It’s an important fact that, if you own a dog then you should carry dog bite homeowners insurance. Dog bites are far more common than many people know, and can be costly without a policy. If your current homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover dog bites, you could wind up losing everything in the event of a major injury that results in a large settlement against you. One incident could cause you immense financial strain.

You probably realize you carry some additional concerns regarding rising medical expenses. It can be extremely costly when a dog attack results in the victim requiring extensive medical treatments. That, along with any settlement costs, is two main factors driving the significant increases seen in the cost of dog bite claims. Therefore, you need to take the necessary steps to limit your financial exposure.

Read your homeowner’s policy

Since not all homeowner’s insurance policies cover costs associated with dog bites, you need to make sure your policy provides you with this. Still, there may be exclusions for certain breeds considered to be dangerous or an added risk, among those in this category: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers. There are insurers in Florida offering dog-bite liability insurance. This type of “covered canine” policy generally lets dog owners buy $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000 in dog-bite liability insurance with no breeds excluded.

Regardless of whether your standard homeowner’s policy covers dog bites or not, you could get the added protection you need by purchasing umbrella insurance coverage.

This will provide added protection in the event that any incident results in a severe injury requiring payment of extremely large medical bills.

Even a dog not considered to be a threat of any kind should be insured. All dogs can potentially bite someone, and that bite could become infected. Since the law treats any subsequent infection as a result of the initial dog bite then you could potentially be responsible for thousands of dollars in any related medical expenses.

Keeping your property and valuables safe from a costly settlement should be a priority.

Make sure that you check with your agent or broker to ensure you have dog bite homeowners insurance coverage for your pet at all times.