According to the American Pet Products Association, 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey 45.6 million Americans own dogs.
While there is no dog bite epidemic, as many would have you believe based upon a very small telephone survey sample, clearly there are is a chance that you or someone you know will suffer a dog bite or dog attack. While dog attacks appear to be going down in various US cities, the cost associated with the dog attacks seem to be going up!
According to the Chicago Tribune article, Fido puts bite on homeowners claims, August 17, 2010:
- Dog bites accounted for more than 1/3 of insurance claims in 2009
- Homeowners and renter’s insurance typically covers dog bites providing $100,000 to $300,000 in coverage
- But for people really who want to protect their assets, the first $1 million of personal excess liability insurance costs about $150 to $300 a year
Insurance Information Institute reports:
- 16,586 dog bites were reported throughout the US in 2009
- Dog bite claims are up 30% from 2003 to 2009
- 2009 dog bite claims totaled more than $412 million (Higher than 2008’s 387.2 million in claims)
- The cost per claim is up due to increased medical care costs and larger court settlements
- The 2009 average cost per claim is$24,840, up 1.5% from 2008
According to CDC Statistics in 2006, more than 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.
Karen Delise in her extensive 35 year study of fatal dog attacks in the U.S. reported that the most fatal dog attacks occurred in California and the mostly likely dog to attack was a pit bull or a pit bull type of dog.
For more information on dog bites or for a free consultation, please call our office at (602) 483-6114.