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Canadian Home/GSD owner (liability) insurance!?

3K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  llombardo 
#1 ·
Hello dear fellow Canadians,

An interesting topic came about and has left me puzzled and angry as never before...

So it seems that your home insurance can easily refuse you if you are owner of a GSD breed? What?

The way I see it, if you have a GSD your home most likely won't get robbed so that would be a bonus for them you would think but no! They seem to be scared sh*tless for having to pay liability if your dog bites someone?

I am certain that there are many GSD owners with a house and the insurance and wonder how someone else has dealt with this issue.

is there a company that would resolve this issue. Currently I am located in Quebec (one province here that actually allows pit-bulls) and cant phantom what a shock this is for big breed dog owners that are buying their first home.

Please help as I do not see any other option but to not declare your dog to insurance company!

Regards,
 
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#2 ·
Insurance companies cannot simply refuse to cover you unless the incident goes against your written policy somehow. If your policy doesn't mention anything about "dangerous" dog breeds, there's no legal justification for refusing a claim. On top of that, even if the dangerous breed term is written in, your insurance company would need to prove GSD's are a dangerous breed.

Your insurance company can't make up rules as they go. If it comes to it, get a lawyer and sue them. They'll quickly settle, like they always do.
 
#8 ·
Insurance companies don't have to prove that GSD's are dangerous, they have them on the list and that is all they need to refuse a person and/or a claim. If they didn't ask about dogs in the home then that is different.
 
#3 ·
I don't know who you deal with, but it sounds more like US insurance rhetoric. I have State Farm currently, no dog issues, previously I went through a broker to get Gore - was cheaper in that area. Nobody has ever asked or cared what dogs I owned. When I worked with a broker, it was type of home, property size, my dogs didn't factor into the equation. Canadian insurance is very different than US, very few companies care about your dog unless it is a legislated restricted breed, which unless you own a pitbull, in a legislative restricted area is a non-issue. Canadian insurance firms are insulated and invested far differently than US, even a firm with mutual interest, Canada is a whole different ball of wax. Unless you cannot by legislation own a breed, it's fair game, unless your company is 51% wholly owned US... Most insurance companies are individually diversified enough, that the 11% Canadian owned shares mean nothing on their limitations and liabilities.
Of course if your credit sucks, then you are at the mercy of the insurance company who will take you. The average person, give your property size, their assessment of your value is always higher, the payer in case of disaster. It's all over. Dogs factor minimal in insurance in Canada, unless you are a roach and then they will deny you for wearing pink panties on Thursday!
 
#4 ·
My home insurance does not care what breed I own, I actually mentioned TO THEM that I owned dogs because they never even asked me... as I wanted to know the details (since I have heard US companies can refuse some breed owners). The response I got, "oh, nice dogs!" and then had me sign the paperwork..
 
#5 · (Edited)
I am also in Quebec, my home insurance also did not want to cover a GSD. My husband told them he'd have to reconsider staying with them, as we wanted a GSD. They guy left him on hold and came back saying it was ok so long as "the dog was not trained to attack". This is not the first I've heard of this from people being told the same about not being allowed GSDs, and who knows how many people call their bluff and how many just just opt for another breed instead.
 
#7 ·
State Farm is one if the only ones that doesn't have a list. Allstate says they don't but my mom had issues with them when she owned a Rott. When I got a quote they were more then double then State Farm and the price difference couldn't be explained and they did ask if any dogs were in the home and the breeds. I have heard of others refusing people, they have that right
 
#11 ·
German Shepherds are not the only dogs that cause a problem with homeowners insurance. The following breeds also make the bad dog list, according to many insurance companies:

Pit Bull
Rottweiler
Presa Canario
Siberian Husky
Wolf Hybrids
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Chow Chow
Doberman Pinscher
Akita
Alaskan Malamute
 
#12 ·
Is it legal for my insurance company to deny, cancel, or increase my premium because of the type of dog I own?

