Dog Bite Insurance: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites?
Homeowners and renters policies usually cover dog bites up to the liability limit. Breed exclusions, state breed laws, umbrella policies and dangerous-dog mandates.
Yes, in most cases. A standard homeowners or renters policy includes personal liability coverage that pays for injuries the policyholder’s dog causes, and the owner’s legal defense, up to the policy’s liability limit, typically $100,000 to $300,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) 1. The exceptions are policies that exclude the dog or its breed, owners with no policy at all, and damages above the limit, which the owner owes personally 1.
How homeowners and renters insurance pays a dog bite claim
The coverage that matters is the policy’s personal liability section. It pays damages the policyholder is legally responsible for, so the claim turns on the state’s dog bite law: in a strict-liability state the owner is liable for the bite itself, while in a one-bite state the injured person must show the owner knew of the danger or was negligent. The dog bite laws by state guide sorts all jurisdictions: 22 have a strict-liability statute, 16 a partial one and 13 use the one-bite rule.
Renters insurance works the same way. Triple-I describes renters liability coverage as protection against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or your family cause to other people, adding that “it also pays for damage your pets cause” 2. Coverage follows the policyholder, not the address, so a bite at a park or on a sidewalk is usually covered too.
Dog claims are a large line of business for insurers. In 2025, dog-related liability claims cost homeowners insurers about $1.86 billion across 28,450 claims, an average of $65,450 per claim, according to Triple-I and State Farm 1. The figures include non-bite injuries such as fractures from being knocked down.
| Year | Claims | Average cost per claim | Total paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28,450 | $65,450 | $1,862.1 million |
| 2024 | 22,658 | $69,272 | $1,569.6 million |
| 2023 | 19,062 | $58,545 | $1,116.0 million |
| 2022 | 17,597 | $64,555 | $1,136.0 million |
| 2021 | 17,989 | $49,025 | $881.9 million |
| 2020 | 17,597 | $50,245 | $853.7 million |
| 2019 | 17,802 | $44,760 | $796.8 million |
| 2018 | 17,297 | $39,017 | $674.9 million |
| 2017 | 18,522 | $37,051 | $686.3 million |
| 2016 | 18,123 | $33,230 | $602.2 million |
The dog bite settlements guide explains what these averages do and do not show.
When the policy does not pay
A policy covers a dog only if nothing in it takes the dog out. Five gaps come up most often.
- Breed exclusions. Triple-I reports that some insurers will not insure owners of breeds they treat as dangerous, such as pit bulls, while others decide case by case on the individual dog and some do not ask about breed at all 1.
- Animal liability exclusions and waivers. Some insurers require dog owners to sign liability waivers for dog bites or do not insure dog owners at all, Triple-I says 1. A signed waiver can leave the owner with no coverage for that dog.
- A specific dog that has bitten. After a bite, an insurer may exclude the dog from coverage at renewal 1. Virginia allows such an exclusion for a specific animal that has already bitten, attacked or injured a person or companion animal, but only with the named insured’s written consent, notarized or witnessed (Code of Virginia § 38.2-2128, since 2004) 12.
- Who counts as an insured. A homeowners policy normally excludes bodily injury to an insured. In Van Kleek v. Farmers Insurance Exchange (2014), the Nebraska Supreme Court held that a dog sitter who was legally responsible for the owners’ dog was herself an insured, so the owners’ policy did not cover her bite 13. Sitters, walkers and relatives in the household should read that definition.
- Damages above the limit. The insurer pays only up to the liability limit; the owner is personally responsible for the rest 1.
If the claim is denied, the injured person can still sue the owner. The owner’s liability does not depend on insurance, but collecting a judgment from personal assets is slower and less certain.
States that limit breed-based insurance decisions
6 states restrict how homeowners or renters insurers may use a dog’s breed, according to the state files on this site, checked in October 2026. The laws differ in what they cover and in how much room they leave insurers.
- Arizona: since a 2022 law, breed may not be the sole factor in homeowners or renters underwriting, for policies issued or renewed after June 30, 2023 (A.R.S. § 20-1510) 3.
- Colorado: since January 1, 2024, insurers may not refuse, cancel, non-renew or surcharge a homeowner’s policy because of breed, and may ask the breed only to learn whether the dog is dangerous (HB23-1068) 4. HB25-1207 extended the rule to renters policies from August 6, 2025 5.
- Illinois: since December 2023, home and renters insurers may not refuse, cancel, surcharge or limit coverage based solely on breed (215 ILCS 5/143.10e) 6.
- Minnesota: since 2023, a homeowner’s insurer may not refuse, non-renew or cancel based solely on owning one dog of a breed (Minn. Stat. § 65A.303) 7.
- Nevada: since 2022, insurers may not refuse, cancel, non-renew or raise rates on homeowners, renters, mobile-home, multi-family or umbrella policies because of breed, and may not ask about it (NRS 687B.383) 8.
