As many Californians scramble to find homeowners insurance coverage amid cutbacks by major carriers, they may have a surprising variable to contend with: what kind of dog they own.
Homeowners insurance often covers dog bite liability expenses, but some insurance companies will not insure homeowners with certain types of dogs. While it is not a new practice, it is not widely advertised, and the types of dogs banned are often hidden in insurance companies’ state filings. Some states ban the practice, but California does not.
A Chronicle analysis of state insurance filings found that most major home insurers in California ban some dog breeds, most often pit bulls, rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, Akitas and chows. Those that don’t ban dogs by breed instead ask for an individual dog’s bite history.
I get it. I understand why they do it. I don’t like it, but I understand why.
To me it seems like a free market solution is for the government to allow insurance companies to exclude that liability coverage or offer it only as a separate endorsement at extra cost.....It's on you to pay-up to own a prohibited breed and to pay the freight.
Then again if you never register or license your dog, you don’t have a dog.
Sigh, at times modern homeowner problems requires an trailer park solution.
