Think moving or being with a home insurance company that does not allow Pit Bulls means you will have to part with your pet?  Think again!  There are options out there for Pit Bull and bully breed owners, and there are home insurance companies that do not carry breed restrictions.  Whether your are a property owner or renter, there is no need for you to give up your beloved bully in exchange for housing - simply change your insurer and start enjoying your time with your pet.  This article will cover insurance options for both home owners and renters looking for Pit Bull friendly insurance, as well as a discussion of ways to keep your current Pit-friendly coverage.

Home Owners

There are presently a handful of companies that do not have any type of breed/pet restrictions for homeowners, and can be identified as Pit Bull friendly insurance companies.  The Pitbull friendly insurance agencies include:

1. State Farm
2. Travelers
3. Fireman’s Fund
4. Kemper
5. Chubb Group

These insurances may not be available in all areas or to all dog owners, so you will have to do a bit of independent research to determine which insurance agency will work for your and your pet Pit Bull.  Each owner needs to be sure their policy covers injuries inflicted by any of their pets and has personal liability limit of at least $100,000.

Renters

Your landlord should have their own policy covering dog related incidents that take place on the property you are renting, but all renters should obtain supplemental insurance to be sure their dog is covered.  Renters insurance covers a broad spectrum of things including your personal items like television, computers, furniture, artwork, etc., in addition to providing coverage for your pet.  You will need to make sure your renters insurance specifically covers pet-related incident, and you will want to be sure to carry a policy that has at least $100,000 in personal liability coverage in case of an incident.  Many of the major insurers above also offer coverage for renters, so you will want to contact your preferred provider and see what they have to offer.  Another site to check is RentersInsurance.com.

Keeping Homeowner and Renter’s Insurance for your Pit Bull

1. Enroll your Pit Bull in obedience classes, and consider taking your dog to obtain Canine Good Citizen certification.
2. Neuter male Pits to reduce dominance related issues.
3. Make sure your bully gets lots of appropriate exercise - dogs with predatory or herding instincts need to channel those inherent tendencies in socially acceptable ways to prevent acting out.
4. Keep dogs on leash or in a fully, physically fenced area when outside.
5. Always make sure your pet Pitbull is supervised around children.
6. Teach children (and adults) how to behave around animals. For example, don’t disturb dogs while sleeping or eating, and do not bother mother dogs who are with their puppies.
7. Be aware of the signals that you yourself send to your dog; i.e. your nervousness will manifest itself within your dog.
8. Demonstrate what it means to be a responsible dog owner.

Dog owners need to be aware that an insurance company could potentially find a way to impose a dog exclusion or cancel a policy, depending on the municipality’s vicious dog laws (invoked if a dog has bitten), or any breed bans in place.  Unfortunately, breed specific bans are popping up all over the country, and Pit Bulls are often the focus of these types of laws.  Make sure you keep up to date on your city’s laws, and adhere to any breed-specific laws they have in place for taking dogs in public and proper procedures.  The last thing an owner needs if for an insurance company to cite exclusions in a homeowner’s policy about not covering damage or injury caused by a dog who was not supposed to be in the county; this is why it is so important to keep current with your local laws.

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