Dog Liability Insurance is a policy that provides financial protection to dog owners if their pet causes accidental injury or damage to a third-party and their property. It can be included in regular pet insurance policies, or it may be an additional add-on for an extra fee.
But what does Dog Liability Insurance actually cover and do you actually need it if you’re a regular pet owner?
What does third party dog insurance cover?
As the dog owner you are legally responsible for their behaviour. If your dog injures someone or damages property you can have Civil Action taken against you and be taken to court to pay for any costs your dog has caused.
Common reasons why a civil action might be brought against you:
- Your dog injured someone
- Your dog injured harmed someone’s pet
- Your dog damaged a third-party’s property
Dog Liability Insurance, also called third-party dog insurance, varies between policy providers and the terms of the individual policy, but the insurance typically covers:
- Legal fees, such as solicitor costs and court fees
- Vet bills if your dog injures another animal
- Medical costs if your dog harms a person
- Costs of repairing or replacing property your dog might have damaged
- Other compensation claimed, such as lost earnings due to injury or emotional distress
Does the insurance cover your own property?
Third-party liability insurance is only designed to cover you against legal claims from someone else. It does not cover you personally or your property. In some cases your own family members, or people living with you, also won’t be covered.
Some insurance companies provide ‘accidental damage cover’ which can protect your home and property from pet related damage. Accidental damage cover usually comes under home insurance and will require a separate policy from your pet insurance.
How much can you claim?
The amount you can claim from third-party dog insurance depends on the provider and how comprehensive the individual policy is. Typically this can range between 1 million and 3 million.
It’s important to check how much money you can claim on a policy before taking it out. Cheaper polices may seem tempting but if they don’t cover things like legal fees and personal compensation then this can leave you with a huge bill.
Is third-party liability already included in my pet insurance?
If you already have pet insurance, your policy may already have third-party liability cover included. Every policy differs between insurance companies and individual policies, so you should always check your documentation to see if you’re covered for liability.
Common types of pet insurance include:
- Lifetime cover: third-party insurance typically comes as standard, but the maximum payout can vary. The maximum payout resets each year but your premiums can be affected by these payouts.
- Maximum-benefit: third-party insurance usually comes as standard. The maximum benefit won’t reset each year and this pot is used across the lifetime of the policy. Once you use up this pot, you’ll be liable to pay any third-party claims out of your own pocket.
- Accident-only and time-limited: These often don’t come with third-party liability cover, but it can be added as an extra for additional fees.
Dogs with a history of aggression
If your dog has a history of aggression this can affect if your policy pays out to cover certain costs. An insurer may use your dog’s previous behavioural problems as a reason to hold back paying a third-party’s vet and medical bills, property repair costs, or your legal fees. It may even prevent you from taking out liability insurance at all.
This will vary between insurers so you should check the policy’s terms and conditions carefully before taking out or renewing your Dog Liability Insurance.
Liability insurance and dangerous breeds
In the UK it’s against the law to own these four dog breeds:
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
There are exemptions for these breeds and you can have your dog added to the Index of Exempted Dogs (IED) if you show proof it’s not a danger to the community. If you do get one of these breeds on the IED, you’ll have to have third-party liability insurance.
However, some insurance companies won’t insure these breeds regardless of if your pet is on the Index of Exempted Dogs. It’s always worth contacting pet insurance companies directly for clarification on if they provide cover for these breeds.
Dangerously out of control dogs
Third-party liability insurance is there to help you cover any costs, but if your dog as injured someone, or causes an accident, it may be considered ‘dangerously out of control’. This can lead to an unlimited fine, a prison sentence for a maximum of 6 months, and the dog being put down.
We have more information about what is considered ‘dangerously out of control’ in our article When To Safely & Legally Take Your Dog Off Leash.
Dog liability insurance for working dogs
Different insurance companies have different polices for third-party liability when it comes to working dogs. What is considered to be a working dog sometimes differs between insurers.
- Guide dogs: these are covered by most companies, but most state that the dog has to be officially accredited by the Guide Dogs Association.
- Shepherd dogs and hunting dogs: canines that are used for shooting, hunting, or working with livestock can usually be covered by liability insurance.
- Therapy dogs: dogs that assist humans are covered, and this also includes therapy dogs.
- Guard dogs: protection dogs and guard dogs often won’t be covered by third-party liability insurance. If you a dog handler working with protection dogs or own security firm with patrol and detection dogs, you will need specific security insurance which covers canines.
Is Dog Liability Insurance worth it?
If you’re an owner of a working dog you’ll likely already have third-party liability cover due to needing a more compressive insurance policy, or have separate security insurance covering canines.
Regular dog owners who have a basic pet insurance plan will likely only have liability insurance if they have purchased a policy add on for this. But is it worth the cost?
Most dog owners think their pet wouldn’t harm anyone and is behaved enough not to damage property. But accidents do happen and insurance is there for peace of mind. Deciding whether or not to take out third-party liability insurance should be considered carefully.
On one hand, the on-going costs of having a liability insurance policy can add up over a dog’s lifetime, especially if you have more than one dog. On the other, if civil action is taken against you then having this insurance can save you a fortune.
One thing to keep in mind is how your dog is around the general public. If you take your dog off lead in spaces around other people, or even keep your dog on lead and are often in busy urban areas, you might consider protecting yourself. Similarly, if you spend a lot of time in dog friendly spaces around strangers (like pubs or hotels) you may also weigh up the odds of your dog causing an accident.
