Lost home owners

by hummingbird » Sat Jan 05, 2008 01:17 am


We lost our home owners policy .It was becasue of our dog.It was a lab and pit bull mix. I thought it unfair but nothing we could do about it. Our dog was stolen ,then we were able to go back and get our policy back. I heard they have a list of dogs that if you own them they will not insure you, To big a risk.

Total Comments: 11

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 07:55 am Post Subject:

Yes, usually if the name of the dog contains the two words, "pit" and "bull", carriers won't write a policy.

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:26 am Post Subject:

We lost our home owners policy .It was becasue of our dog.



Insurers are known to increase your premium if you have a dog at your home, but I haven't heard of any incident of canceling insurance for a dog. Your pet may cost you high because the species is known for its ferocity. But, Tcope can be right as well.......

Yes, usually if the name of the dog contains the two words, "pit" and "bull", carriers won't write a policy.



strange indeed :roll:

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:31 am Post Subject:

Pennsylvania and Michigan are the two states that have the law which states that an insurer can't deny or cancel your coverage if you maintain a particular breed dog as pet. Surely, you are not from these two states.

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:38 pm Post Subject:

at first when I read the post, I thought the dog chewed up the policy, then I re read it and seen what you actually meant. the breed that have the tendency to bite and maul and even kill, they have been sued so many times. I am from Pennsylvania and I remember them asking me about that list to see if I had any of the breeds on it. They have a history of claims against these breeds, they have a bad reputation.

I am curious hummingbird, I know when they read the list to me, there were a few others that I wondered why they were on there, do you have the list, could you post it here?

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 01:50 pm Post Subject:

at first when I read the post, I thought the dog chewed up the policy

Me too! glad I wasn't the only one! erb! :roll:

Many many many insurance companies will not write, or will cancel if you don't get rid of certain dogs.....the prior insurance company that worked for was doing this in the eightys even!

It's just too big of a risk........and frankly I don't blame them on certain ones......sorry....I've handled those claims...and until you have to look at a little child with half of their face torn off, because little 'muffy' has always been such a sweet dog......give me a break...and the truly unfortunate thing is it's not the poor dogs fault...it's the owners/breeders...and believe me these types of claims can easily exceed the policy limit for the homeowners liablity (which is usually around 100k).....

Our dog was stolen ,then we were able to go back and get our policy back

so what does that mean you were uninsured still with the dog at home for a period of time (homeowners)? That's scary........ :(

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 03:23 pm Post Subject:

I guess you have to evaluate what is more important to you. Having the breed that is uninsurable or having protection for your family and your home.

I love dogs, have four of them right now, but I had a rottwieler/doberman mix for 13 years, that dog meant alot to me, had him from a pup and he was very loyal. At some point he got unpredictable, now you notice, I did not use the terminology "mean" I said "unpredictable"

Well, my husband got up out of bed one night to use the bathroom, I woke up to him begging the dog that weighed 125 lbs to let go, it took all I had as I was twisting the leather collar on the dogs neck to pull him off my husband. I immediately fenced the dog and took my husband to the hospital where he had surgery on both arms, the dogs teeth went down to the bone. He was hospitalized for two days and off work for two weeks. I asked him if he wanted to put the dog down and I was really surprised that the Department of health did not mandate this. But because they were both in the same household, it was not mandated. About two months later I was scolding the dog in the kitchen, he was pacing and I had enough, all I did was start to say, "take it outside" I got the first two words out of my mouth and his front teeth were in my hands, all I could do was freeze and wait till he was done, I knew if I fought him, I would lose, my husband could not help me. We decided from there, which I thought, should have been done the first time round, he was being put down. It was tough, we had him a long time, he was healthy and I am not going to make any excuses for him. He had a good life. So UNPREDICTABLE is the only word that I can use.

We are raising our four year old grand daughter and there is no way that animal could have been around her.

So from a dog lover, I beg you to think about what is your priority. And I hate to hear that it is not the dogs fault, if it is abused maybe not, but mine was not, he lived the life of a king, and I think too many times our mistakes are treating them like people. They are pack animals and a dominant breed will test the other pack members. So blame me if you want, I thought I was doing what was best, treating the dog like a family member only opens the door for situations that will cause you more pain later. My dog was bred to guard, chows and pit bulls and other breeds are bred to fight and it would take years to bred a tendency out of them and a lot of dogs are destroyed along the way. I agree with some of the mandates because I don't think a lot of people know what they are actually getting into with some breeds. Bad things can happen to good people and what you may think is a good dog. I think the insurance companies are right by taking this stand on their policies, they are the ones ultimately pay.

