I'm writing another post about pets because it's always a subject that brings up a lot of questions in rental properties. One thing owners really need to look into when it comes to deciding whether you will accept a pet or not is whether your insurance company covers certain breeds - I am talking mainly about certain types of dogs. I'm sure insurance doesn't cover other "dangerous" animals but that's not what I'm talking about here. That's a different conversation.
I'm a pet lover and I know that there are risks with any kind of pet but from a liability standpoint, certain breeds are just not covered by your insurance and if you allow those pets into your property and they harm someone, you are responsible and your insurance is not. Insurance companies are getting more strict about what breeds they will cover and those that they won't. They simply do not want to get into a lawsuit because someone gets bitten or hurt when they are in the home.
Coverage does vary company by company so you need to check every time a potential renter has a dog. You also need to conduct regular inspections to make sure they didn't bring a dog into the home without your permission.
But generally speaking, most insurance companies will not cover the following breeds:
- Pit Bulls & Staffordshire Terriers
- Doberman Pinschers
- Rottweilers
- German Shepherds
- Chows
- Great Danes
- Presa Canarios
- Akitas
- Alaskan Malamutes
- Siberian Huskies
- Wolf-hybrids
For more on which dog breeds are most often targeted by insurers:
- 10 Dog Breeds Blacklisted by Insurers (MSN)
- 14 Dog Breeds Blacklisted by Insurance Companies (Psychology Today)
- The Case Against Dog Breed Discrimination by Homeowners' Insurance Companies (Humane Society)
Bottom line is that you need to really be on top of who is living in your rental property and that includes dogs and you need to pay particular attention to the breed. There are companies who will provide insurance for these breeds but the premiums will be much higher and if you ignore it and something happens, it could mean a lot of money out of your pocket and your current insurer is likely to drop you. That means it will be harder to get coverage next time around.
As with anything in a rental property, know what's going on and stay on top of it.
