A dog might be a man's best friend, but that doesn't make it bite less traumatic for the victim. Dog-related injuries don't just cause physical scars but emotional ones too. However, it can also mean financial liability in some cases, and it is for this reason that insurance against such bites is necessary. If you are a tenant and dog owner, renters insurance can give you the financial protection you need against dog bites. Renters insurance is personal liability insurance that protects your personal belongings as a tenant, but it can also cover dog bites and any canine-related damages. Here, we look at the nitty-gritty of renters insurance and how it applies to dog bites.
Dog Bites and Renters Insurance
While renter insurance covers dog bites, it is not as simple as it looks. The coverage is not straightforward, and there is usually a policy limit. The common policy limit for liability is $100,000. This means your renter insurance will cover up to $100,000 in liability if your dog should bite someone. While this might seem like a lot, the cost of dog bite lawsuits can exceed such amount if the victim should file a claim, and your insurance provider cannot settle without going to trial. The limit means you will be responsible for anything above the $100,000 limit. Most renters insurance also excludes some dogs. These include Akitas, chow chows, Alaskan Malamutes, Great Danes, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, etc. Most of the excluded dogs are large or medium breeds, with some even more aggressive than regular dogs. However, the strength and size impact how much harm they can do, even accidentally.
Filing an Insurance Claim for Dog Bites
Filing a claim for dog bites is similar to other renters insurance liability claims. Once someone is bitten, the next thing is for the policyholder to inform the insurance company, and what happens next will depend on the actions of the dog bites victims. If the dog bite victim does not have to go to the hospital due, and the injury is minor, the policyholder may not have to file a claim. But suppose the injury requires going to the hospital for any medical attention such as stitches or reconstructive surgery. In that case, the cost of such medical expenses will usually warrant filing a liability claim. In that case, the bite victim's insurance provider may work with the insurance provider for the dog owner. Regardless of the situation, the Renters insurance policy will cover the cost of personal liability to the policy's limit.
Statistic on Dog Bites
Dog bites in America are surprisingly high, with about 4.5 million people bitten annually and around 885,000 of them requiring medical attention. Half of these people are children, and this means many insurance liability claims are filed annually. A 2015 study by the State Farm and the Insurance Information Institute discovered that one-third of homeowners' insurance liability fees were related to dog bites. While there are no statistics on the liability claims for renters insurance, that of homeowners gives an insight into the likely cost of the dog bites liability claims. It should also be noted that renters insurance does not just exclude some dogs' breeds; it also excludes many other animals such as reptiles, hooves animals, fowls, or reptiles. Of course, there are also insurance companies that don't discriminate in terms of the breed.