Dogs are amazing. They are great company, loyal friends, stress relievers, cuddle buddies, and they love us unconditionally. They can also cause you serious financial loss in some surprising ways! Here are a few extreme, but not impossible, examples of events involving your dog and the damage they can cause for which you could be financially responsible.
- Dog bites: Of course, dog bites! According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are about 4.5 million people that are bitten by dogs each year. A dog bite can cause serious injury resulting in nerve or muscle damage, broken bones, scarring requiring reconstruction surgery, and even death. A dog bite claim can easily exceed the amount of liability coverage you carry on your homeowners insurance policy. You’ll likely need an umbrella policy to cover the costs of this unfortunate event.
The reality is most dogs don’t bite. The most vicious they may become is when it comes to attacking their tennis ball. However, this doesn’t mean that they can’t cause tremendous damage in other ways; damage for which you are responsible. For example:
- Love & Joy: Your Saint Bernard is so sweet that it makes your teeth hurt. He loves EVERYONE. In fact, when Grandmom comes to visit, he loves her so much that he leaps with joy to greet her and give her kisses. Unfortunately, the giant fur ball is too much for Grandma and Grandma goes down! Hard. Now, not only is she covered in slobber, she also has a concussion, broken hip, and will need to spend a few months in a rehabilitation facility. You’ll likely need an umbrella policy to cover the costs of this unfortunate event.
- Delightful Car Rides: Your Bichon Frisé loves her car rides. You take her with you whenever you can. That one time you forget to put on the window safety lock, while wagging her tail and looking out the window, she inadvertently steps on the window button, rolling down the window, and then jumps out into traffic. Despite (and thankfully) being uninjured, she causes a 4-car pile-up as drivers swerve to avoid hitting her. You’ll likely need an umbrella policy to cover the costs of this unfortunate event.
- Friendly & Furry: Your breed-unknown-sweet-baby just loves her walks. On a nice, sunny day, you two pass a jogger and your furry friend simply must say “hi!” She enthusiastically pulls you to greet the jogger which results in the jogger tangling in the leash, tripping, falling to the ground, and breaking their wrist. Since the jogger is a surgeon, the injury causes them to miss work for a few months while the wrist heals. The jogging surgeon sues you for medical costs and loss of income. You’ll likely need an umbrella policy to cover the costs of this unfortunate event.
Whatever the breed or temperament of your best friend, we recommend you purchase an umbrella policy. Umbrella coverage acts as an additional layer of security, safeguarding your personal assets from bodily injury and property damage lawsuits that exceed the liability limits of your other insurance policies. If you’re at fault for injuries or damage and your other policies aren’t sufficient to cover the costs, an umbrella policy helps pay what you owe. Although they offer very high limits, you will probably be pleasantly surprised at the cost of an umbrella policy. Talk to your insurance agent about what you need to do in case an unfortunate event happens to you…and your dog.