OT Homeowners insurance problem

omahagreg · Oct 24, 2012

Douglas county deputy is in the K-9 unit, so takes the dog home. American Family Insurance has dropped his homeowners insurance because he has a vicious dog. What will they think of next?
http://www.ketv.com/news/local-news/Patrol-dog-at-center-of-insurance-policy-issue/-/9674510/17120228/-/9pa2ol/-/index.html

Walt Davies · Oct 24, 2012

I pretty much agree with them that dog could cause a lot of
serious injuries to some kid who just wanted to pet it.
These dogs with their traing need to be handled in a way that
protects the public from them.
Walt

omahagreg · Oct 24, 2012

The county has insurance on the dog. Just seems like insurance is becoming more and more about themselves.

IHC Red · Oct 24, 2012

They should give him a break for the added security.

CWL · Oct 24, 2012

Personaly I would much rather approach a dog that has been part of a K-9 unit than some random dog. Most K-9 units spend quite a bit of their time in public service roles.

oldtanker · Oct 24, 2012

Walt pretty much has it right. If a person is injured on your property you and your insurance company can be held liable for that injury. The amount of liability depends on the condition that all reasonable things were done to protect someone from injury. That can amount to things like using ice melt and installing hand rails on stairs. Brining home a dog that is trained to protect it's handler and attack on command is not by definition using reasonable caution.

Think about it it. Makes it more likely that you are going to be involved in a claim. Same kinda of deal if you get busted for a DUI. Makes you higher risk.

You don't know. His policy may have a clause that bars owning or possessing a dog trained to attack.

Rick

PJH · Oct 24, 2012

I know a guy whose old dog growled at the insurance agent when he got out of his car in the guy's driveway. The agent dropped him like a hot potato when he refused to get rid of the dog. I've got the same agent, and he appears to have been traumatized by a dog at some point in his life - he acts like he's scared of all dogs.

Goose · Oct 24, 2012

I gotta side with the insurance company on this one. With any dog, the potential is there.

I've had too dammed many close calls with dogs while inspecting real estate properties for insurance companies. Company policy says if a dog keeps me from doing my job, all I need to do is submit a photo of the dog.

I also don't understand dog owners who actually brag about how mean and vicious their dogs are. Every inspection I do requires me to note the numbers and breeds of dogs on the premises, and also each dog's disposition, friendly, protective, or aggressive. When it comes to dogs, most insurance companies don't give much slack. With good reason.

Royse · Oct 24, 2012

Last sentence of the article: "Woodward has since found a new insurance company."
As he should have.
Any insurance company that bases coverage on any one person's "opinion" of a dog is asking for a law suit IMHO.
From their admission in the article, it seems they didn't even do their due diligence to gather
the dog's training and insurance coverage from the handler to cover their own butts if it came to that.
When I worked at an insurance company, those decisions had to be ran past underwriting,
all the i's dotted and T's crossed before anything was put in writing.
Then everything that was put in writing had to be reviewed by the legal team.
Somebody along the way should have caught it.
As damage control: "issued a statement saying it regrets the situation and, if provided
documentation about the county’s insurance policy, it would have and will renew the policy."
Sure, now that he has another insurance company, let's avoid litigation?

tomturkey · Oct 24, 2012

Its all about limiting their risk and claims. Thats how they make money, taking in premiums and paying as little out as they can. Insurance--a pitb that I won't be without. gobble

mjsnodgrass · Oct 25, 2012

my dog was on the front porch tonight when he started barking. i got outside just in time to see 2 people running across the front field and get in a truck parked down the road. near the shop i found a crowbar. i wonder how much money my dog saved the insurance company tonight. my shop is full of tools, tractors, and stuff.

KReevesTx · Oct 25, 2012

There's a big difference in a vicious dog and a police dog
trained to bite a man on command. A police dog is
continuously trained and tested; very much unlike a junkyard
guard dog. KR

KReevesTx · Oct 25, 2012

There's a big difference in a vicious dog and a police dog
trained to bite a man on command. A police dog is
continuously trained and tested; very much unlike a junkyard
guard dog. KR

MarkB_MI · Oct 25, 2012

How did the insurance company figure out he even has a dog? Did he file a claim? As with all good stories, you only get half the information.

dhermesc · Oct 25, 2012

I've never seen one of those. Drug sniffing dogs might be trained that way but I know our town has a problem with losing their canines, they turn them loose to chase down a guy and they just run away.

just thinkin · Oct 25, 2012

Using some of the reasoning on here in favor of the insurance company, how soon can we expect higher premiumns or loss of coverage for having a gun?

DoubleR · Oct 25, 2012

I agree with Mark. I can't help but think there is MORE to the story than we are getting.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 25, 2012

Your dog won you a free crowbar last night.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 25, 2012

My policy has so many exclusions I don't think I'm covered for anything.

Dodgeit · Oct 25, 2012

If nobody paid their insurance premiums for a month, I bet the attatude of the insurance cos. would be different. I can remember when Insurance salesmen went door to door begging you to take out a policy.

omahagreg · Oct 25, 2012

Another news source stated the agent went there for a review, and saw the K-9 truck in the driveway!

Bret4207 · Oct 26, 2012

If a K-9 dog is dangerous, then any dog is dangerous and cats bite too so they must be dangerous and cars and tractors and chainsaws and power tools and running water are all dangerous too!

These days insurance isn't insurance, it's just bill you are extorted into paying. Just like so called "health insurance" that won't pay for anything. I'm beginning to think the Amish have the right idea.

OT Homeowners insurance problem

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