Dog bites made up more than a third of home insurance liability claims paid out last year and cost insurers roughly $412 million, almost 9 percent more than in 2008, according to a recent analysis by the Insurance Information Institute (III).

The average cost of a dog bite claim was $24,840, slightly higher than last year's average of $24,461, and up almost 30 percent over the average six years ago. The number of claims increased as well. According to III, claims totaled 16,586 last year, almost 5 percent more than the 15,823 dog bite claims in 2008.

Loretta Worters, spokesperson for III, says increasing medical costs, inflation and the growing size of settlements and jury awards are among the main reasons for the increase in dog bite claim costs.

Dog bites are irritating for everybody – not just insurance companies. Besides paying a deductible on your claim, you likely face a higher premium, or possibly non-renewal of your home insurance policy. Although most insurance companies cover homeowners with dogs, some do not offer coverage for specific breeds. Some even require dog owners to sign liability waivers for dog bites or take their pets to training classes.

Standard homeowners insurance provides up to $300,000 of liability coverage, but legal fees can exceed those costs. III advises homeowners to consider purchasing additional coverage through an umbrella liability policy, which provides $1 million to $10 million in coverage.