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| | Costs For Dog Bites Claims Bit Harder Per Claim In 2015
By Lonce LaMon - May 20, 2016
Homeowners insurance liability claims were down 7.2% in 2015 from 2014 for dog bites and other dog-related incidents, but the cost for each claim climbed. Pet insurance policies do not include liability coverage. They are designed to offset medical expenses of animals.
The average claim paid out for dog bites nationwide was $37,214 in 2015, up 16% from $32,072 in 2014. These numbers were collected by State Farm and the Insurance Information Institute . It’s the largest increase from one year to the next in more than 10 years. Since 2003, the average cost per dog bite claim has nearly doubled.
The upward trend in the average cost per claim was attributed to several things by the Insurance Information Institute (III) in May 2016.
Settlements and awards to plaintiffs injured by dogs are closely tied to medical costs. Since medical expenses have risen significantly in the U.S. in recent years, thus the costs of claims have risen. The National Health Expenditure per capita in the U.S. was $6,099 in 2003, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In 2014, the per capita was $9,523.
To mitigate the risk of a dog injuring someone, some municipalities and counties across the country prohibit certain dog breeds as pets. Akitas, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and Siberian Huskies are some breeds that are commonly excluded from homeowners insurance policies. In cases of certain breeds not being banned, insurance companies might insist a dog owner waive dog bites from their homeowners insurance coverage to insulate from losses.
Some states have passed legislation to regulate insurance practices related to certain breeds. In at least Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to the Insurance Information Institute, state law prohibits insurers from canceling or denying homeowners insurance policies if they have specific dog breeds. On the other hand, the state of Ohio mandates that owners of dogs that have been classified as vicious are required to purchase an additional $100,000 or more of liability coverage.
However, any dog can cause an injury (unintentionally or not) that results in a liability claim. About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year and half of them are children. More than 885,000 require medical attention.
California had by far the highest number of claims in 2015, with 1,685 that totaled $75.8 million in claims. The state with the second highest number of claims was Illinois, with 931 that amounted to $31.1 million in claims.
The average cost per claim nationwide in 2015 is similar compared to most state averages, with the exception of Arizona. The average cost per claim in Arizona was $56,654. Out of the ten states with the most number of bites, the next most expensive state was California, where the average cost per claim was $44,933.
lonce@adjustercom.com
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