I think if I were next door and I had ferocious lions and one got loose and mangled your child, you would see no problem in pursuing action. Just because we term dogs as "domestic" does not mean "friendly domestic" dogs that are bred for purpose are almost always going to follow their innate instinct at some point in their lives. You may as well take that lion and try to make him a house pet, he may be friendly most of the time, but if his urge to hunt kicks in, here kitty, kitty turns into the cat from hell in a heart beat.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:42 am Post Subject:

I agree totally! And I said, not the dogs but the owners and/or BREEDERS, who are to blame....as you well know there is a ton of irresponsible breeding that goes on...(temperment wise)

I'm a dog lover too, and at one time even (obedience) trained and showed dogs, and had a trainning facility at my house...and was paid to keep dogs and train them for others....so I know from wense I speak...and love dogs.

UNPREDICTABLE

great choice of word, and reason enough to put a dog down...although sad...I too have been in your situation more than once and had to be in on decisions to put great dogs down because this unpredictablity showed up in them later in life....more than likely a breeding problem...I was also a judge in temperment testing....it's always sad, but necessary to protect the masses if you will....fortunately for you all and unfortunately for your husband...had your dog attached someone else the lawsuit could've been huge! Years and years ago when I was a new adjuster (mid 80's) it was commonly referred to as, 'the first bite is free'' meaning had a dog not ever showed this behavior the receiver of the bite didn't get much, but if the dog ever showed this a second time, the sky was the limit (assuming the homeowner didn't get rid of the dog)...now, we as a society and ins.companies cannot tolerate this .... no more 'free bite''...which really i always thought stupid, but saw it stand up more than once...wouldn't now though!

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:37 pm Post Subject:

I have seen some pretty severe mauling cases on television, it is terrible when a pit gets a hold of a small child, they are so front heavy and powerful, they little child has no chance, it is awful. The children will naturally go to an animal, they know no differently because we teach them to stay away from strangers, not puppies and dogs. Little, little kids just want to pet them but most pit attacks is not the child or the person approaching them, the hunt to fit and if they get you in their line of sight, watch out, your are being nailed. They don't even use the word bite anymore with this breed because it is usually more severe, they use the word mauled. I just can't imagine the fear of seeing one of them come for you and I am an adult.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:46 pm Post Subject:

My husband had this happen a neighbor dog (pit) got out, and he didn't see it, when he stepped out of his truck in our drive way there was the dog....just glaring with teeth barred, Tony (fortunately) had a bat type thing behind the seat, and ever so slowly got it in hand...about the time he did the dog lunged...Tony was a young (about 30) strong man at the time (6'3" about 190 pounds) he hit that dog on top of it's head as hard as he could and it still kept coming but he was able to slow it down enough to get in the house...at the time our kids were young...I still shudder to think if one of them had been with him and placed on the ground before he saw that dog! they are so very powerful, and you just can't stop them...they also when they bite, don't let go....it's just awful...i used to work all over going to peoples houses etc (now principly in body shops)...i also used to walk and run some, and I carried pepper spray for same reason, never had a pit come at me, but have had to use it on a couple of other dogs, and does provide, ''get away''' time....

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 05:26 pm Post Subject:

Oh Lori, thank god your kids were not with them, people just don't understand what these animals are capable of because they are a dog,or they know, but for some ungodly reason, think there cute little puppy is not capable, WAKE UP people, it is bred into them, It is their instinct. I don't think that some breeds should be put under the domestic title, it is used to loosely and lets people assume this means cute little house pet, not true.

I think if you choose to own these breeds you should be ready to accept any thing that comes your way, you are owning a loaded gun with a hair trigger, you should know right away that you are responsible for the actions of that animal. And you adults who choose to let your children or teens own these animals, shame on you! You would not let them play with a loaded gun and think they would be safe, you should not allow them to own an unpredictable animal either. You are responsible not the child, YOU are the adult. So many times you hear, it was my childs animal in a way for the adult to escape responsibility. No way, if you allow it, it is your child, your household, your responsiblity!

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