Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Got homeowners/renters insurance? If you have a Pit Bull you may not

We all need a place a live.....no matter where you decide to reside most animal lovers want the company of a canine or feline friend. When looking for a place to live one tends to focus on the obvious....location, what is the proximity to work, play (clubs, lounges etc.) family, friends, grocery stores, libraries etc. Another concern is the community: Is it a high or low crime area? Is the neighborhood conducive for child rearing? Who are my neighbors? Are they young professionals, college students or old prunes? Does the county, state or municipalities have Breed Specific Legislation Laws (BSL)? This law restricts residents from having certain dogs or dogs that exhibit the characterics of a dog that has been banned by the city, municipalities or counties. Canines that have fallen into this forsaken ban are: American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers,Chows, Rottweilers to name a few. These questions are valid for several reasons from safety to insuring your humble abode. One question many renters/homeowners do not consider but the insurance adjuster does is what kind of pet(s) you own. Depending on your answer will determine if you have a policy.

The usual questions insurance agents ask are: How many rooms do you have? What kind of flooring is in the house? Have you done any work to the house? How old is your house? Do you have an attic? Do you have a basement? to name a few. As the conversation goes most agents do not ask if you have pets unless they hear one in the background and then they may or may not ask if you have a pet. Why is this important? For one simple reason. It is not until an adjuster comes to your house for a scheduled visit that; upon leaving your residence a couple of days later you may receive a letter in the mail stating your policy will be cancelled within a certain time frame unless you get rid of your beloved pet(s). You may have several policies with this company, developed a relationship with the agent however, because you have a certain “breed” of dog your money is no longer welcomed. Although you have never filed a claim for any of the issued policies your money is no longer welcomed because you have a “POTENTIALLY” aggressive/dangerous dog that is on the insurance list. This happened to one family who had to make the decision to keep the insurance they had for several years and became great friends with their insurance agent or keep their beloved pit bull. The decision was clear and was not a hard one, the family took their business elsewhere. They went with a company that not only was pleased to insure their home, life, boat but more importantly accepted and insured their beloved pit bull. What made the deal sweeter; the family saved money on their policies as well as received benefits and extra savings because their pit bull was a therapy dog and Canine Good Citizen! Moral of the story do your homework prior to making a decision on who will get your hard earned money. The Pretty Chic with the Pits has done a little homework for you. View the information below to ensure your money isn’t being good until the insurance company finds out what type of pet you have.

Here are a few insurance companies that WILL insure you, family and your pets no matter the breed:

State Farm
Farmers
Fireman’s Fund
Chubb Group
United Services Automobile Associates

Insurance companies that will NOT insure you if you have a certain “breed” of canine:

All State
Travelers
Geico
American Strategic Insurance (ASI)
Liberty Mutual
Arrow Head

Progressive insurance will insure your home if you have a pit bull or any other “potentially” dangerous or aggressive breed however, you may NOT be able to get the maximum amount of coverage. Meaning if you decide to insure your home with Progressive you, your family & your home may not have adequate coverage. On the flip side of this if you insured your vehicle with Progressive they will cover your beloved pet in the car but not in your home.

To be sure this does not happen to your or your family please check your policy/policies, your state, county or municipalities and educate yourself about the various insurance companies and their policies. Do not be afraid to ask questions!

The Pretty Chic with the Pits, Inc.
www.facebook.com/chicwithpits
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8 comments:

  1. Thank you for writing this! I just found out today that we may have trouble getting insurance because of my chow/husky mix who has NEVER bitten anyone.

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    1. Hi Krista,

      Glad we could be of assistance, should you need help wiht anything please let us know!Checkout our website & facebook page for events & updates.

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    2. Read your blog its really informative and keep updating more post on House insurance

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  2. Triple A will not insure as well. Found that out today.

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  3. Triple A will not insure as well. Found that out today.

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  4. If you're looking for a local insurance agency that has experience with unique instances such as this and offers both homeowners insurance and renters insurance, definitely take a look at AJ Marchionne Insurance agency, which provides exceptional home insurance in Newton MA. They work with some of the top carriers nationwide and would likely be able to customize a policy to meet your needs.

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    1. Thank for the tip, Jackie. I have heard of that agency, but I prefer KW Insurance as my home insurance agency in the Newton and Greater Boston area.

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