How Homeowners Insurance Keeps Pets Safe

Young family with dog illustrates concept of home insurance

If you own a home, then you probably already have homeowners insurance. Everyone knows this coverage is great when it comes to protecting your property and your possessions. But did you know it can also keep your pets safe? 

Homeowners insurance is for pets just as much as it is for their owners. Keep reading to discover all the ways your existing coverage can help you protect your fuzzy friends! 

You Can Pay Medical Bills for Those Injured by Your Pet 

While most homeowners think of their coverage as only protecting their property and possessions, one of the most important aspects of this insurance is liability coverage. Basically, when someone gets injured on your property, you can cover their medical bills and, if needed, have your legal fees covered. 

This also applies to your pets. Specifically, if they cause an injury, you can pay for the medical costs of the other party. In many cases, this may be enough to prevent them from suing you. As an added bonus, coverage for pet injury treatment extends beyond your home, meaning that you can pay for bites and other damage caused at places like the local dog park. 

Vet Bills for Animals Injured by Your Pet May Be Covered 

When pet owners think about paying for the damage their animal causes, they mostly think about incidents such as a dog biting a stranger out of fear. However, depending on the dog, it’s far likelier that they will attack another dog out of fear or anger or even just injure them while playing a little too aggressively. 

Fortunately, homeowners coverage for pets also extends to damage that your pooch causes to other animals. This means that you can make sure any vet bills are covered. This coverage can save you money and make it less likely that you’ll be sued for the damage caused by your four-legged friend. 

Your Legal Fees Will Be Covered 

So far, we have focused on ways that your homeowners insurance can help you avoid getting sued because you can take care of medical bills of the humans and/or pets that your own cute creature injures. If another party does decide to take you to court based on damage caused by your pet, homeowners insurance also provides the extra protection that you need to cover the costs. 

In this case, you can rest assured that your legal fees will be covered. And that’s a major relief because in many cases, even successfully defending yourself in court without liability coverage could completely drain your savings! 

Replacing Your Pet’s Medicine or Special Food 

We all dream of having a very healthy pet. Whether they are born with a special condition or develop health issues with age, animals are a lot like their owners; eventually, they will need special medicine and/or special food. 

Needless to say, this specialized food and medicine is usually very expensive. If someone ends up stealing this from your home or your car, you’d typically be on the hook to replace everything out of pocket. When you have good homeowners insurance, those items are like any other property and their loss will be covered once you file a claim. 

Woman takes a selfie with her pet in the park

Homeowners Insurance for Pets Replaces Pet Safety Gear 

There are plenty of dangerous things out there that can hurt your furbaby. In order to keep our awesome animals safe, owners often buy very specialized safety gear. This includes dog GPS collars, pet emergency kits, custom travel harnesses, and so much more. 

As with your animal’s medicine and special food, this expensive gear may be a target for opportunistic thieves who might steal them from your home or car. If that happens, you don’t have to spend a small fortune replacing everything. Instead, you can replace everything by filing a claim with your homeowners insurance. 

If the Worst Happens, You and Your Pet Will Have a Place to Stay 

Have you ever thought about the most extreme thing your homeowners insurance can pay for? In the worst-case scenario that your home becomes unlivable (for example, a fire damages much of the interior or even burns the house down), your coverage will pay to repair or even rebuild everything. 

However, you and your animal companion will need a place to stay while that is happening. The good news is that good homeowners insurance will pay for you to stay in a hotel, and that includes pet-friendly hotels. No matter how long it takes to repair or rebuild your home, your insurance will make sure you and your pets are safe and happy! 

Understanding the Limits of Pet Coverage 

Obviously, there are plenty of benefits that homeowners insurance has for dogs, cats, and other animals you may own. But it’s very important for you to understand the specific limitations of your policy. 

For example, your policy may specify that certain dog breeds are not covered. In some cases, the breed can be covered but it will require an additional rider. Additionally, all that liability coverage we mentioned before only applies to damage that your animal causes to others. It won’t pay out for damage they cause to your own home, and it won’t cover any injuries that simply happen to your animal around the house. 

Get the Best Homeowners Insurance for Pets Today! 

Now you know how homeowners insurance for pets can keep your precious animal safe. But do you know where you can get the coverage you deserve? 

Here at InsureOne, we’re ready to offer you, your little friends, and the home you share the protection you need. We are always ready for you to get a quote online. Of course, you can pick up the phone and give us a quick call at 800-836-2240. Finally, feel free to come into one of our nearby offices at your earliest convenience!