Some dog breeds would become extinct if insurance company underwriters had their druthers.  (I love that word.)  Here’s why:

The legal climate around dog bites is so bad that their owners almost are always responsible for the actions of their pets.  Insurance companies have responded to the nearly $360,000,000 in annual claims for bites by installing Darwinian underwriting.  They are refusing to issue new policies for owners of certain breeds.

Included on the bad puppy list are: pit bulls, german shepards, akitas, doberman pinschers, presa canarios, chows, rottweilers, staffordshire bull terriers, and wolf hybrids.  Some companies won’t write even your mundane german sheperd.  Oh, and cross breeds?  Bad news on that front as well.  They don’t want any of these breed’s traits in any dog so mutts involving these breeds are off limits as well.

So what’s a homeowner to do?  Well, they could say goodbye to “Rover” and get a decent priced home insurance policy… or they could go to the specialty market and have liability for these dog bites excluded on a policy at a higher price.  Either way, bites from certain breeds won’t be covered.  Raise your hand if  you want to keep a breed of dog that could bankrupt the family.

Supposedly, the industry spent over $360,000,000 in a recent year covering such claims.  It’s too bad but my prediction is that without a change in underwriting, certain breeds will cease to exist in the coming years.  Unless when they become a nearly extinct species, preservationists step in and allow the big comeback?  Ah capitalist darwinism…don’t cha just love it?

We can still insure your collie, poodle, lab, and your tabby.  Give us a call at 806-798-7800 for more information or a quote on your homeowner’s policy.  You can also submit your request online at https://hettlerinsurance.com/request-a-quote/ Woof and Get Better Get Hettler.