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Health & Fitness

When your dog bites your neighbor

How owning a dog affects your homeowners insurance

Dogs are a major liability especially for your homeowner’s policy. Seemingly harmless animals can turn vicious at any moment, lashing out on family members or bystanders. Your insurance company wants to know if you have a dog and what type of dog it is in order to assess what type of liability your dog may become. Certain dogs such as pit bulls are seen as extremely dangerous animals despite what the young man down the street selling his pit bull’s puppies says. Homeowner should speak to their insurance agent BEFORE purchasing a dog to see if it will have an impact on their rate, coverage or the availability of coverage in the future.

 You don’t want to become like this New Jersey pet sitter. Unfortunately, she was bitten by her neighbors’ dog and they are now engaged in a long court battle. It is unclear how this trial may end. It is difficult to determine who is to blame in this trial. As a dog sitter, you are consciously taking on the risk that a dog may become violent and bite you.  As a dog owner, you run the risk of owning a potentially dangerous animal no matter how calm your dog has been..

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