A bill will soon be sent to the governor that would prohibit homeowner’s insurance providers from refusing or cancelling coverage or increasing premiums based solely on the breed of dog owned by the policy holder. For the past 10 years, AKC has advocated for legislation in New York on this issue, which will protect responsible dog owners from situations where they are unable to obtain or afford homeowner’s insurance simply because of the breed of dog they own.
The bill is expected to be sent to the governor for her consideration soon. All responsible dog owners and breeders in New York are encouraged to contact Governor Hochul and ask her to sign Assembly Bill 4075. Scroll down for contact information.
Summary:
Assembly Bill 4075 prohibits insurers from refusing to issue, renew or cancel or raise premiums for homeowner’s insurance based on breed of dog (or mixed-breed) owned by the policyholder. The bill does allow for insurance companies to take these actions if any dog (regardless of breed) has been declared dangerous based on current law, if the actions are based on “sound underwriting and actuarial principles” that are reasonably related to actual or anticipated loss.
New York state law already expressly prohibits municipalities from passing laws that target specific breeds of dogs. AKC supports Assembly Bill 4075, which would extend these protections to homeowners who are responsible dog owners, while still holding all dog owners accountable, regardless of the breed they choose to own.
Visit www.akcgr.org/bsl for more talking points on this issue.
How to Contact the Governor:
Contact Governor Hochel and ask her to sign A. 4075 using the information listed below. When contacting her, be sure to mention if you are a New York resident, or if your club has members in the state.
Phone: 1-518-474-8390
Online form: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
Mail:
The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
For questions or more information, contact the AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org