Bill would forbid insurance discrimination by dog breed

AP ^ | 5.4.05

[rottndog]

How??

Walks around the block, to the park, and whenever I am working in the front yard I put them out on a leash (they like to watch me work). Everybody knows who lives in my backyard.

[11th_VA]

My insurance was canceled. My dog only bit 3 people - and only one needed stitches ... go figure ...

[Goodgirlinred]

Please put me on your doggie ping list.

[old and tired]

It's ironic that so many great dog breeds get a bad rap. I've mostly had and currently have German Shepherds who wouldn't hurt a fly that wasn't hurting me or mine. But the nastiest dogs on the planet are those Jack Russell Terriers and you never hear of them on the no insurance lists.

[Goodgirlinred]

I think that that should be an option. If one has proof from a reputable certified dog obedience trainer and the dog's vet that the animal is well behaved and trained and not a known biter, then the insurance should be given, perhaps at a minimally higher premium than to someone without a dog or with a less aggressive breed.

[Calpernia]

Oh no. Sorry, I wasn't clear.

Pit Bull, as per the dangerous dogs lists, does not mean the true bred pit bull.

The language is "pit bull type of dog", the law places severe restriction on dogs commonly referred to or known as pit bull type of dogs. It states: "No formal breed designation is intended by the term 'pit bulls."

This list, on the book for multiple states include:

American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, American Pit Bull Terriers, Olde English Bulldogs, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Boxer mixes, Mastiff mixes, and any other breed or mix that resembles these dogs.

Note the last sentence. "any other breed or mix that resembles these dogs."

The other breeds that have hit the dangerous dog list are also being broken out this way.

THIS is the reason it got too confusing for the insurance companies and they started dropping dog owners, period (speaking from the info I have in my state only). But what happens in one state sets a precedent for other states.

[sinkspur]

Jack Russells are extremely aggressive, and will take on men and beasts four times their size.

The rap on German Shepherds is overblown; most of the aggression has been bred out of them, from what I understand.

Cops use Germans almost exclusively because they will respond to commands and can be trusted to not go nuts in a tense situation.

[Calpernia]

You lose your mortgage when you don't have homeowners insurance.

[old and tired]

The rap on German Shepherds is overblown; most of the aggression has been bred out of them, from what I understand.

Cops use Germans almost exclusively because they will respond to commands and can be trusted to not go nuts in a tense situation.

Shepherds are the perfect family dog. Except the wife will complain about dog hair. But even my wife knows we could never ask for a better dog. It is truly unbelievable the kind of abuse they'll take from a toddler. Tail pulling, eye poking, back sitting, the whole nine yards.

[rottndog]

How would you lose your house just because you can't get your dogs insured?


It goes like this: Stupid insurance company doesn't like my dog and cancels my policy. The rest of like minded stupid insurance companies in the state won't write me a policy. Mortgage company requires homeowners policy to keep mortgage. Can't get insurance because of aforementioned stupid insurance companies. Mortgage company says pay off mortgage or foreclose on house. Not having hundreds of thousands of dollars in my piggy bank, Mortgage company forecloses and I lose my house.

Get it?

[Goodgirlinred]

I don't believe there are bad dogs. There are bad and irresponsible owners and breeders. Rotties are good dogs. However, if untrained or inbred, they can be very dangerous.

Have you ever heard of the series of children's books about the dog Carl? He was a Rotweiler. The author wrote the books with her own dog as the the influence for the main character. Her dog was as gentle as a lamb. I know folks who have Rotweilers and they are very gentle dogs and good with children.

[the invisib1e hand]

pretty soon insurance co's will be telling you how to raise your friggin pets, too.

[eyespysomething]

No no no, our black lab is obviously the best type for families. You should see what she takes from the 3 boys, wagging her tail and rolling back over for more.

We've got the best dog in the world, and you can't tell me otherwise. I'd wax on poetically about how she protects them and us, serves as a guard dog, playmate, problems listened to, and is the most loving dog on earth, etc etc etc, but I'll bet others would beg to differ. (get it= dog, beg?)

;-)

[Goodgirlinred]

You live in Virginia? I thought a dog here in Virginia was allowed one bite. If he bit again, he had to be put down.

[McGavin999]

It's not the breed, it's the owner. It's also the darned judges who will find for the "victem" even when the "victem" came over a 7' block wall with a locked safety gate into your yard and attempted to break into your house. There clearly has to be some commonsense applied when it comes to dogs.

I'm pretty lucky though, I've always had giant breeds with sweet dispositions. My insurance company gave me a discount for an alarm system after seeing my Irish Wolfhound.

[Melas]

I have a hunch that in the situation you described, getting insurance would be as easy as taking Killer to the pound.

[Melas]

What part of 25% of all home owner's insurance claims are due to dog bites didn't you understand? I don't doubt how sweet your rottie is, but from a risk management stand point, your rottie is still potentially a huge risk. Mickey Rourke's vicious little 3 pound Mexican Chihuahua might be mean, vicious and prone to biting, but from a risk management standpoint, he's not going to cause a lot of damage in any circumstance.