A family dog can affect whether people get homeowners or renters insurance. For some families, the issue is not a bite history. It is a breed label.

The ASPCA says some insurance companies refuse coverage to people who own certain dog breeds, forcing families to choose between their home and their pet.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners says some insurers still use breed lists when they write homeowners and renters liability policies. That can make it harder for dog owners to obtain enough coverage.

A dog with no bite history can still be treated as a risk because of appearance, paperwork, or a guessed breed mix.

Dogs should be judged by behavior, not breed.

Real Risk Should Be Based On Behavior

Dog bites are serious. The Insurance Information Institute reported that some insurers deny coverage for certain breeds, while others review individual dogs case by case. It also notes that a dog with a bite history poses increased risk.

That is the right dividing line.

Insurers should be able to consider documented behavior, prior claims, court findings, and official dangerous-dog designations. They should not rely on breed alone.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says breed-specific laws are not a reliable or effective dog-bite prevention tool. NAIC also notes that breed identification based only on appearance is not definitive.

Breed blacklists can tear families apart.

States Are Showing A Fairer Path

Some states already limit this practice. New York bars homeowners insurers from refusing, canceling, nonrenewing, charging more, or limiting coverage based solely on a dog’s breed or breed mix.

Colorado prohibits insurers from asking about a dog’s breed except to ask whether the dog is known to be or has been declared dangerous.

In 2026, Midland Daily News reported that Michigan lawmakers introduced HB 5580 to ban breed-based residential property insurance decisions.

The country needs that standard nationwide.

Insurance should address real risk, not stereotypes. Families should not lose coverage because of what a dog looks like.

Sign the petition to urge lawmakers and regulators to end dog breed discrimination in homeowners and renters insurance.