Will my home insurance cover my dog’s vet bills from an injury at home?

My dog dislocated her hip while jumping off the bed at my house. Does my home insurance cover my vet bills?

Written by | Posted on: July 30, 2014

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No. While standard home insurance policies do include bodily injury coverage, you can’t claim for injuries sustained by you or your pets on your property.

Your homeowners insurance policy’s liability coverage is there to protect you by covering, up to your limits, damage that others sustain on your property. For instance, if by accident or your own negligence someone is injured on your premises, the bodily injury liability portion of your home policy will pay the medical expenses, or defend you if you’re sued in court.

Liability benefits don’t extend to you or others in your household – including your pet. You can’t be held legally liable to yourself; thus, you cannot make a liability claim or sue yourself for your dog’s injuries.

You may have heard that dogs are covered under your homeowners policy, that means that if your dog harms someone else, the injuries should be covered by your home insurance policy.

For example, if your dog bites someone and the injured person seeks medical treatment, then the medical bills should be covered by your homeowner’s liability coverage.

Pet insurance would cover your dog’s injuries. There are a variety of pet insurance plans available, from one that covers just accidents (like a dislocated hip from a jump off the bed) to a comprehensive plan that covers accidents and illnesses and also hereditary conditions.

Penny Gusner

Contributor

Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s.