The personal liability section of your homeowners insurance policy covers legal and medical expenses if your dog bites a guest or damages their personal belongings while at your home. However, some insurance companies won’t cover larger breeds or those that have a reputation for being dangerous since the risk of injury is higher.
If your insurance company won’t cover your dog, shop around and compare coverage with multiple companies. Several insurers offered by Policygenius — including AIG, Chubb, Hippo, and Encompass— accept even the most dangerous dog breeds. You also have the option of pet liability insurance, which is a specialized policy that covers injury or damage caused by any kind of dog.
Ready to find a dog-friendly home insurance company?
Which dog breeds will homeowners insurance not cover?
Certain dog breeds are categorized as “dangerous” because they’re responsible for a high number of dog bite claims. To minimize the chances of having to pay out expensive liability claims, some insurance companies exclude certain breeds from coverage. Your insurer may also raise your premium if you own a certain breed or refuse to cover your home altogether.
12 dog breeds excluded from homeowners insurance:
These are the most commonly excluded dog breeds according to Policygenius insurance experts:
Akitas
Alaskan Malamutes
Any wolf breeds
Chow chows
Doberman pinschers
German shepherds
Great Danes
Pit bulls
Presa Canarios
Rottweilers
Siberian huskies
Staffordshire terriers
In general, muscular dogs with thick chests are most commonly excluded from coverage, as are wolf breeds. If your dog is excluded from coverage, look for a dog-friendly home insurance company— some insurers will cover dogs of any breed provided they don't have a history of biting. You can also consider supplemental liability protection.
Certain states are banning breed discrimination
Thanks to dog advocate groups, some states are passing legislation to ban insurers from discriminating against certain dog breeds.
As of 2024, several states ban insurers from denying you coverage based solely on your dog's breed:
Colorado
Connecticut
Illinois
Michigan
Minnesota
Nevada
New York
Pennsylvania
Ready to find a dog-friendly home insurance company?
What does it mean when a dog is blacklisted?
When a dog is blacklisted, that means the insurer either won't cover your home at all or will write you a policy but exclude coverage if your dog injures a guest in your home or damages their property.
When are dogs never covered by homeowners insurance?
Along with breed restrictions, some insurers also won’t cover dogs with a history of biting or damaging property.
History of biting
If your pup has a history of biting, it may be excluded from your policy or you may need to sign a liability waiver for dog bites. This means your insurer won’t cover any medical or legal bills that ensue from your dog biting someone on your property. In some cases, you may be denied a homeowners insurance policy altogether.
Damage to your home, other structures, or personal property
If your dog causes damage to your home or personal belongings, the loss may not be covered by your homeowners insurance. That means if your dog chews through your drywall or a piece of furniture, you may not be reimbursed for the damage.
If your dog bites or injures you
Personal liability coverage only covers injury to someone else, not you. That means if your dog bites you and you need to go to the hospital, you wouldn’t be able to file a homeowners insurance claim.
Can homeowners insurance drop you because of a dog?
Yes, it's possible for your homeowners insurance company to drop you because of a dog. Two reasons why your insurer might drop you is if your dog bit several people and you've filed multiple liability claims or if your dog's breed is on your insurer's list of banned dog breeds.
8 dog-friendly insurance companies
While the specifics of coverage can vary by state, there are several companies that are known to cover dangerous dog breeds depending on where you live and your claims history. This includes:
AIG
Chubb
Encompass
Hippo
Safeco
State Auto
State Farm
Plymouth Rock
Should I get pet liability insurance?
Pet liability insurance is a specialized policy that covers all dog breeds for most kinds of injuries or damage. Pet liability insurance also covers your dog’s care, including physical exams and vaccinations. You may be able to add it as an endorsem*nt on your current home insurance policy or purchase it as a separate policy. Pet liability insurance is a good option if you can’t find an insurance company to include your dog in coverage.
Ready to find a dog-friendly home insurance company?
Authors
Editor & Home and Auto Insurance Expert
Stephanie Nieves is a former editor and insurance expert at Policygenius, where she covered home and auto insurance. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Money, HerMoney, PayScale, and The Muse.
Senior Editor & Licensed Home Insurance Expert
Kara McGinley is a former senior editor and licensed home insurance expert at Policygenius, where she specialized in homeowners and renters insurance. As a journalist and as an insurance expert, her work and insights have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Kiplinger, Lifehacker, MSN, WRAL.com, and elsewhere.
Editor
Senior Managing Editor & Home Insurance Expert
Jennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Expert reviewer
Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Expert
Fabio Faschi is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent. His expertise on home and auto insurance has been featured on Forbes, Consumer Affairs, Realtor.com, Apartment Therapy, SFGATE, Bankrate, and Lifehacker.
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