Why Two Dog Owners Can Pay Different Premiums for the Same Canine Liability Policy

Dana and Marcus live next door to each other, and both buy a canine liability policy with a $100,000 limit. Dana owns an 18-pound terrier who sleeps on the couch and has completed an obedience class. Marcus owns a 90-pound shepherd mix who spends his days in a fenced yard and nipped a visitor two years ago. Their quotes come back at different prices.

Dana and Marcus bought identical coverage, so the price gap reflects differences in their dogs’ training, living space, breed, size, and bite history. Dog Bite Quote rates each dog individually, so your dog bite insurance cost depends on your dog’s profile as well as the coverage you choose. 

What Goes Into Rating Each Dog

Five traits of your dog go into the rating. A different answer on any one of them can change the price, so two dogs on the same policy can end up with different premiums:

• Type of training: The rating considers what training your dog has completed. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, bites typically happen when a dog feels stressed, frightened, or uncomfortable, and positive training and gradual exposure to new people and places help dogs feel more comfortable and confident. Training history gives the rating a picture of how a dog handles strangers. Dana’s terrier has an obedience class to list.
• Inside or outside: The rating considers where your dog spends its days. Dana’s terrier lives indoors, and Marcus’s shepherd mix spends his days in the yard.
• Breed: Breed counts as one factor in the rating. Some homeowners and renters policies exclude certain breeds outright, but every breed is eligible for canine liability coverage with Dog Bite Quote, so Marcus’s shepherd mix gets rated like any other dog.
• Size: The rating accounts for your dog’s size, and 18 pounds and 90 pounds sit far apart.
• History: The rating looks at past incidents. Marcus’s dog has one nip on record, and Dana’s dog has none.

The Factor You Choose: Your Policy Limit

The five traits above describe your dog, so you can’t change them on the day you apply. The policy limit works differently because you pick it, and the limit you select changes your dog bite insurance cost. Dog Bite Quote offers four limits: $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, and $300,000. The policy has no deductible at any limit. On a covered claim, you won’t pay anything out of pocket unless the costs go beyond the limit you chose. 

The limit sets the most the policy will pay on a claim. If a claim costs more than your limit, you pay the rest yourself. Dog Bite Quote reports that the average claim costs $80,000 to close. A $25,000 or $50,000 limit would leave you paying part of a claim that size. Dana and Marcus each chose $100,000, so the average claim would remain within their coverage. Before you pick a limit, decide how much you could pay out of pocket, then compare the premium at each level.

Marcus’s quote raises one more question, tied to the history factor: Does a past bite end the application? It doesn’t. When your dog has a bite history, the quote process asks additional questions about the circumstances of each incident. Dog Bite Quote uses your answers to decide whether it can offer coverage. Have the details of the incident ready before you start the quote. 

FAQ on Premiums

Does my dog’s breed affect what I pay for dog bite insurance?

Yes. Breed counts in the rating, but Dog Bite Quote weighs it alongside training, living space, size, and history. As a result, two dogs of the same breed can receive different quotes. 

How much does pet liability insurance for renters cost?

Renters get rated on the same five traits and the same limit choices as homeowners, so no single price fits every renter. The free online quote gives you a number for your own dog. If your landlord requires coverage, Dog Bite Quote can add them as an additional insured on your policy. 

See What Your Own Dog’s Quote Looks Like

Dana and Marcus paid different amounts because their dogs differ. Your dog bite insurance cost will reflect your own dog the same way, plus the limit you choose. Gather your dog’s details, then get a free quote to see your number.

About the Author

Debbie Turner is the president of Florida-based Dean Insurance Agency, where she has spent more than three decades specializing in canine liability insurance. Driven by a deep passion for dogs and a strong understanding of their behavior, she developed the Canine Liability Insurance Policy (formerly known as F.I.D.O.) to help protect dog owners from unexpected risks. Since founding the agency in 1994, Debbie has helped issue thousands of policies nationwide, offering coverage for all breeds and supporting responsible pet ownership. Dean Insurance is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and serves clients across the U.S., except Alaska and Kentucky.

About Dog Bite Quote

At Dean Insurance Agency, we’ve been protecting dog owners since 2012, with more than 10,000 policies issued. Our underwriting criteria and years of experience providing this coverage enable us to offer competitive and fair policy premiums. Our policies are available in every state except Alaska and Kentucky. The quote is free, and there is NO obligation to purchase!