Has your homeowners� or renters� insurance policy been
canceled or denied simply because of the breed of dog that you own? More
and more homeowners across the United States are finding they are faced
with the hardship of choosing between keeping a beloved friendly dog and
obtaining homeowners� insurance simply because their dog belongs to a
breed the insurance company has deemed unacceptable.
Previously we have asked you to contact the ASPCA to
tell us your stories. Now we are asking you to contact the Insurance
Commissioner of your state to let him/her know of the difficulties you
have encountered. They need to hear the stories directly from consumers.
To send a letter directly to your Insurance
Commissioner,
Click here
When composing your letter, please remember to include
the following:
* The name of the company that denied coverage
* The approximate date of the denial or refusal to provide coverage
* The breed of dog you own
* The fact that canine profiling has not been proven effective in
preventing dog bites
* That companies should look at the individual bite history of each dog
when deciding whether to provide coverage.
* Companies should consider whether a dog is spayed or neutered; whether
it is in a fenced yard and whether the owner keeps the dog tethered or
chained all day long.
If this trend continues, more and more of these innocent
family pets will end up as UNADOPTABLE animals at shelters and will have
to be euthanized because no one will be able to obtain insurance.
Insurers should practice sound underwriting practices
and look to the �deed� of the dog rather than the �breed� of the dog.
HELP STOP CANINE PROFILING BY INSURANCE COMPANIES!
Go on to 'Twas Not Courage
Return to 4 January 2004 Issue
Return to Newsletters
** Fair Use Notice**
This document may contain copyrighted material, use of which has not been
specifically authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that this
not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the
copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your
own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.