Dangerous Dog Insurance

What is Dangerous Dog Insurance?

Dangerous Dog Insurance is designed to protect pet owners from financial and legal obligations if injuries are caused to someone, their pets, or property. Canine breeds classified under the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 are prohibited to be kept as pets unless you get an exemption. According to recent developments in laws, owning dangerous dogs in the UK as pets is illegal unless they are exempted.

The Legal Landscape Related to Dangerous Dog Breeds

In the United Kingdom, the Dangerous Dog Act of 1991 was introduced to deal with fierce and assertive dog behaviour for public safety. According to this codification, owners of the breeds have to follow the strict rules, including:

Muzzle Requirements

Dogs must wear muzzles in public places to avoid injuries. A muzzle is an effective way to help prevent any situation that may affect others’ safety.

Leash Requirement

Dangerous dogs must not be off-leash in public areas to protect others. Avoid bringing your dangerous pets to the public, and if so, use precautionary measures to ensure others are safe.

Microchipping

Owners of dangerous dog breeds must register their dogs and make sure that they are microchipped. Dog microchipping assists in finding them if they escape or go missing which might put public safety at risk.

Why is Dangerous dog liability insurance a must-have for owners?

Pet liability insurance is essential for dog owners for dangerous breeds as it facilitates paying third-party obligations. It is difficult to manage and pay legal costs you may incur if your dog has caused injury to someone, their pets, or property. The dangerous dog breeds include:

• Argentino
• Pit Bull Terriers
• American XL Bully
• German Shepherd
• Jack Russel
• Rottweiler
• Fila Brasileiro

Third-party liabilities and lawsuit claims are difficult to manage and pay out of your own pocket. Having an insurance policy aids pet owners in paying such liabilities and defending the cases if filed against your pets.

Dangerous dog insurance policy is different from standard pet insurance as it mainly focuses on liabilities, unlike health or vet treatment services mostly offered in other insurance policies. Though such policies sometimes also include coverage for legal expenses or liabilities, there may be a limit on such services offered.

What is included in Dangerous dog insurance?

With an insurance policy for your pet’s dangerous dog breeds, you can get access to the following services:

Public Liability

With dangerous dog insurance, you are eligible to claim costs related to third-party liabilities. Public liabilities might impose an extra financial burden on you, therefore, having the right dog insurance policy can save you from such expenses.

Property Safety

If your dog has damaged someone’s property, you will have to pay for the damage repair cost. In such scenarios, dog liability insurance may help you out by allowing reimbursements of eligible costs.

Legal Claims Coverage

If a case is filed against your pet, and you are liable to pay legal fees or settlement charges, dog insurance might help you pay those substantial amounts.

Medical Costs for Injuries

If your dangerous dog has caused injury to someone, then you are responsible for paying for the treatment costs of the grieved parties. With pet insurance, you can claim such costs from insurance providers.

What are the penalties associated with Dangerous Dogs?

People owning dangerous dogs may be subjected to fines and penalties if their pet attacks anyone. The penalties could be in the form of a ban on keeping dogs, or a prison sentence to the pet owners for negligence. Fines may involve compensation to the people who were injured, treatment costs for injured animals, legal settlement costs, and property damage repair expenses.

The penalties are more strict for now, as developments take place in the law. The punishments for dog attacks were revised in 2014. According to the Dangerous Dog Act, pet owners might be liable to the following punishments if their dog has behaved inappropriately causing injury to others.

• Prison charges for up to 3 years if your dog has caused injury to an assistance dog
• Prison for up to 5 years if a dog has attacked someone causing injury
• 14 years in prison if a human has died because of your dog’s attack.

The police retain the right to seize the dog if it has attacked someone. In such a case, the pet owner has to prove to the court that this animal is not a danger to anyone.

How does exemption work for Dangerous Dogs?

If a court has decided in your favour, your dangerous dog breed is eligible for a certificate of exemption. This certification is valid for the lifetime of your dog. You are required to follow the restrictions mentioned in the exemption certificate to continue keeping your beloved canine buddies with you.

There are a few restrictions for pet parents too, like they must be aged 16 or above. Taking out a dangerous dog insurance policy is another important condition for such breeds. You are also required to give the authorities details about your residence location. If there are any changes in your address, or your dog dies, you must inform the IED(Index of Exempted Dogs).

What are the recent developments of dangerous dog breeds in the UK?

The government of the UK added XL Bully to the list of Dangerous dog breeds in November 2023. So, it has become illegal to own, breed, or sell a dangerous dog breed in the UK. This development was made after a spike was observed in fatalities due to the XL Bully attack. If you own this dog breed, keep in mind that you are not eligible to:

• Give away dangerous dog breed
• Sell an XL Bully or other dangerous dog breeds
• Let such breeds stray
• Breeding of Dangerous Dogs
• Bringing banned dog breeds in public without muzzle or leash.

