Question

Does having a dog increase homeowners insurance?

Answer 1

Having some breeds of dogs can increase your homeowners insurance rates.

Just having a dog does not usually increase your homeowners insurance rates but if you have a breed of dog that is considered dangerous such as a Pit Bull dog then your homeowners insurance will likely increase.

Also some homeowners insurance companies will not even insure some homes if you have a dangerous dog breed and if they do your homeowners insurance will be at least 20 percent to even 80 percent higher in cost than it would be if you didn't have the dog.

Some dangerous dog breeds can and will bite and harm people and then the person who was injured by the dangerous dog can sue you which would cause your homeowners insurance to have to pay out.

If you do not report to the homeowners insurance company that you do have a dangerous dog breed and they find out they can drop you without notice.

Answer 2

Dogs can increase your homeowners insurance policy rates if the dog is a high risk dog breed.

Larger dogs will be more likely to increase your homeowners insurance policy.

I also was looking at a house to buy and insure and at first I did not know about the neighbors Pit Bull dog next door.

Suddenly when the homeowners insurance agent showed up and was looking over the house the Pit Bull came out into the neighbors back yard and started barking aggressively towards us.

The dogs owner luckily came out and got the Pit Bull and took him somewhere but the homeowners insurance agent said that the insurance company would not want to insure the house because of that Pit Bull and if they did the price was gonna be an extra $300.00 per month.

That is even though the dog was not mine but a neighbors.

So be aware of that as well.

If I'm looking for a house and there's a dangerous dog breed next door or nearby I do not even consider buying the house.

Not only because of insurance but also because of safety.