Dog bites generate over $1 billion in insurance claims annually. The average claim costs $64,000 -- and claims are rising. As a result, many home and renters insurers exclude certain breeds from liability coverage entirely, leaving owners of those dogs personally exposed to potentially devastating financial liability.
Insurers use actuarial data to price risk. Certain breeds statistically generate more severe bite injuries, resulting in larger claims. Whether this reflects breed-specific aggression, owner behavior, or reporting bias is debated -- but insurance pricing is based on claims data, not the debate.
Some states limit or prohibit breed-specific exclusions in insurance policies. Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Pennsylvania have restrictions on insurers' ability to exclude breeds. If you're in one of these states, your options are broader.
Exclusion lists vary significantly by insurer -- there is no universal standard. The following breeds appear most frequently on restricted lists:
| Breed | Exclusion Frequency |
|---|---|
| Pit Bull Terriers (and mixes) | Very common |
| Rottweiler | Very common |
| German Shepherd | Common |
| Akita | Common |
| Chow Chow | Common |
| Doberman Pinscher | Common |
| Wolf Hybrid | Common |
| Siberian Husky | Moderate |
| Alaskan Malamute | Moderate |
| Great Dane | Moderate |
| Presa Canario | Moderate |
| Cane Corso | Moderate |
| Bullmastiff | Moderate |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Moderate |
Important: Never assume your breed is covered without asking your insurer directly. Exclusion lists change, and mixed-breed dogs may be excluded if they "appear to be" a restricted breed -- an insurer's subjective determination. Get written confirmation of your breed's coverage status.
A breed exclusion in your homeowners or renters policy means your insurer will not pay liability claims arising from that dog. If your excluded-breed dog bites a neighbor's child, you receive no insurance coverage for:
The average dog bite settlement that goes to litigation is $100,000-$300,000. Without insurance, this comes directly from your personal assets -- savings, home equity, and future wages.
| Insurer | Breed Exclusion Approach |
|---|---|
| State Farm | No breed exclusion list -- covers based on individual bite history |
| Nationwide | No breed exclusion list -- covers all breeds |
| USAA | No breed exclusion list (for eligible members) |
| Allstate | Excludes certain breeds -- list varies by state |
| Liberty Mutual | Excludes certain breeds -- list varies by state |
| Farmers | Excludes certain breeds -- may deny coverage for some |
| Progressive | Varies significantly by state and underwriting |
| Erie Insurance | Varies by state |
Note: State Farm and Nationwide's no-exclusion approach makes them starting points if you own a restricted breed. Even with these carriers, a dog with a prior bite history may still affect your coverage or premium.
Many insurers that don't exclude breeds by name will still exclude individual dogs with a documented bite history -- sometimes called the "one free bite" rule. After a first incident, your insurer may:
If your dog has bitten someone, disclose it when shopping for coverage. Failing to disclose a prior bite history can give the insurer grounds to deny a future claim as misrepresentation.
Pet insurance and liability coverage are entirely different products serving different needs:
Both are worth having for restricted breeds -- pet insurance because vet care for large breeds can be expensive, and liability coverage because the financial exposure from a serious bite incident is far greater.
The legal landscape for breed-specific insurance exclusions is not uniform. Several states have enacted consumer protection laws that limit how insurers can use breed as a rating or exclusion factor:
| State | Restriction on Breed Exclusions |
|---|---|
| Michigan | Insurers cannot deny, cancel, or non-renew solely based on breed |
| Nevada | Breed alone cannot be the sole basis for exclusion or cancellation |
| New York | Restrictions on breed-based policy cancellation |
| Pennsylvania | Insurers cannot use breed as the sole rating factor |
| Illinois | Some restrictions on breed-specific ordinances that affect insurance |
| California | Breed alone typically cannot justify cancellation mid-term |
Even in states with restrictions, insurers often find ways to account for dog risk through other means -- requiring documentation of behavioral assessments, excluding prior bite history, or pricing based on the individual animal's record rather than breed. If you're in a restricted state and facing breed-based insurance issues, your state's Department of Insurance is the first place to file a complaint or request guidance.
For owners of restricted breeds who cannot find standard home or renters coverage that includes dog liability, standalone canine liability policies are a dedicated solution. These products are underwritten specifically for dog owners and are designed to cover exactly the gap that breed exclusions create.
Key features of canine liability policies:
Note: Canine liability policies do not replace your homeowners or renters insurance -- they specifically fill the dog liability gap. You still need your home or renters policy for property coverage and non-dog liability. Think of the canine liability policy as a targeted endorsement substitute when your main insurer won't cover your breed.
Understanding what a dog bite claim entails helps clarify why adequate liability coverage is so important. Dog bite claims involve multiple cost categories that compound quickly:
| Cost Category | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency medical treatment | $2,000-$20,000 | ER visit, wound care, imaging |
| Plastic surgery / reconstruction | $5,000-$50,000+ | Common for facial bites, especially children |
| Infection treatment | $1,000-$15,000 | Dog bites have high infection rates |
| Physical therapy | $2,000-$15,000 | For serious tissue damage |
| Psychological treatment (PTSD) | $3,000-$20,000 | Common in children bitten by dogs |
| Lost wages (victim) | $5,000-$100,000+ | Depends on injury severity and occupation |
| Pain and suffering damages | $20,000-$500,000+ | Largest component in litigation |
| Legal defense costs | $15,000-$75,000 | Even winning in court is expensive |
A severe bite case -- involving a child, a facial injury, or a professional victim -- can easily reach $300,000-$500,000 in total damages. These are not worst-case outliers; they represent a significant share of dog bite litigation. Without adequate liability coverage, a single incident can be financially catastrophic.
A homeowner adopts a rescue dog later identified as a pit bull mix and discovers, at their next renewal, that their insurer added a canine liability exclusion specific to that breed. Rather than switching insurers immediately, they call and ask two things: whether a canine liability endorsement is available to buy back the excluded coverage, and whether a bite history or temperament evaluation from a certified trainer could support keeping standard coverage. In this case, the insurer offers a $50/year endorsement that restores $100,000 in dog-bite liability coverage specifically, layered on top of the base policy's exclusion. This turns out to be less disruptive and often less expensive than shopping for an entirely new home insurance policy from scratch, and it preserves continuity on claims history and any tenure-based discounts already earned with the current carrier.
When applying for or renewing homeowners or renters insurance, insurers ask about pets -- particularly dogs. This disclosure requirement is not optional, and failing to disclose your dog (or your dog's breed or bite history) has serious consequences:
The better path is always disclosure and finding a carrier that covers your breed -- even if it takes more shopping. Undisclosed coverage is not real coverage.