Being a pet owner in Idaho Falls, ID is often a rewarding experience but can be frustrating if your pet has destructive urges. At Insure It All, our customers often come to us with home insurance policy claims for dog damage and ask “can you cover this?”

Well, let’s get the bad news out of the way right away. In most cases, your home insurance will not cover damage to your home caused by pets. For example, if your pup chews through the wood surrounding one of your door frames, that damage is not covered by your policy. Most policies will also not cover personal property damage, such as a broken television.

The reasons for this lack of coverage are simple to understand. First of all, personal property insurance is designed to go into effect when devastating and unpredictable events – such as a fire – happen. A dog chewing your rug is considered typical damages and something to which you contributed simply by owning a pet.

This situation is often referred to as “known risks,” which means that you take on the risk of damaged carpets simply by owning a pet. Therefore, the damage they cause to the home is something that you understood simply by owning the dog. However, there are situations in which your liability policy will protect you from the actions of your dog.

For example, if your pet bites a friend or destroys somebody else’s property, then your liability coverage will protect you by paying for those damages. It might seem strange that insurance will pay for damage to somebody else’s fence or home – and not your own – but that’s the purpose of liability coverage. These policies are designed to protect you in instances when you are liable for damage to another’s property or person.

And as the pet owner, you are considered liable for any injuries that they cause. So if you are confused about the differences in coverage and own dogs, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Insure It All to get coverage in the Idaho Falls, ID area.