Despite the fact that animal welfare and behavior experts all agree that there's no such thing as a bad breed, many insurers are adopting "blacklists" of dogs they refuse to cover.
The American Kennel Club believes that insurance companies should determine coverage of a dog-owning household based on the dog's deeds, not the dog's breed. If a dog is a well-behaved member of the household and the community, there is no reason to deny or cancel coverage. In fact, insurance companies should consider a dog an asset, a natural alarm system whose bark may deter intruders and prevent potential theft.
Below is some information AKC has compiled from insurance companies, industry associations, and media reports. If you're having trouble getting coverage, please see our Tips for Finding Homeowners' Insurance.
| Insurer | "Bad Breeds" Blacklist? | Comments |
| Allstate | Yes--pit bulls, Staffordshire Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Chows, Presa Canarios, Akitas, wolf-hybrids, and Huskies. | No new policies will be written for owners of these breeds. |
| AIG | Yes--pit bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers. | |
| Axa | Yes | |
| Clarenden | Yes | |
| Farmers Insurance Group | No | Prospective policyholders are asked to report whether they have a "vicious animal" on the premises. Once there is a claim, the pet is specifically excluded from coverage. The company also won't take new business from people who have had dog-bite claims in the last three years, even if the family no longer owns the pet. |
| Liberty Mutual | Yes--Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Chows, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, pit bulls or Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, Siberian Huskies, Presa Canarios. | Mixed-breed dogs have to be verified by a veterinarian to not be predominantly any of these breeds before policy will be issued. |
| Mercury Casualty Company | No | Offers 10% discount for families that don't own a dog or are willing to take their dog off their policy. |
| Nationwide | Yes--Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, pit bulls, Presa Canarios, Chows or wolf-hybrids. | |
| Prudential | No | May vary from state to state. |
| Qualsure Insurance Corp. | Yes--Akitas, Chows, Doberman Pinschers, pit bulls, Presa Canarios and Rottweilers. | |
| State Farm | No | If there has been a bite history, the company will ask that the offending dog be removed from the home. |
This list compiled in July 2002, is not comprehensive and is subject to change.
