Liability Insurance Increase

I got our Liability Insurance bill for the rescue last night and about had a stroke, it doubled!!
I called the billing number and the lady I spoke with said that they had changed our class and that the increase in dog bites has risen so that was the reason for the increase and that many carriers really don't want to cover rescues anymore due to the rise in dog bite claims.

Has anyone else in other states I'm in MI seen such a huge increase in their insurance??

Wow, can't they give a non-profit a break??

I don't do the accounting for Polar Pug Rescue....but, I do prepare the taxes. I don't recall that we even have insurance!!!

Forgive me my ignorance....who is making claims about dog bites? Is it a national trend, or does your rescue specifically make many dog bite claims?

We've never made a claim, it's other rescues. I told the lady wow I pay our bill in full every year, it's never been late, we've never made a claim but we're suffering the
reprocutions. I'm just assuming it's a national trend. The thing that really burns me is the bill was generated on the 20th, postmarked the 24th I received it the 26th and it's due 9/9, I really have no time to shop around to look for a different carrier!!

We cover (10) Foster Homes in MI & OH. Honestly, I can see the increase in bites as some of the events our rescue has attended with other rescues all breeds, breed specific, etc some of the dogs should not have been at the event. I could totally see someone getting hurt by one of the dogs. No common sense being used.

Definitely shop around. Even if you pay the premium, you can cancel it and get a refund if you find something cheaper.

I know the U.S. is sue-happy, but if one of your rescue Pugs bit, as a non-profit, who could they sue and for what? Are the board-members liable? Or is this more to protect the fosterers if they have a foster that bites a member of the public (unlikely, but...)?

Aussie Witch wrote:Definitely shop around. Even if you pay the premium, you can cancel it and get a refund if you find something cheaper.

I know the U.S. is sue-happy, but if one of your rescue Pugs bit, as a non-profit, who could they sue and for what? Are the board-members liable? Or is this more to protect the fosterers if they have a foster that bites a member of the public (unlikely, but...)?

I can't speak to the US issue specifically, but our rescue has liability insurance and our board of directors is insured, because, yes, if someone sues the rescue then they can individually sue each and every board member personally. So you bet we got Directors liability insurance.

Dog bite claims have gone through the roof in North America--not just in the US and it's not mostly from rescues. I'm betting that the liability insurance you have, Carol, has gone up due to overall dog bite claims. I think there's an assumption that if you're a rescue ALL your dogs are risky.

This is one of the reasons I'm VERY careful when a dog is surrendered to us for "aggression". Or has a bite record. If the dog truly has some serious aggression or bite issues then I just cannot take the dog in. If I knowingly bring in a dog with a bite record or a history of aggressive attacks AND it bites anyone/attacks someone's dog, the rescue can be sued and each member of our board can be sued.

Yes, I can get foster parents to sign a waiver saying they won't sue us, but what if the dog bites a neighbour or someone on a walk? I can't protect us from everyone in the world. It's not worth the risk.

Jerry spoke with our agent/broker and their shopping it out in the mean time, bills been paid.
Yes, the insurance is to protect not only us board of directors but the foster homes as well.

I'm just scared of what the future increases will be???

Lilos Mom wrote:Jerry spoke with our agent/broker and their shopping it out in the mean time, bills been paid.
Yes, the insurance is to protect not only us board of directors but the foster homes as well.

I'm just scared of what the future increases will be???

I hear you! I personally carry BIG dog bite insurance/liability insurance. Better safe than sorry. Thank God I don't have a breed that is considered dangerous. I desperately want a rottie, but my personal liability insurance would either go through the roof or I would be considered uninsurable due to the breed of dog. Really discouraging.

15 years ago when my Mom lived with me before Jerry & I married she had a little doxie about 7 months old and Amanda had a bunch of her friends over they were little maybe 7 or so and they were running around my family room and moms puppy of course was right in the middle of it and nipped the neighbors cousin who happened to be visiting. Well he jumped up and caught her just right in her lip with his sharp little puppy teeth. She ended up needing 11 stitches, my home owners took care of everything but when it was all said and done it totaled $20,000. It took years because they were afraid as she grew older there may have been scaring, etc and she could possibly need plastic surgery, she did'nt. I never knew how much my home owners had paid until the case was closed.

People are so sue happy these days I'd hate to have a foster home have to deal with something happening while their fostering for us. We carry a high sum on all our foster homes as well, better to be save than sorry.