The Marcus Group Blog

Most people think of their pets as members of the family and do not consider them part of their Florida home insurance policy. Pet ownership comes with more responsibility than just maintaining their health and happiness. You must also be able to cover any damages or injuries caused by your pooch. Many pets, including certain breeds of dogs, may automatically be excluded from your home insurance coverage, which means you will need to get a separate insurance policy or risk covering such expenses on your own. 

The breeds that may be refused for coverage by the typical insurance policy include Rottweilers, German shepherds, pit bulls, Siberian huskies, bulldogs, Alaskan malamutes, and wolf hybrids. Also note that cross breeds of these types of dogs may also be considered ‘dangerous’.  

Most pet related insurance claims stem from attacks or bites from your pet.  Even if you pet jumps to greet a guest and they fall down and break their arm, that person could file a claim against you.

As many dog owners will attest, bad behavior or aggressiveness is often attributable to the owner – abusing an animal can result in an aggressive pet; and failing to give a dog proper training is setting the dog up to ‘fail the attitude test’. 

With so many variables, it is best to be sure that any injury inflicted by your pet on a guest would be covered by your Florida home insurance policy or, if necessary, through a separate pet liability rider. To obtain coverage for your animal, contact a representative of our agency today.

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