How can homeowners????????????

[rsaarinen]

Some of you might have seen my last forum yesterday about "what to look for when buying a pupy". You guys were great and I have learned ALOT sense joining this community. Someone had suggested that I call my homeownes to make sure that I can even have a rott. Let's just say I"m not suprised by there awnser. I am a prefered Metlife customer and they restrict around 20 breeds of dogs I was told.

Now it's one thing to base my rate off of credit and it's another to tell me what type of dog I can't have ! I read something that at one point there was 120,000 rott's registered with the AKC per year. They were breed like crazy and basically due to this we have some of the image problems we all deal with today! My brother who is a homeowner as well say to screw them and get the dog you want. However they won't cover ANYTHING if I had one of the breeds listed.

This to be honest makes me mad. I have done alot of work researching this breed to make sure that I get the right dog. I have some very nice people who I meet threw this forum trying to point me in the right direction and an insurance company can just say sorry thats an aggressive dog? My rott could end up being less aggressive than my brothers lab and they wouldn't care. ERRRRRRRR!!! I am going to look at changing my insurance but I can't afford to pay the difference between prefeered and high risk insurnace just to have a rott. But I want this sooo bad I will look into it and do everything that I can but is say 1000.00 more a year worth it. I'm only 24 and have a buget now that I've bought a house.

Thanks for letting me Vent!

[mook1620]

Originally Posted by rsaarinen

Some of you might have seen my last forum yesterday about "what to look for when buying a pupy". You guys were great and I have learned ALOT sense joining this community. Someone had suggested that I call my homeownes to make sure that I can even have a rott. Let's just say I"m not suprised by there awnser. I am a prefered Metlife customer and they restrict around 20 breeds of dogs I was told.

Now it's one thing to base my rate off of credit and it's another to tell me what type of dog I can't have ! I read something that at one point there was 120,000 rott's registered with the AKC per year. They were breed like crazy and basically due to this we have some of the image problems we all deal with today! My brother who is a homeowner as well say to screw them and get the dog you want. However they won't cover ANYTHING if I had one of the breeds listed.

This to be honest makes me mad. I have done alot of work researching this breed to make sure that I get the right dog. I have some very nice people who I meet threw this forum trying to point me in the right direction and an insurance company can just say sorry thats an aggressive dog? My rott could end up being less aggressive than my brothers lab and they wouldn't care. ERRRRRRRR!!! I am going to look at changing my insurance but I can't afford to pay the difference between prefeered and high risk insurnace just to have a rott. But I want this sooo bad I will look into it and do everything that I can but is say 1000.00 a year worth it. I'm only 24 and have a buget now that I've bought a house.

Thanks for letting me Vent!

Call some other companies and ask around, I think there is one that doesn't discriminate, if it's available in you area, but I can't remember which one.

[observer]

Call State Farm or Farmers Insurance if they are available in your area. I have my ins with one right now, am switching to the other for price, and neither has a restriction for a dog with no bite history.

[rsaarinen]

Nice!!! I will have to call them at lunch break! Again you guys are awesome. Always willing to help. I promise when I actually know more about certian subjects I will return the favor

[LUVMYROTTNBOY]

Use the search function try Home owners insurance here on the forum, there have been tons of posts about this issue. One company that people talk about is State Farm they will cover a Rott, another is farmers Insurance I dont know if either are in your area. What you will have to do is call every agency in your area, tell them your getting a rottie, you plan to have ob training and get the dog "canine good citizen" certified.

If you dont have your dog yet, really its in your best interest to check the breeder very thoroughly and make sure the dog will be a good fit. As you can see, you really need to do your homework to own this breed. It will make your life 100% easier to get a dog with a stable temperament.

Your going to have to do this with homeowners insurance and you might encounter many other road blocks as well. Check your city dog laws for BSL, and be willing to fight for the right to own your dog if BSL hits your area or if you need to relocate.

As long as your willing to do a bit of work, getting all this done should be no problem, and in no time you will have your new pup.

[Luvs]

We just switched to Allstate. They didn't have a problem with the fact that we had rotties. They were also cheaper than our previous insurance.

