Who Needs Liability Insurance for Pets?
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Even if your dog is the sweetest and most adorable dog in the world, there is still a chance that he or she will bite a passerby if provoked. This is the reason why you should get liability insurance for pets to make sure that if something like this happens, you will not be worrying about where you are going to get the money for the hospital bills.
If you think this will not happen to you, you should think again. Even the most docile dog can suddenly turn violent. Some pets can turn on a family member and houseguests by biting or knocking them over, sometimes causing serious injuries or even death.
With liability insurance, you do not only protect yourself and your pocket but you are also protecting potential victims. In most states, owners are liable for their pet’s actions and are responsible for all the medical costs to cover for the victim’s hospitalization. If a person was trespassing and was bitten by a dog, the owner will not be liable for any injuries or medical costs.
What do liability insurance for pets cover?
Most pet liability insurance covers injuries caused by your pet, death and damage to property. Most of the time, insurance companies have to handle claims for dog bites. In fact, in the year 2008 alone, nearly a million people got bitten by a dog. Large dog owners should make sure that they have liability insurance for pets since it is the larger dogs that cause more damage.
Many insurers recommend that owners of Great Danes, Akitas, German Shepherds, Chow Chows, Pit Bulls, and Dobermans get insurance just in case they attack a person. Owners of exotic pets should also insure for liability especially if you own a monkey, a lion, a tiger, lizard or snake.
Getting yourself pet insurance is a personal decision and it should be based on you and your relationship with your dog or exotic pet. Your finances should also be a deciding point along with the breed of your pet.