When it comes to home insurance, you may think you have it all figured out; you know what to do in case of a flood, fire, lightning, hail, or theft and you have proper coverage. However, you may be overlooking a huge component of your home insurance: your dog.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the cost of the average claim from dog bites and other injuries has risen in recent years. Even though the number of dog bite claims decreased, the average cost per dog bite claim rose 15 percent (making it $32,072) last year. The reason for this increase in price is largely due to increased medical costs and the size of settlements, judgments, and jury awards given to plaintiffs. Furthermore, dogs knocking down children, cyclists, and senior citizens are also roped into the dog bite category and have contributed to the rise in price of claims.
Even if you know your dog is very docile and not likely to harm anyone, anything can happen when a dog is scared or feels that themselves or their owner is being threatened. The best and most careful thing you can do is to train your dog and make sure you are a responsible owner by keeping a close eye on your dog in situations where your dog could come into contact with other dogs or people. Dog expert Victoria Stillwell says that "All dogs have the potential to bite, but for most, biting is a last resort. If time is taken to raise, teach and socialize a dog correctly, the likelihood of a bite incident occurring is extremely low. Confident dogs have less need to use aggressive behavior."
To obtain free insurance quotes or better insurance coverage please contact an independent insurance agency like us who can offer multiple carriers.
Suzanne Brown Insurance Agency
A Texas Independent Insurance Agency with over 40 insurance carriers
www.SuzanneBrownAgency.com
281-558-2210