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If the law won't do it, the insurance companies will...
Posted by Deerhounds on November 29, 2002 at 17:33:52:
This is crossposted with permission.
The article below infuriates me, this is in my community! Has anyone heard
about this happening anywhere else? Can anything be done to help raise some
hell and hopefully get some help for these people and their innocent dog? I
have heard of insurance companies denying coverage to homeowners whose dog
has bitten someone, but this dog hasn't done anything.
I hope you all will pass this along to as many folks as possible.
Homeowners denied coverage because of dog
November 28, 2002
by Melissa M. Scallan - Sun Herald D'Iberville, MS
Melissa can be reached at 228-896-0541 or at mmscallan@sunherald.com
Chad and April Broussard think of their Rottweiler, Shelby, as part of the
family, but the couple might have to find her another home.
The couple recently learned that their homeowners' insurance doesn't cover
homeowners who own certain breeds of dogs, including Rottweilers, and their
only option is to get rid of the dog.
Chad Broussard said he hopes to reach a compromise with Nationwide Insurance,
but if he can't, he'll look for another company.
"She's not going anywhere," he said, rubbing the 2 year old dog's head. "I'm
not giving her up."
The Broussards have until Dec. 11 to get rid of Shelby, according to the
letter from the insurance company, or the policy will be canceled, but
Broussard says he plans to get insurance through another company if he can't
reach a compromise with Nationwide.
"Unless they come up and say we can keep her," Broussard said, "that's the
only option I see."
Nationwide implemented a "vicious dog" policy about five years ago, said Bob
Cunningham, a spokesman at the company's corporate headquarters in Ohio.
People who own one of six breeds - Rottweilers, Dobermans, pit bulls, presa
canarios, chows and wolf hybrids - are ineligible for homeowner's coverage by
the company, he said.
"This list was compiled on the basis of reputation, dog-attack statistics
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, independent studies of
dog breeds and studies completed for Nationwide," the policy states. "This
information reveals that these breeds demonstrate an increase in risk of
injury or death to people and other animals that greatly exceeds that of most
dogs. This level of risk is not considered in the premiums that we charge."
Broussard said he and his wife bought their home in 1999 but didn't buy
Shelby until a year later. She stays in their back yard behind a six foot
fence. He said his homeowner's policy doesn't say anything about dogs.
The letter they received said the company had recently performed a "home care
review" to make sure the couple's home had enough insurance, and that's when
the company realized the Broussards had a Rottweiler.
Thanks for reading. Please cross post.
Cassandra Tynes
Cassandra & Groovy & Dreamy & Hans & Jack
1 Human & 4 Weims
Gulfport, Mississippi
GroovyDreamyFab@aol.com
1 Human & 4 Weims Webpage!