Does the breed change the law?
No. Strict liability laws cover "any dog," and that includes pit bulls. California Civil Code 3342 makes the owner liable for a bite regardless of the dog's former viciousness.
One-bite states work differently. There, the question is whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Breed alone is not proof that they knew.
Learn how the one-bite rule and strict liability differ. The rule in your state decides what your claim must show.
Insurance and breed exclusions
Some insurers will not cover owners of breeds they label dangerous, such as pit bulls. Other insurers look at the individual dog instead of the breed.
An exclusion does not end your claim. The attorney looks for a landlord's policy, an umbrella policy or the owner's own assets.
Read who pays for a dog bite and how landlord liability can apply.
What pit bull bite claims pay
There is no official payout figure by breed. Value follows the injury, not the breed.
Larger, stronger dogs tend to cause deeper wounds, and deeper wounds raise the claim. The 2025 average across all dog bite claims was $65,450.
That figure is an average across all breeds. It is not your number. See what claims pay, dog attack cases or dog bite laws by state.