Dog-Friendly Homeowners Insurance Companies

Most homeowners insurance providers cover dog-related incidents, but some companies exclude certain breeds considered more likely to bite or cause injury. State Farm, Allstate and USAA offer homeowners insurance without breed restrictions.

*Rates mentioned in the table are based on a sample homeowner's policy with $250,000 in dwelling coverage, $125,000 in personal property and $200,000 in personal liability with a $1,000 deductible.

If your dog bites a visitor or chews up a neighbor's fence, two parts of your homeowners policy respond: personal liability coverage and medical payments to others coverage.

• Personal Liability Coverage: Covers legal fees, medical bills and property damage costs when you're found responsible for your dog's actions.
• Medical Payments to Others Coverage: Covers the injured person's medical bills regardless of fault.

Homeowners insurance steps in when your dog bites a visitor or damages someone's property, covering the legal and medical costs you'd otherwise pay yourself.

Homeowners insurance covers financial harm your dog causes to other people. It doesn't extend to your own medical bills, damage to your own belongings, or a handful of high-risk situations insurers usually exclude.

Pit Bull Terriers and Rottweilers top most insurers' restricted breed lists. Companies base these restrictions on perceived aggression or bite risk, and the specific breeds named vary by insurer. These breeds appear most often:

• Pit Bull Terriers
• Rottweilers
• German Shepherds
• Doberman Pinschers
• Staffordshire Terriers
• Alaskan Malamutes
• Siberian Huskies
• Chow Chows
• Great Danes
• Presa Canarios
• Akitas
• Wolf Hybrids

Breed-level claims data drives these restrictions, not an evaluation of your dog. Insurers price risk using claims history for the breed as a whole, so a gentle, well-behaved dog doesn't change the underwriting math.

Ask your insurer directly whether the restriction applies to your policy if you own a restricted breed. Ask about additional liability coverage or a specialized policy for dog owners too.

New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota and Nevada now prohibit insurers from denying or canceling homeowners coverage based solely on dog breed. Breed alone can't be held against your dog in these states.

A dog's individual behavior still matters, though. A history of aggression or a prior bite claim still counts against a policy, even where breed restrictions are banned. Breed restrictions remain legal everywhere else, so ask your insurer for its specific guidelines.

The biggest challenge dog owners encounter when shopping for homeowners insurance is navigating breed restrictions and hidden exclusions. Knowing how to evaluate insurers and what questions to ask can save you money and help verify that your dog is fully covered.

A dog raises your insurance costs, but a well-trained dog on a secure property can earn a better rate. Insurers price for risk, and lower risk shows up as lower premiums.

• Invest in Obedience Training: Certifications like the AKC Canine Good Citizen program signal lower risk. Insurers sometimes lower premiums for this kind of documented training.
• Keep Your Property Secure: Fences, gates and clear signage limit the odds of an incident. Insurers notice steps that reduce liability on the property itself.
• Increase Your Liability Limits Strategically: Higher coverage limits reduce your financial exposure if a claim happens. Premiums tend to stay more stable with higher limits over time.
• Maintain a Clean Claims History: A record with no dog-related claims keeps your risk profile low. Insurers often reward that history with better rates.
• Bundle Policies When Possible: Home and auto insurance bundled with the same insurer can offset some of the added cost of owning a dog.

Other providers may still work with you if your insurer denies coverage over your dog's breed or bite history. State Farm, Allstate and USAA sometimes cover higher-risk dogs, and an independent broker can connect you to insurers that specialize in dog-friendly policies.

A standalone canine liability policy or umbrella policy can fill the gap when standard homeowners insurance isn't an option. Training records, behavior assessments and vaccination history can also prompt some insurers to reconsider a denied application.

Dog bites are a growing liability concern for homeowners insurers. According to the Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurers paid $1.57 billion in dog bite liability claims in 2024. Claim volume rose 18.9% to 22,658 incidents, up from 19,062 in 2023. The average cost per claim climbed 18.3% to $69,272. Higher medical costs and larger settlements and jury awards pushed that figure up.

Most homeowners policies default to $100,000 in personal liability coverage, and a $69,272 average claim eats roughly 70% of that limit before attorney fees or court costs. A claim that runs above average, or turns into a lawsuit, can exceed a standard policy fast. Raising your liability limit or adding an umbrella policy is a direct response to average claims that standard coverage wasn't built to handle.

Dog-friendly homeowners insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and USAA cover dog-related incidents, including injuries and property damage, without imposing breed restrictions. Standard homeowners policies protect you through personal liability and medical payments coverage. Many insurers still limit coverage for breeds they consider high risk.

Standard coverage has limits. It doesn't pay for injuries to household members, damage to your own property, or incidents involving commercial use or negligence. Insurers in New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota and Nevada can't deny coverage based solely on breed. Your dog's individual behavior can still affect your eligibility.

We've addressed common questions about home insurance and dogs to highlight important considerations for dog owners seeking the right insurance protection.

Why Trust MoneyGeek?

MoneyGeek pulled homeowners insurance data from all 50 state Departments of Insurance and Quadrant Information Services to find the best options for dog owners nationwide.

Methodology

Our analysis paired rate data from Quadrant Information Services with policy details from state insurance databases.

Homeowner Profile

We used one sample profile to compare companies on equal terms. That profile has the following characteristics:

• Good credit score (769 to 792)
• Home constructed in 2000
• Wood-frame construction
• Composite shingle roof

Homeowners Insurance Coverage Details

All quotes reflect these standard limits unless otherwise noted:

• $250,000 in dwelling coverage
• $125,000 in personal property coverage
• $200,000 in personal liability coverage
• $1,000 deductible

We also reviewed higher-value policies to identify which companies work best for expensive homes, increasing limits to $1 million in dwelling coverage, $500,000 in personal property coverage and $1 million in liability coverage.