Dog bite claims are one of the largest categories of homeowners liability loss in the country, and they are the single most common route to a claim that exceeds a standard limit.
Arizona imposes strict liability for dog bites. A previously gentle dog is not a defense.
Three things about the most common large liability claim in residential insurance.
The owner is liable for a bite regardless of whether the dog had ever shown aggression and regardless of whether the owner knew of any risk. There is no first-bite allowance. That removes most of the defenses owners assume they have and makes the size of the claim the only real variable.
Some policies exclude certain breeds, some exclude any dog with a bite history, and some cap the liability for animals at a figure well below the policy limit. These restrictions sit in the form and are rarely mentioned at the quote, which is why they surprise people.
An umbrella generally will not cover an exposure the underlying policy excludes. If the homeowners form excludes the dog, the umbrella above it does not fill that gap. Both layers need checking rather than just the top one.
The animal questions that decide whether the cover is real.
Asked plainly, because the answer determines which carriers will write it at all.
If it does, the umbrella above it inherits that restriction.
It changes everything, and it is far better handled openly at the quote than discovered at a claim.
Tell us what animals are in the household and whether there has ever been an incident.
We check both layers, because an umbrella does not cure an underlying exclusion.
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