However, if you have a certificate of exemption, you can keep these dog breeds with you in the UK. The owners are required to take proper care and precautionary safety measures for their pets. It includes:

• Neutering/spaying your dogs
• Fulfilling dog microchipping requirement
• Getting dog liability insurance
• Following safety measures in public places such as a leash and using a muzzle
• Keeping dangerous breeds in a secure place, so that they can’t run away

These protective measures will help to ensure your dogs are protected, and the risk of injuries to others is minimized.

What does a dangerous dog insurance offer?

With an insurance policy for your dangerous pet dog breeds, you can have:

• Protection Against Legal Cases: It means the costs associated with legal cases against your pet are recoverable from the insurance companies.
• Financial Protection: Having dangerous dog liability insurance, enables financial protection as most of the costs are claimable from pet insurance providers.
• Manage Costs: You can handle financial expenses in a better way by opting for a dog insurance policy. Pet insurance allows you to pay a small fixed amount either monthly or yearly, so, you can handle your finances more efficiently.
• Third-party Liability Coverage: Pet insurance policies allow coverage for the costs you may face if a third party has sustained injuries because of your dog. It may include expenses related to property damage recovery and treatment costs.
• Settlement Fee: If a case filed against your dog ends in a settlement, then insurance policies can aid you in paying such expenses, hence reducing your financial burden.
• Health Care Coverage: Like other coverage plans, dangerous dog insurance helps you manage the costs related to your pet’s health. You are eligible to make a claim for the health costs of your beloved canine companions.
• Emergency Treatment: With dog insurance, you can claim emergency-related costs for your dogs. It means protection for medical costs or other related costs is available if your dog needs emergency care.

How much does it cost to get Dangerous Dog insurance?

The cost of insurance for dangerous dogs may vary among insurance providers based on the extent of liabilities they promise to cover. It may also differ depending on which costs are eligible to be claimed under the policy. The price of dangerous dog insurance is usually more expensive than other insurance policies. This is because of the fact that dogs classified under the Dangerous Breeds Act are illegal to own, though exemptions are available. To get an exemption, it’s a precondition that dogs must be insured so that if damage or injuries are caused, there is a proper way to compensate grieved parties.

The insurance premium expense for some dangerous dog breeds is higher than others because of the associated risk of attack. So, you will be charged more. You can work on this dog’s behaviour and control it through proper training, early socialization, and behavioural therapy sessions.

Dangerous dogs are usually perceived to be at high risk of certain diseases like Bloating, Hip Dysplasia, and, Myotonia. So, the health conditions of your dog will be observed to decide a suitable insurance price as per the needs and requirements of your dog.

Do dangerous dog restrictions impact pet owners?

A dangerous dog might harm others causing problems for you. Legal claims and lawsuits may affect your finances and also the safety of your beloved dog companions. Pet owners are responsible for applying for an exemption to ensure they can continue living with their pets in the UK. If you are a pet parent of a dangerous dog, be sure to follow all precautionary measures to avoid any uncertain situation that may badly affect the freedom of your dog.

Make sure to use a muzzle in a public place to lower the dog bite risks. Furthermore, you should develop leash training for such dog breeds since puppyhood. So, if you bring them in public, they are under your control. Hold the leash securely to avoid any mishap. Moreover, you might need to pay heavy insurance premium fees as insurance is a must for all dangerous dog breeds in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is animal liability insurance?

It is a type of pet insurance that ensures reimbursement costs if your pet causes injuries or damages property. However, you won’t be eligible to claim this insurance for members of your household as this insurance is purely related to third parties.

How does liability insurance work for dangerous dogs?

Pet liability insurance works the same way as other standard dog insurance policies. If an injury is caused to someone, then the costs such as dog bites/scratches treatment, property damage recovery, and veterinary treatment expenses to animals who were injured are paid by insurance providers.

How to get insurance for dangerous dogs?

To get a dog insurance policy for dangerous breeds, you need to shop around to find which insurers allow such services. Before finalizing the insurance, you must compare the prices with those of other competitors to get cheap dog insurance.

Do property insurance providers offer dog liability insurance?

Not all but some property insurance might cover you for damage caused to property by your pets. It may include cost coverage for any destruction caused to the landlord’s property where you live. You may face claims from property owners for any damage caused to the furniture, carpets or other household items due to dog bites. Having property insurance that allows reimbursements for these costs would be economical for you.

Can you keep banned dog breeds in the UK?

The banned dog breeds can be kept with you if hold a certificate of exemption. Otherwise, you are not eligible to keep it, and the authorities can take it away from you. This may apply even if your dog isn’t behaving dangerously and there is no complaint registered against your dog.

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