[rottgirl]

We have State Farm and they have no problem with rotties. We took out a seperate umbrella policy to make sure we have all the bases covered.

Michele

[rsaarinen]

I know that this has been a serious topic you have all faced over time. But how can they get away with this. This is like saying that if your a African American or Irish Ameican you have a higher chance of aggression there for you can't be insured. It's racism for animals in my opinion.


What if any lawsuits have been filled over this? I'm curious to get my feet weet on this issue. I've always like a good fight especially a legal one :)

[Judi W]

They absolutely can decide what risks they choose to insure. When a Rottweiler that is of poor character and/or poorly managed decides to do damage to a person, the amount of the damage and consequential costs and liability is considerable.

[RottiMomCT]

Sadly, the insurance companies can, and do, 'discriminate' against certain breeds. They have to over their own butts...

We had AllState, were denied renewal because of two theft claims in 5 years - totally 100% non dog related.

Nationwide, nope, Geico (even though we've had car insurance with them for 8 years and have had two claims in that time frame for broken windshields only), nope, Amica, nope...you get the idea...

State Farm had no problems at all, in fact the agent brought treats for the dogs!

A law was passed, at least in CT, that effective October 1, 2005, NO insurance company can deny coverage based on the breed of dog you own, but you can bet your booty that your rates will be higher if you own one of the so called 'vicious breeds'.

[rsaarinen]

I understand where there coming from on the business side of life. But how can you discrimitate a breed when you should discriminate the animal itself. I just think it's a thin line that is being crossed. Or maybe I"m just pissed becasue I've wanted a rott for so long and now the only thiing that could get in my way is insurance. I do have a Large umbrella policy I wonder if that would cover him if my imediate insurance didn't? I have some work to do I'm aware of that, just think it's stuip to say 20 or so breeds I can't have. Husky's, Chow's and other Non-Agreesive animals are on the list as well it's not just a pit, rott, and German Shepard.

[RottiMomCT]

Originally Posted by rsaarinen

I understand where there coming from on the business side of life. But how can you discrimitate a breed when you should discriminate the animal itself. I just think it's a thin line that is being crossed.

Honestly, the companies don't have time to do a case by case thing with a dog breed...if one rott owner has a champion dog with certifications and titles up the wazoo, and another owner just has a well behaved pet, and the dog owner with the champion dog ends up with a bite on record, and the well behaved pet never does anything wrong, yet the proven dog (champion) has coverage by a certain company...totally not fair to the average joe pet dog owner...MUCH easier just to say NO to a BREED versus an individual dog.

The AKC has, I believe, a list of companies that will accept dogs with a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate...

[rsaarinen]

See thats what I'm talking about. Granted I am only 24 years old. I have never claimed ANYTHING with car insurance or homeowners ( thought it's new to me ) So you would think that would play a role but NO. They think your credit rating (which mine isn't bad )should decided your rate. So back on topic

I'm probably going to leave MetLife due to this issue. But once I get settled in I plan on seeing what I can do locally to help this change!

[sarahd]

Insurance is all about underwriting the risk. Meaning that if the insurance company views something to be to great of a risk they can and will chose not to write insurance for that risk. Thats why policies have exclusions for flood, vermin, etc. They make a business decision that based on premiums collected that it is not economically viable for them to cover a certain type of risk.

I do find it interesting that some insurers are completely fine with any type of dog and other are completely strict on not allowing coverage for certain breeds. Usually exclusions will become a standard that all or most insurers will follow because they all view it as an "undesirable risk" or something that is not within their appetite to write.

As with automobile insurance, insurance companies who write homeowners' insurance are free to choose who they will insurer based on underwriting criteria. If you have too many speeding tickets some insurers will chose not to carry your insurance. If you have a rotti some insurers will chose not to carry your insurance. Is it fair? No. But that is just the way it is. Rather than fight with them about it, find an insurance company who does not have an dog breed exclusion and give them your business.

and ALWAYS read your insurance policy so you really do know what is covered and what is excluded.

[rsaarinen]

Well written sarahd. Ok I'm over the whole issue that has been ran into the ground to death. I will find a new company and move on from there. Thanks for letting me vent guys!