DOGS & HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE IN WASHINGTON & OREGON

DOGS AND HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE

In February my family welcomed a new puppy, a first for us. Just now, halfway through the year, I got around to calling my insurance agent to ask if my homeowners insurance needed to be updated to take this pooch into account. As we’ve written about before, dog owners are usually legally liable for injuries caused by their dog, and I always want to make sure I’m properly covered.

When I asked my agent if the new dog would require notification to the insurer or would result in a rate change, I was told that for our breed (a mini Goldendoodle, in case you were wondering), no notification was required and we’d be covered if the unfortunate ever did occur—that only certain breeds well known for aggressive temperaments and causing injuries would have impacted anything in my coverage.

This comes with the huge caveat that this was based on one phone call, with one agent, dealing with one specific insurer, and may not apply across the board. But it was a good reminder: everyone who gets a dog or any other pet that could harm someone should check with their own insurer or agent to assure themselves that they are covered in the event of an animal attack.