Yes. The law does not prohibit insurance companies from discrimination based on breed. While breed-specific city and town ordinances have been challenged on constitutional grounds, such as due process and equal protection, insurance companies--because they are not part of the government--are not subject to these constitutional restrictions.
 
#14 ·
Is it legal for my insurance company to deny, cancel, or increase my premium because of the type of dog I own?

Yes. The law does not prohibit insurance companies from discrimination based on breed. While breed-specific city and town ordinances have been challenged on constitutional grounds, such as due process and equal protection, insurance companies--because they are not part of the government--are not subject to these constitutional restrictions.
Very true. Insurance companies can drop you at any time provided they don't violate your basic human rights in the process (gender, religion, race, etc.).
 
#17 ·
Another interesting thing....

Allstate....They will not provide insurance for a household that has more than three dogs, only one of which can be a German Shepherd or a Doberman pinscher. They do maintain a list of restricted breeds and will not write or renew policies for homeowners who house those breeds.
 
#21 ·
Another interesting thing....

Allstate....They will not provide insurance for a household that has more than three dogs, only one of which can be a German Shepherd or a Doberman pinscher. They do maintain a list of restricted breeds and will not write or renew policies for homeowners who house those breeds.
So you're getting all this information based on the fact that your quote with All State was more expensive than State Farm? I just asked the guy who runs the entire All State office here and he told me there is no list and they generally don't care about dogs because it's not a big issue for insurance in Ontario.
 
#18 ·
And then there is the small print...

To be absolutely sure that dog bites are not excluded from a policy, one can review the policy language itself, which will have a section entitled "Personal Liability" (or something similar); review the section pertaining to "exclusions" and make sure that there is no excemption for injuries inflicted by dogs or animals in general. To determine the limit under the policy, review the policy "declarations," meaning the page that lists the names of the insureds, the types of coverages, the cost, and the limits. Furthermore, check the "riders" and amendments to the policy. These are those short slips of paper and other notices that insurers send out from time to time. While your policy might provide coverage with adequate limites, one of those pieces of paper might take it all away!
 
#19 ·
One thing to remember is that the USA and Canada are two different countries. The laws of one don't apply to the other, and even company policies can be different between countries.

It would be no surprise to me that insurance for homes with black-listed dogs in the US is still available in Canada because a) we haven't become as litigious up here, b) there are no medical expenses for an insurance company to pay in the event of a dog bite since we don't pay for health care up front (it's paid for through taxes). So a settlement for a dog bite is going to be significantly cheaper in Canada than in the US.
 
#23 ·
So I just called All State and asked them if there is a list and they said yes and it goes state by state and zip code. St Bernard's, labs, Pitts, GSD, boxer, Akita are just a few. If you have there insurance and you get one of these breeds they cancel your policy at the end if the term. There is not even an option to pay more, you are done. Per the lady GSD's are vicious by instinct and any dog bred with these instincts are banned..not sure how the St. Bernard or Lab fit in there?
 
#24 ·
Yes, but the OP of this thread is from Canada, as am I, so I assumed it was obvious I was talking about Canada. I also assumed that you were also talking about Canada despite what your location says. It's obviously very different in the US than up here in Canada, and a big reason is our insurance companies don't have to worry about massive payouts for healthcare.

We have no list nor does All State give one hoot about dogs, at least in Ontario, Canada.
 
#25 ·
The OP has obviously heard something...

Canadian Home/GSD owner (liability) insurance!?

Hello dear fellow Canadians,

An interesting topic came about and has left me puzzled and angry as never before...

So it seems that your home insurance can easily refuse you if you are owner of a GSD breed? What?
 
#26 ·
I just got home insurance with state farm and there was zero issues with my two GSDs. I really like State Farm for insurance, tbh!
 
#28 ·
I wonder if the clauses are different from state to state to? She told me that if one of the breeds listed is brought into household during the policy that they wouldn't cancel it in the middle but they would not renew it.
 
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