- New York: homeowners insurers may not refuse, cancel, non-renew, surcharge or limit coverage based solely on breed (Insurance Law § 3421) 9.
Every one of these laws still lets the insurer act on an individual dog, for example one declared dangerous or with a bite history 3 6 7 8 9. The table quotes each state’s rule.
| State | Rule |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Since a 2022 law, a dog's breed may not be the sole factor in homeowners or renters insurance underwriting, actuarial risk decisions or dog questionnaires, for policies issued or renewed after June 30, 2023. The same 2022 bill barred breed evidence in vicious-dog and liability findings. Insurers may still weigh breed with other factors, such as a bite history. No Arizona statute found for this page requires owners of vicious dogs to carry liability insurance; the vicious-animal statutes impose none. |
| Colorado | Since January 1, 2024, insurers may not refuse, cancel, non-renew or surcharge a homeowner's or dwelling fire policy because of a dog's breed, and may not ask the breed except to learn whether the dog is known or declared dangerous (C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8(16), added by HB23-1068). HB25-1207 extended the rule from August 6, 2025 to renters' contents policies and commercial policies on multifamily housing. No state law requires liability insurance for a dangerous dog. |
| Illinois | Since December 2023, homeowner's and renter's insurers may not refuse, cancel, surcharge or limit coverage based solely on owning a dog of a particular breed or mix. They may still act on an individual dog that has been declared dangerous or vicious under the Animal Control Act. State law does not require owners of dangerous or vicious dogs to carry liability insurance. |
| Minnesota | Since a 2023 law, a homeowner's insurer may not refuse, decline to renew or cancel a policy based solely on the fact that the homeowner owns one dog of a specific breed or mix. The insurer may still act on a dog declared dangerous or potentially dangerous, a dog with a history of causing bodily injury, or sound underwriting and loss data. The owner of a declared dangerous dog must carry a $300,000 bond or liability policy. |
| Nevada | Since 2022, NRS 687B.383 bars insurers from refusing, cancelling, not renewing or raising rates on homeowners, renters, mobile-home, multi-family and umbrella policies because of a dog's breed, and they may not ask about breed. An insurer may still act on a particular dog known or declared to be dangerous or vicious under NRS 202.500. State law sets no minimum liability coverage for owners of dangerous dogs. |
| New York | Insurance Law § 3421 bars homeowners' insurers from refusing, cancelling, not renewing, surcharging or limiting coverage based solely on the breed or breed mix of a dog the policyholder owns or harbors. An insurer may still act on a dangerous-dog designation under § 123 if sound underwriting supports it. A court that declares a dog dangerous can also order the owner to carry liability insurance of up to $100,000. |
Two other states regulate breed rules without banning them. Maryland allows breed exclusions, but since October 1, 2013 an insurer must disclose them in writing and name the breeds at application or issuance and at every renewal (Md. Code, Ins. § 19-206.1) 10. Pennsylvania’s Dog Law says no liability policy or bond “issued pursuant to this act or any other act” may exclude a specific breed, but no published ruling found for this site applies it to ordinary homeowners underwriting 11.
Bills are pending elsewhere. The Massachusetts Senate passed a breed ban as part of the PETS Act (S. 3028) on March 19, 2026, and the bill has been in conference committee since July 2026 21. Michigan House Bill 5580 was referred to committee in February 2026 with no further action 22. Breed rules in local ordinances are a separate subject, covered in breed-specific legislation.
Umbrella and canine liability policies
An umbrella policy adds liability coverage above the homeowners or renters limit. Triple-I puts the typical cost at “$200 to $350 a year for an extra $1 million of liability protection” 2. An umbrella sits on top of the underlying policy and can carry its own exclusions, so an animal exclusion in either one matters as much as the price. Nevada is the one state in the list above whose breed law names umbrella policies 8.
Owners whose homeowners insurer excludes their dog can look for a separate canine or animal liability policy, sold by some specialty insurers. Several dangerous-dog statutes accept either a liability policy or a surety bond, which is what these products are often bought to satisfy.
States that require insurance for dangerous dogs
None of the state files on this site found a law requiring ordinary dog owners to carry liability insurance. Many require it once a dog has been declared dangerous or vicious, usually as a condition of keeping the dog. The highest minimums in the state files are in Minnesota, $300,000 in a bond or policy (Minn. Stat. § 347.51) 16, and Washington, $250,000 in a bond or policy to register the dog (RCW 16.08.080) 15.
