Dog bites account for one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims, costing $387,200,000 in 2008.  That's up 8.7% from 2007 according to the Insurance Information Institute.  The study also showed that the average cost of a dog bite claim was $24,461 which is actually down slightly (but still a very significant amount). 

Overall since 2003, the cost of dog bite claims has risen nearly 28%.  Additionally, the number of claims filed has encreased 8.89% to 15,823 total in 2008 (which is up from 14,531 in 2007).

These statistics are very relevant.  Insurance underwriters have to ask about dogs and they are concerned with the breed to hopefully reduce costs for all of their customers.  Dog breeds that regularly cause concern include:

• Pit Bull
• Rottweiler
• Akita
• Chow
• Doberman Pincer
• German Shephard
• and any Wolf breed or Wolf Hybrid

Of course, any animal with aggressive tendancies and/or a bite history will also be considered carefully.

Information in this article provided by the Ohio PIA magazine, October 2009