Dogs and Homeowner Insurance Policies

Ask Your Absolute Insurance Agent:  Do I have to tell me Homeowners Insurance Company that I have a dog?

One question that is on every Homeowner/Condo Owner/Renters insurance application is whether you have any dogs or other animals in the household or on the property.  If you didn’t disclose the dog on your application or didn’t disclose the breed of your dog, your insurance policy could be voided due to misrepresentation.  This means that if your dog bit someone, and the dog wasn’t mentioned on your Homeowners insurance policy, the insurance company may refuse to pay the claim and cancel your policy.

 Each company has different guidelines relating to dogs, but usually, the company will ask for the breed of the dog, the bite history, and sometimes how the dog is controlled (in the house, in a fenced-in yard, etc.)  We do not have any Homeowner Insurance Company that will write a policy where a dog has a prior bite history or is a pit bull.
 
Did you get a new dog or pet since your application was written?  Let your agent know what type of animal/breed of dog, how the dog is controlled, and whether it has a bite history so we can note your policy.