Why Dog Owners Need Umbrella Insurance By
Floyd ArthurBrought to you by carmoongroup.com and
floyd-arthur.com
If you are a dog owner, you undoubtedly believe that your pet
would never harm a person or
another animal in any way. Nevertheless, dog bites are a
serious and growing problem in the
United States. Dog bites are the fifth most common reason
for emergency room visits
nationwide, and their incidence and severity is on the rise. Between
1993 and 2008, the number
of people hospitalized due to dog bites rose 86 percent, from 5,100
in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008.
Additionally, the number of fatal dog attacks jumped by over 80
percent between 1980 and
2008. In all, an average of 37 people have died each year since
2007 after being attacked by
The Cost to You if Your Dog Bites
If your dog attacks a person or even another dog, the financial
consequences can be severe. Not
only are you responsible for the injured party’s medical bills and
rehabilitative care, you can
also be sued for damages and criminally charged.
In a high-profile San Francisco case in 2001, two attorneys,
Marjorie Knoller and her husband
Robert Noel, were charged with second degree murder and
involuntary manslaughter when
their two Presa Canarios dogs attacked and killed a 33 year-old lacrosse player, Diane Whipple,
in the hallway of the building in which they all lived. Noel served 2
years on the manslaughter
conviction, and Knoller—who appealed her conviction several
times – is now serving a sentence
of 15 years to life.
In addition, Whipple’s domestic partner won a $1.5 million
wrongful death claim against the
Even nonfatal injuries can be costly if you are uninsured or
underinsured. According to the
Insurance Information Institute, the average amount paid by
insurers on dog-bite claims was
nearly $28,000 in 2013.
How Umbrella Insurance Can Help
Typically, homeowner’s or renters insurance covers some degree of
liability for dog bites and
dog attacks. However, most of these policies provide coverage
of between $100,000 and
$500,000, which may not be enough if the person’s injuries are
disfiguring or disabling. Further,
if the injured person sues, the court can award compensatory
damages if it finds you were
negligent in failing to control the dog (as it did in
the Knoller case.)
Umbrella insurance provides coverage in excess of your
homeowner’s (or automobile)policy
limits –typically in increments of $1 million. This excess liability kicks in if you are responsible
for a catastrophic injury to another person, whether due to a dog bite or other cause.
Umbrella insurance also covers liability for accidental property
damage caused by you, your pet
or a member of your household, as well as damages
for personal injury due to:
* False arrest, detention, or imprisonment
* Malicious prosecution
* Intentional infliction of emotional distress
How Much Does Umbrella Insurance Cost?
The cost of umbrella insurance varies, but according to a recent report by ACE Risk Services, for
a family with one home and two cars, premiums
average about:
* $380 per year for $1 million in coverage
* $475 for $2 million in coverage
* $600 for $5 million in coverage
* $1000 for $10 million in coverage
However, a number of factors influence how much you pay.
For example, owning more than
one home, owning a boat or having a driver under the age
of 25 in your home will increase
premiums considerably.
Other Considerations for Owners of Specific Dog
Breeds
Although policy terms vary, most liability insurance policies
specifically exclude injuries caused
by specific dog breeds. The breeds that are almost
universally “blacklisted” are:
* Pit bull terriers
* American Staffordshire terriers
* German shepherds
* Doberman pinschers
* Alaskan malamutes
* Siberian huskies
Whether you are a dog owner concerned about liability for injuries, or you simply have
questions about how to protect your assets, contact one of our insurance experts at 516-292-
3780 today. We are available Monday through Friday from 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. to take your call.
Or, if you prefer, request a free consultation online now and we
will get back to you the next
Tags: Umbrella Insurance, Umbrella insurance covers, Umbrella
insurance cost, Dog bites, Dog
Carmoon Group Ltd. Business Insurance
Hempstead New York
Floyd Arthur Insurance Expert New
York
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