Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Pet Damage?

Pet damage caused by your own pet is typically not covered by homeowners or renters insurance. However, if your pet destroys someone else's property and you are sued, the liability protection in your homeowners or renters insurance policy will cover you. If another person's pet damages your belongings, you can seek compensation from their insurance.

When does insurance cover pet damage?

You won't be able to make an insurance claim for damage caused by your own pet, but you might be able to use your policy to protect your belongings from another person's pet.

Damage caused by your own pets is not covered by homeowners or renters insurance policies. Your insurer will not pay for the associated repairs if your dog tears through a large section of your drywall or your cat rips up an expensive sofa in your home.

For insurance purposes, a pet that lives with you, the policyholder, is considered to be under your control. This means that if your pet causes damage to your furniture or the structure of your home, it could be considered damage caused by the property owner, you.

While your insurance policy will not cover damage caused by your pets to your property, you can use it to file a claim if someone else's pet damages your property. Because you'll have to pay a deductible before receiving payment, consider paying for less expensive repairs out of pocket if you can.

Does pet damage insurance cover another person's property?

Filing a liability claim with the offending person's insurer is an alternative to using your own homeowners insurance to recoup the loss of your property. Personal liability coverage, as opposed to personal property coverage in your homeowners insurance policy, covers expenses when you are at fault.

• What exactly is liability insurance? Assume your dog bites someone while you're out walking it. If the other person has medical bills and sues you, your liability coverage will cover the costs of the litigation, whether you win or lose the case.

If your pet causes damage to another person's property, that person may be able to file a claim for compensation for repairs under the liability portion of your homeowners policy. Most homeowners policies include at least $100,000 in liability coverage for bodily and property damage — though we recommend that most homeowners obtain higher limits to match their assets and personal risk.

Are fish tanks covered by homeowners insurance?

Water damage is typically covered by homeowners insurance policies, as long as the cause of the property loss was not your own carelessness.

Most standard policies list water damage as a covered peril, so there's a good chance your insurer will cover the damage caused by a broken fish tank.

The tank itself is covered under a standard policy if it was destroyed by one of the covered perils listed in a homeowners policy, such as fire.