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Couple Loses Homeowners Insurance Because of Dogs - Insurance ...

Couple Loses Homeowners Insurance Because of Dogs

by Jen Thorpe | More from this Blogger

16 Sep 2011 07:47 PM

A couple in New York has lost their homeowners insurance policy because the insurance company thinks that the couple's dogs are too much of a liability. The dogs are German Shepherds that are search and rescue dogs. It is unknown why the insurer considers service dogs to be a liability.

Years ago, a couple in New York got approved for a homeowners insurance policy from an insurance company called New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance. The insurer was aware that the couple owned five dogs, all of which were German Shepherds, at the time the couple was approved for homeowners insurance.

In 2004, New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance sent the couple a letter stating that the insurer decided to deny them coverage for homeowners insurance, after all. This letter was sent several years after the couple was accepted for the policy.

The reason for the denial was because New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance has a practice of denying homeowners insurance policies to people who have certain breeds of dogs. It seems that German Shepherds are one of the breeds that the insurer doesn't like. The insurer said it does this in order to keep its rates competitive. So far, there is no explanation as to why the insurer covered the couple for years before issuing a denial, since the couple had the dogs the entire time.

As a result, the couple found homeowners insurance through some other insurance company. But, this policy had a more expensive premium than their old policy did. So, after a few years, the couple once again applied to New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance for a homeowners policy, (that had lower rates).

Once again they were approved. Once again, the insurer chose to change its mind, and deny the couple coverage for a homeowners insurance policy. The insurer says that there is a New York state law that allows insurers a total of 60 days to retract an insurance policy, and that there is also a law that gives insurers the right to deny a homeowners policy based upon the fact that the policyholders have dogs that are of certain breeds.

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