There is a wide variety of different kinds of homeowner’s insurance coverage you can purchase. The basics include coverage that protects your home and belongings in case of an event such as a fire. Sometimes it’s flooding, sometimes it’s hailstorms. The varying kinds of coverage you can buy determines whether or not you get the fair market value for your home or your belongings or whether you get the coverage that allows you to build the same home, even if that cost is higher than the current market value of the house.
There are also different kinds of coverage for your belongings where you get replacement value or fair share market value for your belongings. There is also the liability part of your homeowner’s insurance that protects you against events that happen in your home. For example, if somebody trips over the cat and falls down the stairs, you would be covered.
Q: As a plaintiff, under what circumstances would you pursue a claim against a homeowner’s policy?
The most common examples of homeowner’s insurance claims are dog bites. People with dogs who have homeowner’s insurance usually have to report that they have a dog and the breed to their homeowner’s insurance. Then their homeowner’s insurance will provide coverage if the dog bites or otherwise hurts someone. Recently, there have been changes to insurance policies where they may limit the breed, or not provide coverage if the dog has ever bitten before.
Q: Is there ever an instance where the insurance company will exclude dog bites altogether from coverage?
Some policies will not insure any dogs, or they will ask for an additional premium for dogs. They might also exclude coverage altogether if you didn’t notify them of the dogs. It’s really important that your homeowner’s insurance provider know that you have adopted a pet and you make sure you are allowed to add it to your policy.
Q: If I’m bitten by a dog and the homeowner doesn’t have insurance coverage for dog bites, what happens then?
Unfortunately in that situation, most commonly, we’re left without a real ability to collect. Homeowners rarely have a lot of liquid assets that we are able to attach to or attain payments from for the injury, the medical bills and pain and suffering.
