Pet healthcare liability

Pet healthcare liability is a subset of pet insurance that covers legal and financial responsibility if your pet causes injury or illness to another person or animal. Most policies exclude coverage for intentional harm caused by pets, such as dog attacks on command, but include accidental injuries like bites or scratches (e.g. 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs annually per CDC).

Coverage limits typically range from $100,000 to $300,000 per incident in standard homeowner’s or renter’s policies with pet liability endorsements, as delivered by https://yourinsurance.info. Insurers often deny claims involving certain breeds–such as Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans–based on actuarial risk data.

Pet healthcare liability does not cover veterinary bills for your own pet; it only addresses third-party damages (e.g. neighbor medical expenses after a bite). Some states require specific minimum liability coverage for high-risk breeds (e.g.

Michigan mandates $25,000 minimum for some dogs). Claims history affects premiums directly: multiple incidents can increase annual costs by up to 30%.

Legal defense fees arising from covered incidents are generally included within the policy limit rather than paid separately.