Jennifer KostuchSome insurance companies don’t offer home insurance coverage for pit bull owners, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find homeowners insurance if you own a pit bull. Below, we list the homeowner’s insurance companies that allow pit bulls, as well as those that may charge higher premiums or deny coverage based on a dog’s breed or behavioral history.
Most homeowner’s insurance policies offer a number of add-ons, including personal liability coverage. This type of coverage can protect you in instances of bodily injury to others, as well as damage to others’ property.[1] For instance, if your dog bites someone, personal liability insurance will take care of any associated medical bills. Personal liability insurance is recommended for anyone who owns a dog, regardless of the breed. Unfortunately, getting this type of coverage can be more difficult for owners of certain breeds, including pit bulls, because some insurance companies consider these breeds dangerous and blacklist them.[2]
Sometimes, an insurance company will cover you against personal liability but not any expenses related to your dog. In this case, you would need to buy a separate policy known as canine liability.[3]
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State Laws
In some states, there are laws in place that prohibit municipalities from declaring dogs dangerous solely based on their breed.[4] Unfortunately, these laws do not prohibit private insurance companies from setting dog breed restrictions in their homeowner’s insurance policies.
Michigan and Pennsylvania have laws against breed blacklisting by insurance companies. In these states, insurers cannot deny or cancel coverage based on your dog’s breed.[5][6] However, these laws don’t stop insurers from increasing rates based on a dog’s breed or history. Because laws can vary by state, it may be best to contact your intended company to find out its policies for your area.
What We Recommend
State Farm is the insurance company with the most widespread reputation for accepting dogs of all breeds, including pit bulls, under its homeowner’s insurance policies. Farmers Insurance also typically accepts all dog breeds. However, coverage from both of these companies is dependent on the dog’s behavioral history. It’s best to be honest about your dog’s past because if the company discovers that you were dishonest, your policy can be terminated.
The List
We researched and contacted several different insurance providers to find out more about their homeowner’s insurance policies regarding pit bulls. The following companies have policies that generally cover pit bulls — these companies do not have explicit breed restrictions, but they may require you to disclose your dog’s behavioral history to determine the risk in insuring it.
If you have a dog that is determined to be dangerous, you may face higher premiums. Alternatively, while these companies will not cancel your policy if your dog has a history of aggression, they may choose to exclude claims related to your dog. You can go online or contact a company directly to get a quote.
1. State Farm
- Pit bull policy: State Farm advertises the slogan, “It’s not the breed, it’s the dog bite.”[7] The company does not ask your dog’s breed when underwriting your policy, but it will require you to disclose the dog’s history. Rates will likely be higher for dogs with a history of aggression. If the company finds out that you were dishonest, your policy may be canceled.[8]
- Get a quote
2. Farmers Insurance
- Pit bull policy: Farmers will cover pit bull owners (and other breeds) as long as the dog has no history of bites or aggression. If there is a history, you may still be eligible for coverage, but your dog will be excluded from the policy.[9][10]
- Get a quote
3. USAA
Note: USAA only serves those with some sort of military affiliation, such as veterans or military spouses.
- Pit bull policy: USAA will cover pit bulls and other dog breeds, as long as the dog has no history of bites or aggression. If your dog has bitten someone in the past, USAA will still offer coverage, but it will exclude claims related to your dog.[11]
- Get a quote
4. Allstate
- Pit bull policy: Allstate will typically cover dogs (including pit bulls) with no history of bites or aggression. If your dog has incidents in its past that Allstate finds out about, the company will deny coverage.[12]
- Get a quote
5. American Family Insurance
- Pit bull policy: American Family Insurance may cover pit bull breeds as long as there is no prior history of aggression or bites. For “dangerous” dogs, there are certain regulations. For example, your dog cannot be allowed loose in the yard; it must either be leashed or fenced in. If your dog were to injure someone as a result of being loose, American Family Insurance may not support your claim.[13]
- Get a quote
Insurance Companies That May Cover Pit Bulls
In the course of our research, we found that the following companies do not have firm breed restrictions, but coverage for pit bulls may vary depending on your state or your underwriter. Customers report varying levels of success with getting their pit bull covered under their home insurance policy with these companies.
1. GEICO
- Pit bull policy: GEICO works with a number of underwriters, and some may be willing to offer home insurance to pit bull owners.[14] In some states and locales, pit bulls and other “dangerous” breeds may be denied. Also, if your dog has ever bitten someone, you will be turned down for coverage.[14]
- Get a quote
2. Progressive
- Pit bull policy: Rather than traditional home insurance, Progressive offers “dwelling and fire” coverage through American Modern to homeowners, and it may cover pit bulls, as long as the dog has never been aggressive. You may be required to pay a “dangerous breed” fee. If your dog has a history of aggression, the underwriter may decide to exclude the dog from coverage or increase the price of your policy.[15]
- Get a quote
Insurance Companies That Do Not Cover Pit Bulls
Our search also turned up a few companies that do not offer home insurance policies to pit bull owners, including:
Lindsey Desmet
Kait Scirri
William Lipovsky
Erika Crawford
Cathy Desmet
Loren Eaton
Joseph Cho
Maria R. Riegger, Esq.
