Home Insurance Articles
How Multiple Pets Affect Home Insurance Rates
2010-09-26
When people think of home insurance they generally think of protection in cases of fires or water damage and how it applies in those situations. People rarely consider the impact of things like multiple pets on their home insurance rate because some people do not understand the scope of home insurance. Your home insurance rate will be affected by multiple pets for different reasons varying from the affect they have on the quality of the home remaining good to the liability you face as a home owner.
One major part of your home insurance rate is the liability you assume as a home owner for the things that happen in your home or as a result of the negligence of someone in the home. If you were to invite someone over to your home and they were injured as a result of one of your children leaving something out that they fell on it could possibly be covered by your home insurance policy. The negligence of a family member can cause a lot of cases to fall to your home insurance.
In the eyes of your home insurance company, a family member isn't just limited to a human being; pets are family members, too, and certain kinds are not family members they are excited about. Breeds of dogs that are aggressive, such as pit bulls, can cause a spike in your home insurance rate because they are commonly aggressive and usually threatening. Going from owning one aggressive pet to multiple pets that exhibit aggressive behavior may put a stress on the insurance company that is insuring your home.
The other affect that multiple pets will have on your home insurance rate is that they will be viewed as a threat to cause other types of damage. Dogs are known to chew on things and if they find the right cord or something similar it could start a fire that would damage the home. Multiple pets increase this possibility and your home insurance rate will reflect it without a doubt.
When you are getting your home insurance rate, you don't want to lie to cover up the existence of multiple pets in your home, because then they could be excluded. Your insurance contract, or policy, will have a clause about you providing complete and honest information and anything not presented will be excluded. Don't let your home insurance rate be the reason you lie about your multiple pets and risk exclusions causing financial harm. Be honest with your insurance company and make sure that your family is protected from the liability of multiple pets.