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My dog Sylvie is a gentle soul. She loves snacks, cushy sofas and snoozing in a sunbeam. She doesn’t have an aggressive bone in her furry body. But I still have pet liability insurance on the off chance she ever hurts someone.
Why you need pet liability insurance
“Any dog can bite,” the American Veterinary Medical Association says on its website. Whether they’re scared, in pain or provoked, even otherwise friendly dogs may find themselves snapping at someone. And if it’s your dog who does the snapping, the costs could be significant.
There were more than 28,000 dog bite claims filed in the U.S. in 2025, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average cost per claim was more than $65,000.
But it’s not just bites you need to worry about. Say your exuberant golden retriever jumps up to greet an older woman, who falls and breaks her hip. If she ends up needing surgery and long-term care, her costs could easily reach six digits — and she could sue you to cover them.
Keep in mind that other animals besides dogs could cause harm. If your cat scratches a visiting child or your pet snake bites a guest, you could face a liability claim.
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Answer a few questions to see custom quotes and find the right policy for you. Pet liability coverage in your home or renters insurance policy
If you have homeowners, condo or renters insurance, chances are you already have pet liability coverage. These policies generally include personal liability coverage, with limits starting at $100,000. For smaller incidents, you could also use your medical payments coverage. Both types of coverage could help with animal claims.
Personal liability coverage
Personal liability coverage can pay if you’re responsible for hurting someone else or damaging their property. It may cover hospital bills, legal fees and other expenses. This part of your policy usually applies to anyone in your household — including animals in your care. Incidents don’t need to happen in your home, so a dog bite at the park would be covered.
However, it’s important to check whether your policy actually covers your pet. Some insurers don’t include animal liability coverage unless you pay extra for it. Others won’t cover “exotic animals” or certain dog breeds they consider to be at higher risk for claims. Such breeds often include pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds and huskies.
Still other insurance companies may refuse to cover any animal with a history of aggression, regardless of breed.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Whether an insurance company will cover your dog may depend on where you live. Certain states have laws to keep home insurers from denying coverage based on the breed of dog you have. These states include Colorado, Illinois and New York. Medical payments coverage
Liability insurance is important when your pet seriously injures someone, but sometimes the injury is minor. If a neighbor needs just a few stitches, they might not be interested in filing a big lawsuit.
That’s where medical payments coverage comes in. It’s no-fault insurance, so it can pay in cases even where you weren’t responsible for what happened. But keep in mind that it’ll pay only $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your policy limit.
Note that personal liability and medical payments insurance cover injuries to people outside your household. So they won’t help if your beagle bites your child, for instance. In these situations, you’d turn to your health insurance.
Other alternatives for pet liability insurance
If your insurer won’t cover your dog because of its breed, you might want to find liability insurance elsewhere. Umbrella insurance may give you the coverage you need. (Again, though, you’ll want to ask specifically whether it will cover your dog.)
Did you know...
Umbrella insurance adds extra liability coverage beyond what you have on your other policies. You could also switch your home or renters insurance to a company that doesn’t care about your dog’s breed. For example, State Farm doesn't look at a dog's breed but rather at its bite history when deciding whether to provide coverage.
Another option is to get a separate animal liability insurance policy. This type of insurance may be the only choice for dogs with a history of aggression. It’s available from companies like Xinsurance, Dog Bite Insurance and Einhorn Insurance Agency.
Cost of pet liability insurance
If your home or renters policy covers your dog, you generally won’t have to pay anything beyond your usual premium. However, base rates may be slightly higher for people with pets, especially if you have a dog the insurer considers a higher-risk breed.
Rates for stand-alone animal liability insurance will depend on where you live, how much coverage you want and your pet’s history. To give you an idea, we gathered sample quotes from Dog Bite Insurance, which showed a wide range of annual prices:
- $454 for a Doberman pinscher in Texas with no bite history and $25,000 of coverage.
- $805 for a pit bull in Maryland with one past bite and $50,000 of coverage.
- $1,124 for a Great Dane in California with three past bites and $300,000 of coverage.
Checklist for pet owners
Tell your insurance company about your pet. Don’t try to hide the fact that you have an animal or lie about its breed. If you end up having a claim, the insurance company could refuse to pay it or even drop your policy altogether if you weren’t truthful in your application.
Consider higher liability limits. Animal claims can be expensive. For that reason, you may want more than the minimum coverage limits for personal liability and medical payments.
If your pet isn’t covered, shop around. Other insurers may have different rules about which animals they’re willing to cover. As a last resort, consider separate animal liability insurance. An independent agent can help you find options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pet liability insurance the same as pet insurance?
No. Pet liability insurance covers injuries or property damage your pet causes. Pet insurance covers your furry pal’s veterinary care if they get sick or hurt. Learn more about what pet insurance covers.
Do umbrella insurance policies cover dogs?
Umbrella insurance is a type of policy that gives you extra liability coverage beyond what’s available on your existing policies. Umbrella policies often cover dog bites or other pet liability claims, but check with your insurer to be certain. See how to find the best umbrella insurance.
Will my homeowners insurance go up if my dog bites someone?
Yes, it might. Homeowners insurance rates go up after many types of claims. You may also find it harder to find coverage for the dog in the future now that it has a bite history.
A previous version of this article misstated how personal liability coverage limits are applied. The article has been corrected.
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- 1. American Veterinary Medical Association. Dog Bite Prevention. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 2. Insurance Information Institute. Spotlight on: Dog Bite Liability. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
