What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Home Insurance

Do you own a pup? Our team at The Sirover Agency, LLC wants to make sure you know how this directly affects your property coverage. Here’s what every dog owner needs to know about home insurance.

Home Insurance Includes Liability Coverage

Perhaps the most important aspect of home insurance for dog owners is the liability component. This is what kicks in if someone comes to your home and your dog injures them in any serious way. As an example, let’s say your child has a friend from school over who ends up bitten and requires stitches. In this case, the liability portion of your policy would pay for those medical bills.

Furthermore, liability also pays if your dog gets out and causes damage to someone else’s property. An example of this would be a pet that destroys a neighbor’s fencing or causes significant damage to a home down the street. In this scenario, your liability coverage might pay to fix these damages.

When Your Pet Damages Your Own Home

Many Wayne, PA dog owners want to know if there’s coverage when their pet damages a portion of their home. Need an example? An anxious dog who eats through a wall or tears up the carpet. Sadly, the answer to this is no. Homeowners’ insurance does not typically cover damages to your own home caused by your dog.

Does Home Insurance Cover Vet Bills?

This is one of those questions that really depends on the situation. If your pet is injured or becomes ill for normal health concerns, your home insurance would not pay for treatment. However, if your dog is injured as part of a bigger claim on your home, there might be some payment. For example, if your purebred Labrador is injured in a house fire and needs extensive veterinary care, there’s a potential chance that your policy might cover it. The reason? Pets are considered personal property. However, this isn’t true with every insurer, so it is important to ask your agent to clarify your specific policy.

Not All Breeds Are Accepted

While you likely know that your canine companion is a good boy or girl, your insurance company does not. Most have a list of statistically more likely breeds to cause injury to humans, and they won’t insure properties where this type of pet lives.

Interested in learning more about home insurance coverage in Wayne, PA? Please contact our team at The Sirover Agency, LLC to schedule an appointment.