Two recent laws added $100,000 mandates. Florida’s Pam Rock Act requires it from July 1, 2025 for bodily injury caused by a dog declared dangerous 18, and Ohio’s Avery’s Law requires it from March 20, 2026 per occurrence for dangerous and vicious dogs (Ohio Rev. Code § 955.24) 17. Texas requires $100,000 of liability insurance or financial responsibility (Health and Safety Code ch. 822) 19, and Virginia $100,000 of insurance or a bond with proof sent to animal control every year (§ 3.2-6540.01) 20. The table lists each state’s dangerous-dog law and its insurance requirement.
| State | State law | Classes | Required insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Ala. Code §§ 3-6A-1 to 3-6A-8 | dangerous dog | $100,000 |
| Alaska | Local ordinances only | vicious dog (AS 03.55.020), level one to level five animal (Anchorage), vicious animal (Dillingham) | None statewide |
| Arizona | A.R.S. §§ 11-1014, 11-1029; § 13-1208 | vicious animal, aggressive dog | None statewide |
| Arkansas | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| California | Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§ 31601–31683 | potentially dangerous dog, vicious dog | None statewide |
| Colorado | C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5 | dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-358 | biting or attacking dog, nuisance by reason of vicious disposition | None statewide |
| Delaware | 16 Del. C. §§ 3071F–3081F | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog, nondangerous dog | $100,000 |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code §§ 8-1901 to 8-1908 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. §§ 767.10–767.16 | dangerous dog | $100,000 |
| Georgia | O.C.G.A. §§ 4-8-20 to 4-8-33 | dangerous dog, vicious dog, classified dog | $50,000 |
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 711-1140 to 711-1148 | dangerous dog | $50,000 |
| Idaho | Idaho Code §§ 25-2810 to 25-2812 | at-risk dog, dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Illinois | 510 ILCS 5/15 to 5/15.5, 5/26 | dangerous dog, vicious dog, potentially dangerous dog, reckless dog owner | None statewide |
| Indiana | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| Iowa | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| Kansas | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.235 | vicious dog | None statewide |
| Louisiana | La. R.S. 14:102.12–14:102.18 | dangerous dog, vicious dog | None statewide |
| Maine | 7 M.R.S. § 3952-A | dangerous dog, nuisance dog | $100,000 |
| Maryland | Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-619 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 157 | dangerous dog, nuisance dog | $100,000 |
| Michigan | MCL 287.321–287.323 | dangerous animal | None statewide |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. §§ 347.50–347.565 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | $300,000 |
| Mississippi | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| Missouri | RSMo § 578.024 | dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 7-23-2109 | vicious dog | None statewide |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 54-617 to 54-624 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Nevada | NRS 202.500 | dangerous, vicious | None statewide |
| New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 466:31 | nuisance, menace, vicious | None statewide |
| New Jersey | N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 to -37 | vicious dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| New Mexico | NMSA 1978, §§ 77-1A-1 to 77-1A-6 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| New York | N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. Law §§ 108(24), 123 | dangerous dog | None statewide |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 67-4.1 to 67-4.5 | dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog | None statewide |
| North Dakota | N.D.C.C. ch. 42-03 | public nuisance | None statewide |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 955.22–955.24 | nuisance dog, dangerous dog, vicious dog | $100,000 |
| Oklahoma | 4 O.S. §§ 44–47 | potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog | $50,000 |
| Oregon | ORS 609.035, 609.095, 609.098 and 609.990 | potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog | None statewide |
| Pennsylvania | 3 P.S. §§ 459-502-A to 459-507-A | dangerous dog | $50,000 |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 4-13.1 | vicious dog | $100,000 |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. §§ 47-3-710 to 47-3-770 | dangerous animal | $50,000 |
| South Dakota | SDCL 40-34-13 to 40-34-15 | vicious dog, dangerous animal | None statewide |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-17-120 | dog that attacks a human and causes death or serious bodily injury, potentially vicious dog, vicious dog | None statewide |
| Texas | Tex. Health & Safety Code §§ 822.041–822.047 | dangerous dog | $100,000 |
| Utah | Local ordinances only | vicious animal | None statewide |
| Vermont | 20 V.S.A. § 3546 | vicious domestic pet | None statewide |
| Virginia | Va. Code §§ 3.2-6540 to 3.2-6540.04; § 3.2-6540.1 (vicious dogs) | dangerous dog, vicious dog | $100,000 |
| Washington | RCW 16.08.070–.110 | potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog | $250,000 |
| West Virginia | W. Va. Code § 19-20-20 | vicious, dangerous, in the habit of biting or attacking other persons | None statewide |
| Wisconsin | Local ordinances only | — | None statewide |
| Wyoming | W.S. 11-31-301 | animal attacking any person in a vicious manner, vicious dogs | None statewide |
These mandates matter to the injured person as well as the owner: they make a second bite by a declared dog more likely to be insured. The dangerous dog laws guide explains how a dog is declared dangerous.
