lower your homeowner insurance costs, consider raising your deductible as well as taking advantage of any available discounts.

And finally, the Insurance Information Institute recommends being proactive in reducing your chances of dog bite liability. They recommend spaying or neutering your pet, learning how to maintain control of your dog and properly socializing him or her so they know how to act around other people and animals. Also, talk to a vet about ways to reduce aggressive behavior.

Compare home insurance quotes for dog owners

Justin Scott writes about insurance issues. Get up to 5 free home insurance quotes at the comparison site LowerYourInsurance.com. The site also features more information about home insurance and dogs.

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