How your dog could affect your homeowner's insurance

In my opinion, there’s one word/item that can cause panic and confusion at the same time: Insurance.

There are insurance policies for healthcare, life, vehicles, renting an apartment, and owning a home – and many other options.

Many times we don't read our policies in full, or even update our policies when we have life changes, do some renovations to our home, purchase or are gifted valuables (electronics, jewelry, equipment) or  when we welcome a dog into the family.

The other day on a Facebook group for dog adoptions, I noticed a post from a rescue that told home owners (not renters) that they would need to check with their homeowners insurance company before they adopted one of the pups available from their rescue. That’s right. Companies offering homeowners and renters insurance are being quite picky about which types of dogs that they will insurance, and which types of dogs that they will not insure.

Then, a Fur Kids Foundation board members shared a May 2012 Forbes article with me, 11 Riskiest Dog Breeds for Homeowners and Renters, and I was surprised to see what pooches were in the dog house, so to speak:

1. Pit Bulls & Staffordshire Terriers
2. Doberman Pinschers
3. Rottweilers
4. German Shepherds
5. Chows
6. Great Danes
7. Presa Canarios
8. Akitas
9. Alaskan Malamutes
10. Siberian Huskies
11. Wolf-hybrids

Fur Kids Foundation is not condoning these dogs, nor are we saying that you shouldn’t get that Rottweiler puppy. But before you do, consider contacting your homeowners/renters insurance agent to find out whether they cover the breed, and if not, what it will cost to get a homeowners or renters with a company that does.