Thwart Dog Bites

Did you know that dog bites cause over 2,000 injuries that require immediate medical care in the United States each day? You can be held legally liable if your dog bites someone. Fortunately, this loss is usually covered by the homeowners policy, with some exceptions. In fact, around 33 percent of all liability insurance claims paid by homeowners policies are for dog bites! Even if your insurance covers the claim (and any ensuing lawsuit), however, imagine the personal grief you and your family would feel for the injured friend, not to mention the time and trouble you would incur in cooperating with your insurer in defending the claim following a tragic event involving your pet.

Therefore, thwarting such an ill-fated occurrence should be your primary objective, and there are steps you can take to reduce or prevent dog bites. Here are some suggestions from the professionals.

• Consider dog breeds carefully prior to selecting a pet. Some breeds are more aggressive than others, and a veterinarian can help you decide which breeds might best fit your lifestyle.
• Spay or neuter the animal, as this often decreases the aggressiveness of dogs.
• Seek a veterinarian's advice quickly if your dog becomes aggressive.
• Socialize your dog from an early age to encourage appropriate behavior.
• Never leave dogs alone with small children.
• Avoid aggressive games with puppies and dogs, such as tug-of-war.
• Do not place your dog in situations where he or she can be teased or feel threatened.
• Train your dog to obey commands.
• If your dog does bite someone, a board-certified plastic surgeon should treat this person to minimize scarring and potential disfigurement.

There is one other loss exposure concerning dogs you should consider. You may face liability claims if your dog gets out into the road and causes or contributes to an auto accident. You can be sued for violation of leash ordinances by allowing your dog to "run at large." Use a well- maintained and sturdy fence or other safeguards to reduce this exposure.

And if your dog does injure someone despite all your efforts to avoid it, report it to your insurance company immediately to assure your coverage is not jeopardized for late reporting.

Get more personal lines insurance and risk management tips and ideas from IRMI.

Copyright 2016
International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

"Two Dogs" Image courtesy of Bill Perry at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Boat Insurance Tips

Memorial Day and summer vacation are just around the corner.  That means it’s time to pull the boat out of storage and get ready to hit the water.  But don’t head out until you know that your boat is insured!  Here’s what you need to know about boat insurance.

Your auto policy won’t cover your boat (unless you’re driving with it on the trailer.) And just like when you drive a car, you can be held responsible for damage you cause while driving your boat!  That’s why it’s important to have liability coverage.  Imagine causing damage to another boat or a dock and not having any insurance!  It would be a very stressful situation.

Beyond liability and bodily injury coverage, boat policies have many great additional coverages that can be added to your policy.  Do you have a fish finder or other special gear?  Even your Yeti cooler and fishing equipment could be covered with the right policy.  Your boat insurance can even cover the cost of towing your boat if it breaks down while out on the water.  Just talk to us about how you use your boat and what you typically carry, and we can look for the right options.

You’ve invested a lot of money into your boat or jet ski and you don’t want to put them at risk by not keeping it covered.  Call us today to get a quote before boating season starts and get your family ready for summer.

 

Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.