What happens to the policy after a claim
After a paid claim, the insurer may raise the premium, decline to renew the policy or exclude the dog, Triple-I says 1. In the states with breed laws listed above, those decisions must rest on the individual dog rather than its breed 3 9. Some insurers will keep covering a dog if the owner takes it to behavior classes or restrains it with a muzzle, chain or cage 1.
- Report the bite to the insurer promptly. Policies generally require prompt notice, and the insurer controls the defense and settlement.
- Keep the bite report and vaccination records. The insurer will ask for them; my dog bit someone covers the reporting and quarantine steps.
- Read the renewal notice. A new exclusion for the dog, or a breed list, appears there; in Maryland the insurer must name excluded breeds at each renewal 10.
- Check for a dangerous-dog order. If the dog is declared dangerous, a state minimum may apply regardless of the private policy.
If you were bitten
Ask the owner for their homeowners or renters insurer and policy number, along with the dog’s rabies vaccination record. The insurer usually handles the claim, and the adjuster will ask for medical records, bills and photographs. The steps are in what to do after a dog bite, and the deadline to sue, which an insurer will watch, is in the dog bite statute of limitations guide. For a bite by a tenant’s dog, the landlord liability guide explains when the landlord’s policy may also be in play.
The dog bite claim checker gives your state’s liability rule, fault system and deadline, and every state page lists its insurance rules with the statute behind each one.
Questions
Can I sue the dog owner's insurance company directly?
Usually not. The claim is against the owner, and the insurer defends and pays on the owner's behalf. In a Vermont case, the trial court dismissed a direct claim filed against the owners' insurer, so only the owners remained defendants on appeal14. You can still open a claim with the insurer and negotiate with its adjuster.
Does renters insurance cover my dog if it bites someone away from home?
Personal liability coverage in a standard renters policy is not tied to the apartment. Triple-I describes it as protection against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage you or your family cause to other people, and says it also pays for damage your pets cause2. A breed or animal exclusion in the policy can still remove the dog.
Will my insurance go up after one dog bite claim?
It can. Triple-I says that once a dog has bitten someone, an insurer may charge a higher premium, decline to renew the policy or exclude the dog from coverage1. In Virginia, an insurer may exclude a specific dog that has already bitten only with the named insured's written, notarized or witnessed consent12.
Is a dog sitter or dog walker covered by the owner's homeowners policy?
It depends on the policy's definition of an insured. In Van Kleek v. Farmers Insurance Exchange (2014), the Nebraska Supreme Court held that a sitter who was legally responsible for the owners' dog counted as an insured, so the owners' policy excluded her own injury claim13.
How much liability coverage do dog owners usually carry?
Triple-I reports that homeowners and renters policies typically carry liability limits of $100,000 to $300,0001. For renters, it says limits generally start at about $100,000, and that some experts recommend at least $300,0002.
Sources
- Spotlight on: Dog bite liability, Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I). Checked 17 October 2026.
- Renters insurance, Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I). Checked 17 October 2026.
- A.R.S. § 20-1510, Homeowner's or renter's insurance; dog breeds, Arizona State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
- HB23-1068, Pet Animal Ownership In Housing (signed June 7, 2023), Colorado General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- HB25-1207, Pet Ownership Residential Housing Structures (signed May 22, 2025), Colorado General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- 215 ILCS 5/143.10e (home property insurance; dog breeds), Illinois General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes § 65A.303, Homeowner's liability insurance; dogs, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
- NRS 687B.383, Insurance decisions based on breed of dog prohibited, Nevada Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
- N.Y. Insurance Law § 3421 (Homeowners' liability insurance; dogs), New York State Senate. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Md. Code, Insurance § 19-206.1 (notice of dog breed exclusions), Maryland General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Dog Law, Act of Dec. 7, 1982, P.L. 784, No. 225 (3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq.), as amended through Act 47 of 2024, Pennsylvania General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Code of Virginia § 38.2-2128 (certain exclusions permitted), Virginia General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Van Kleek v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 289 Neb. 730, 857 N.W.2d 297 (2014), Animal Legal & Historical Center, Michigan State University College of Law. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Martin v. Christman, 2014 VT 55, Vermont Supreme Court. Checked 17 October 2026.
- RCW 16.08.080, Dangerous dogs: notice, appeal, registration, bond, insurance, Washington State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes § 347.51, Dangerous dogs: registration, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Ohio Revised Code § 955.24, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
- CS/HB 593 (2025), Dangerous Dogs (Pam Rock Act), ch. 2025-61, Laws of Florida, The Florida Senate. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 822 (regulation of animals; dangerous dogs), Texas Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Code of Virginia § 3.2-6540.01 (obligations after dangerous dog finding), Virginia General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
- S. 3028 (194th General Court), An Act promoting pet equity, treatment, and safety: bill history, Massachusetts Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
- House Bill 5580 of 2026 (dog breed in property insurance), Michigan Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
