Lost my home owners insurance due to my dog....

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Originally Posted by panthercz

Fight tooth and nail and get a lawyer involved if need be.
American Bulldogs are one of the most popular breeds in the country and hardly a threat.

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While I sympathize with your sentiment, if she signed a contract that says no dogs like hers, then she violated the contract and there is nothing to be done about it, lawyer or not.

Take the three hours necessary to read the fine print and prepare yourself before you pay some schmoe 300 bucks an hour to do it for you.

People always want to involve lawyers because they didn't use the diligence they should have. This keeps the lawyers happy but provides nothing in any way resembling relief from one's own lack of follow through.

Thanks all! I've read the policy over and over and no where do I see anything about not having a specific breed of dog. I will be calling State Farm again tomorrow and demanding to have some higher up's numbers.

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Called them on my lunch break and was informed that it was canceled due to the fact that I never told them that I had a pet "pit bull" living in my house and they don't insure people who have pits, rotts, dobermans, or GSD's.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

While I sympathize with your sentiment, if she signed a contract that says no dogs like hers, then she violated the contract and there is nothing to be done about it, lawyer or not.

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She definitely is not in violation of her contract.

Yea, i would definately call them up. This is a horrible situation.
Hope my insurance doesnt get dropped for owning a deadly bp:D

Hmmmm sort of interesting.....

http://www.insure.com/articles/homei...og-owners.html

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In Michigan and Pennsylvania, it's illegal for home insurance companies to deny coverage simply because a home has a dog of a particular breed, according to III. Other states have similar laws pending.

Some insurance companies will sell you coverage regardless of what type of breed you own. Jeff McCollum, spokesperson for State Farm, says that there are good and bad dogs within each breed, just like there are responsible and irresponsible dog owners.

"State Farm does not discriminate against certain breeds," McCollum says.

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Maybe you need to speak or write to Mr. McCollum directly.

You're in Maryland aren't you? More intersting stuff here...

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIP...eInsurance.php

Specifically....

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Here are some companies that pet owners report are dog-friendly and tend not to discriminate by breed: State Farm, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, United Services Automobile Association, Erie, Fireman-s Fund, Kemper, Chubb Group, Allstate and Safeco Corp.

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And....

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* The Maryland Insurance Department has struck down some dog breed-specific insurance bans in court. However, some companies still try to force people to accept such bans on their Homeowners and other liability policies. The bans are typically directed at breeds such as Rottweilers, pit bulls and shepherds. If a homeowner receives a letter or requirement from an insurance company that would exclude insurance coverage, especially if the dog has not bitten anyone, the homeowner should contact the Maryland Insurance Administration immediately at 410-468-2000 or 1-800-492-6116 and file a written protest, since this sort of action has been held illegal in Maryland in the past.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Hmmmm sort of interesting.....

http://www.insure.com/articles/homei...og-owners.html



Maybe you need to speak or write to Mr. McCollum directly.

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THANK YOU Joa!!!!

Your welcome! I do love google.

From that last link, yet another State Farm person indicating they don't cancel just for breed reasons....

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* "If the dog is growling or aggressive, that's pretty much a tip-off that you could have a problem dog," said Dan Hattaway, a specialist on home insurance at State Farm. Mr. Hattaway said State Farm did not think blacklisting of breeds was an effective way to screen for danger. "Simply by naming a breed," he said, "people are screening out a fair percentage of good dogs. Just because someone is a Rottweiler fancier doesn't mean they have a dangerous or aggressive dog." (From a March 30, 2002 New York Times article.)

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Funny they say one thing but certainly did another in your particular case. Have fun making them eat their words. :)

man it depends on how u train them, if it had training lessions that dumb they shouldnt be able to do that.

There are several Insurance Companies that will not insure you if you have any dog that is considered an aggressive dog by the particular Company. There is no fight to be fought, you can't force them to insure you. Find another Insurance Company and don't mention the dog. When you first start a Homeowner's Policy it is not uncommon for them to send somebody out to photograph your house. German Shepherd Dogs bite more people every year than any other breed but any of the branchial breeds scare the dummies.I have Allstate and haven't ever had a problem because of owning serious dogs.If you somehow force this broker (and that is who doesn't want you as a customer) to unwilling insure you, you are inviting regular hefty rate increases.

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Originally Posted by ItsMichael805

man it depends on how u train them, if it had training lessions that dumb they shouldnt be able to do that.

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The training a dog receives is only a small part in the dogs behavior. I'd say a bigger part of that is the owner themselves. If you neglect, starve, or beat your dog, you're creating a dangerous situation in which the animal may potentially lash out at you, a family member, or even a complete stranger.

If you treat your animal in this matter, well, shame on you. If you can't love your animal and give it the treatment it deserves then why even bother owning one? So you can say you have a mean *** pitbull guarding your house? Get real.

**Note that none of this post was directed at the OP or at anyone in particular. Just ranting on stupid people blaming the dogs and not their owners.**