Average home insurance claim for damage caused by dogs is £1,200 says Aviva

Thousands of dogs across the country have been responsible for costly home insurance claims, new data has revealed.

Insurer Aviva said it accepted 3,825 insurance claims in the five years between 2018 and 2022 from pet owners whose dog caused significant damage to their home.

Damages averaged £1,200 per claim, and so far this year he has already received 100 dog-related claims.

Canine costs: The average insurance claim for damage caused by a dog to the home is £1,200, according to Aviva

He suggested regular incidents involved puppies knocking things over or tripping their owners, leading to damage around the house.

Laptops, televisions and telephones are said to be common victims of their pets’ playful behavior.

In some cases, dog owners have also lost items such as jewelry, hearing aids, watches, and wallets while walking their dogs.

Pet owners should read their policy carefully to ensure that coverage is provided for such damage.

Coverage varies and some policies will have exclusions for “chewing, scratching, tearing or fouling”. It can be a dog or a cat that has scratched a carpet or a sofa, for example.

Claims are also subject to a policy deductible, so some people might think about claiming but decide against it if the value of the damaged items is relatively low.

Aviva did not say how many dog-related home insurance claims it had rejected over the five years.

Homeowners should read their home insurance policy carefully to ensure they are covered for damage caused by a pet

Dog causes £500 damage

Pet owners should read their policy carefully to ensure coverage is provided for damage caused by their pets.

Pictured: This dog caused £500 damage to the house after jumping out the front door

Not all policies cover damage, as dog owner Andrew Barlett discovered.

He explained: ‘While I was out my dog ​​jumped up to the front door and pressed the night lock button, locking the front door from the inside.

“I didn’t see her do it, but I could tell because she had also pulled down the curtain that covers the back of that door.

“I thought it would be cheaper and safer to have the lock sorted than to break a window and get in that way. But the emergency locksmith had to drill the lock, break the night lock and replace everything, which cost £500.

“This damage is not covered by my home insurance policy. I had additional home emergency coverage with Homeserve, but that only covers the cost of replacement keys – not locks.

Some fonts will cover these things, while overs won’t. Some insurers may even cover damage caused by animals consuming their owners’ property.

Examples of this found by Aviva included dogs eating small valuables such as hearing aids, jewelry and dentures – and in one case, part of a purse.

Over the five-year period analyzed, more than 100 claims were made for hearing aids eaten by dogs.

And while dog-related insurance claims average £1,200, some canine calamity causes were much more costly – even venturing into five-figure territory to address them.

Aviva said that while its costliest claims typically involved jewelry and watches, in one case a dog – which was found unharmed – fell into a family’s swimming pool and damaged the liner of the pool. pool.

Kelly Whittington of Aviva UK said: “Around a third of UK households are home to a canine best friend, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that their antics sometimes lead to complaints.”

“Many home insurance policies include an exclusion for damage caused by pet chewing, scratching, tearing or soiling. Coverage can be provided in the optional personal effects section, but it is important that customers check their policy wording and coverage. That said, dog-related incidents — such as knocking things over or tripping their owners — can happen in homes with even the most well-behaved pets, so accidental damage coverage can be a useful addition to insurance policies. Home Insurance.

“Personal effects insurance can also be a valuable supplement, covering items on dog walks – or even, outside the home, anywhere in the world. Whether a dog has knocked over a TV, stolen its owner’s phone, or even turned on a faucet and flooded a kitchen, we’re here to help our customers – even if their pooch has cooked a dog dinner.