Homeowners insurance covers your home and your possessions, but it also covers liability. Liability is the part of your homeowners insurance that protects you if someone gets hurt on your property. With anything that happens (dog bite*, broken arm from a fall from a trampoline, a cracked hip from a slip on a deck, etc.) you can find yourself stuck with big legal bills. Homeowners insurance will cover accidents that happen on your property so you won’t have to pay expensive medical bills or lawsuits out of your own pocket.
Most policies have a minimum of $100,000 in liability coverage. But you should consider buying at least $300,000 to $500,000, if you can. It is pretty affordable, so purchase as much as possible!
*Note – Not all dog breeds are covered. If you have a breed that has been flagged by insurance companies as high-risk, a dog bit incident won’t be covered under your homeowners insurance policy. These are some of the breeds considered high-risk: Pit bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Chows, Great Danes, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Wolf-dog hybrids, any mix of these breeds.
If you are unsure if you have enough liability coverage or if your dog is considered high-risk, contact your insurance agent now.
Be aware, be safe!