Every day, nearly 1,000 people require emergency care for dog bites (dogsbite.org), In 2025, dog bites or dog-related costs were responsible for over one third of all homeowners’ liability dollars paid out in claims, or over $1,862,000 (www.iii.org). Insurers continue to reassess their positions on eligibility of dog owners for coverage. Helping clients understand the risks and responsibilities of pet ownership is another value-added service of the professional insurance agent.

Homeowners insurance historically has covered liability for dog bites. In recent years, the increasing number of incidents has prompted many insurers to attempt to exclude certain breeds of dogs, or dogs that are known to be dangerous. In some cases, homeowners have been unable to purchase coverage or had their policies cancelled due to the presence of a certain breed of dog. While some dog owners may feel that these measures are unfair, the statistics do bear that out.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are approximately 65-68 million households with almost 90 million dogs in the United States, with approximately 4.5 million bites occurring per year. The Centers for Disease Control advises that 1 in 5 bites per year, or approximately 885,000, are serious enough to require medical attention. There were an estimated 84 dog-related deaths in 2025 in the United States and Canada – with 64 of these involving pit bulls (animals 24-7). This was the fourth year in a row that attacks by pit bulls increased in number. The actual number of claims has decreased over the years, but the average cost per claim increased over 86% – to more than $69,000 – in the decade from 2014-2024(insurancejournal.com).

Breed banning is not just an insurance issue. According to petplace.com, as of 2024, 21 states have or permit breed-specific legislation (BSL). Thirteen states prohibit BSL and 16 states allow limited local exceptions. Over 700 cities have passed laws banning certain dog breeds since the 1980s, when fighting dogs (usually pit bulls) became more popular as pets. Forty countries have dangerous dog breed laws. Twenty-nine states have strict liability laws – even if the dog was not previously aggressive. Focus has shifted from banning specific breeds to laws based on dangerous behavior of individual dogs.

Pet owners sometimes will state that their dog has never hurt anyone. Unfortunately, in more than two-thirds of dog bite cases, the attack was the first known aggressive behavior of the dog. Familys’ or friends’ pets are responsible for the majority of dog bites.

Historically, according to dogsbite.org, pit bulls have been involved in the vast majority of attacks, including more than 62% of the total recorded deaths, even though they represent only 5-20% of the total dog population in the United States. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 74% of these deaths.
The person who owns or harbors a dangerous dog is responsible for medical bills. In addition, they may be subject to a fine or punitive damages especially if the dog has attacked before. The victim’s lost income and pain and suffering are also compensable. If a dog owner is uninsured for the dog bite liability, society as a whole ends up paying for the medical bills and other expenses of the victims.

With respect to dog bite liability, New York is a “mixed state” (http://dogbitelaw.com/ ). A limited degree of strict liability is coupled with the one bite rule. Strict liability holds the owner or “harborer” of the animal liable for medical and/or veterinary costs, if the animal was previously determined to be dangerous. For other damages, New York requires that the victim prove the dog had dangerous tendencies and that the owner knew it. New Jersey is another state that is considering stricter leash and fence laws in an effort to further control large breeds and prevent attacks.

Man’s best friend should not be a liability. Helping clients understand the potential risks and how to reduce their exposure, is another sign of the true insurance professional.

This article is for educational and discussion purposes only and it is not insurance or legal advice and should not be relied upon when making insurance or legal decisions. Nothing herein shall be construed to constitute a legal or underwriting opinion. Nothing herein shall be construed as offering any political, social, or public policy opinion by the author or MSO. Neither the author nor MSO are responsible for errors in, or the accuracy or currentness of, the article.

This article was previously published in Insurance Advocate and is provided courtesy of MSO®, Inc. (The Mutual Service Office, Inc.). MSO provides advisory services for all property and casualty lines except workers compensation. This includes customized forms and manuals for insurers, MGA's, and agents / brokers. Additional information is available at www.msonet.com.