Why Dog Owners Need Umbrella Insurance By

Floyd ArthurBrought to you by carmoongroup.com and

floyd-arthur.com

If you are a dog owner, you undoubtedly believe that your pet

would never harm a person or

another animal in any way. Nevertheless, dog bites are a

serious and growing problem in the

United States. Dog bites are the fifth most common reason

for emergency room visits

nationwide, and their incidence and severity is on the rise. Between

1993 and 2008, the number

of people hospitalized due to dog bites rose 86 percent, from 5,100

in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008.

Additionally, the number of fatal dog attacks jumped by over 80

percent between 1980 and

2008. In all, an average of 37 people have died each year since

2007 after being attacked by

one or more dogs.

The Cost to You if Your Dog Bites

If your dog attacks a person or even another dog, the financial

consequences can be severe. Not

only are you responsible for the injured party’s medical bills and

rehabilitative care, you can

also be sued for damages and criminally charged.

In a high-profile San Francisco case in 2001, two attorneys,

Marjorie Knoller and her husband

Robert Noel, were charged with second degree murder and

involuntary manslaughter when

their two Presa Canarios dogs attacked and killed a 33 year-old lacrosse player, Diane Whipple,

in the hallway of the building in which they all lived. Noel served 2

years on the manslaughter

conviction, and Knoller—who appealed her conviction several

times – is now serving a sentence

of 15 years to life.

In addition, Whipple’s domestic partner won a $1.5 million

wrongful death claim against the

two.

Even nonfatal injuries can be costly if you are uninsured or

underinsured. According to the

Insurance Information Institute, the average amount paid by

insurers on dog-bite claims was

nearly $28,000 in 2013.

How Umbrella Insurance Can Help

Typically, homeowner’s or renters insurance covers some degree of

liability for dog bites and

dog attacks. However, most of these policies provide coverage

of between $100,000 and

$500,000, which may not be enough if the person’s injuries are

disfiguring or disabling. Further,

if the injured person sues, the court can award compensatory

damages if it finds you were

negligent in failing to control the dog (as it did in

the Knoller case.)

Umbrella insurance provides coverage in excess of your

homeowner’s (or automobile)policy

limits –typically in increments of $1 million. This excess liability kicks in if you are responsible

for a catastrophic injury to another person, whether due to a dog bite or other cause.

Umbrella insurance also covers liability for accidental property

damage caused by you, your pet

or a member of your household, as well as damages

for personal injury due to:

* Slander

* Libel

* False arrest, detention, or imprisonment

* Malicious prosecution

* Intentional infliction of emotional distress

How Much Does Umbrella Insurance Cost?

The cost of umbrella insurance varies, but according to a recent report by ACE Risk Services, for

a family with one home and two cars, premiums

average about:

* $380 per year for $1 million in coverage

* $475 for $2 million in coverage

* $600 for $5 million in coverage

* $1000 for $10 million in coverage

However, a number of factors influence how much you pay.

For example, owning more than

one home, owning a boat or having a driver under the age

of 25 in your home will increase

premiums considerably.

Other Considerations for Owners of Specific Dog

Breeds

Although policy terms vary, most liability insurance policies

specifically exclude injuries caused

by specific dog breeds. The breeds that are almost

universally “blacklisted” are:

* Pit bull terriers

* American Staffordshire terriers

* Rottweilers

* German shepherds

* Presa Canarios

* Chows chows

* Doberman pinschers

* Akitas

* Wolf-hybrids

* Mastiffs

* Cane Corsos

* Great Danes

* Alaskan malamutes

* Siberian huskies

Whether you are a dog owner concerned about liability for injuries, or you simply have

questions about how to protect your assets, contact one of our insurance experts at 516-292-

3780 today. We are available Monday through Friday from 9

a.m. to 6 p.m. to take your call.

Or, if you prefer, request a free consultation online now and we

will get back to you the next

business day.

Tags: Umbrella Insurance, Umbrella insurance covers, Umbrella

insurance cost, Dog bites, Dog

attacks

Carmoon Group Ltd. Business Insurance

Hempstead New York

Floyd Arthur Insurance Expert New

York

http://floydarthur.info * http://carmoongroup.com *

http://floyd-arthur.com

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