Does renters insurance cover dog bites?
Usually, yes. A standard renters policy has liability cover for injury and damage the renter causes to other people. The Insurance Information Institute says it also pays for damage the renter's pets cause.
That liability part pays the injured person's claim and the renter's legal defense, up to the limit. Limits generally start at about $100,000 and some experts suggest $300,000 or more.
How a renters insurance dog bite claim works
You claim against the dog owner's policy, not your own. You do not need to be a customer of that insurer.
- Ask the owner for the name of their renters insurer and the policy number.
- Report the bite so there is an official record. See how to report a dog bite.
- Keep every medical bill, photo and note of missed work.
- Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement before you get advice.
If the bite happened at the rented home, the landlord may be part of the claim too. See landlord liability for a dog bite.
When the policy may not pay
Insurers can limit dog cover. The Triple-I notes that some charge more for breeds such as pit bulls and Rottweilers. Others ask owners to sign a dog bite waiver or exclude a dog once it has bitten.
Pennsylvania and Michigan have laws that stop insurers from refusing cover over a dog's breed in some policies.
Every policy also has a ceiling. If your claim is larger than the limit, the owner owes the rest personally.
If the renter had no insurance
The owner still owes the claim under your state's law. Without a policy, being paid depends on what the owner has, so an attorney looks for other cover. That can be a landlord's policy, a dog sitter's or an umbrella policy.
For a rough value, try the settlement calculator. For who pays and your deadline where it happened, find your state in dog bite laws by state.
