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California insurance companies spent $62.8 million on dog bite injuries in 2014

California Leads the Nation in Dog Bite Injury ClaimsAccording to a recent report from the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm Insurance, fewer individuals are filing claims for dog bite injuries, but the cost of these claims is up.

Specifically, the Insurance Information Institute’s recent analysis of homeowners insurance data from 2013-2014 found that:

  • The number of dog bite claims decreased 4.7 percent
  • The average cost per claim for the year was up 15 percent
  • The average cost per claim nationwide was $32,072

When comparing the latest data to that of a decade ago, the analysists discovered that the number of dog bite claims has decreased 2.2 percent, but the cost per claim has increased a whopping 67.4 percent.

Dog bite injuries are particularly costly to insurers in California, where 1,867 claims were made in 2014. The claims totaled $62.8 million in compensation, for an average of $33,649 per claim. This gives California the fourth highest average claim cost in the nation.

Why This Matters to Dog Bite Injury Victims

If you have been bitten or otherwise injured by a dog, chances are your next move will be to file a claim under the dog owner’s homeowners insurance policy. So, it is important to understand the factors that may be motivating the insurance company’s approach to your claim. High claims costs are definitely an important factor to insurers, who may respond in one of several ways:

Denying coverage: Many insurance providers are denying coverage to homeowners who have certain “dangerous” breeds such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, etc. This means that if you are bitten by one of these breeds, you need to have your attorney request and review the dog owner’s insurance policy to see if the bite is covered. If it is not, you will have to seek compensation directly from the dog owner. This can be more difficult because individuals do not have the same cash resources as insurance companies.

Delaying claims: Insurance companies tend not to be in any rush to pay claims—especially when the person receiving the funds is not actually their client. This tendency may become especially pronounced at times when claims costs are high. Delays often result in victims accepting less compensation than they deserve simply because they cannot afford to wait any longer for a better offer.

Disputing claims: Dog owners are not liable for provoked dog bites. So, the insurance company may try to argue that you played some role in causing the dog to bite you and therefore they do not have to provide any compensation. Or, they may try to reduce your compensation by arguing that your injuries are not as severe as you say they are. In any case the end goal is to reduce the amount they have to spend on dog bite injury claims, which right now account for over 30 percent of all homeowner insurance claims.

A Dog Bite Injury Attorney Can Help

Fortunately for you, an experienced dog bite injury attorney such as Fernando D. Vargas can help you fight back against the insurance companies and secure full and fair compensation for your serious injuries. He can also help you sue the dog owner directly if necessary. To learn more about the options available in your case, please call us at 909-982-0707 and request a free initial consultation.