Dogs are wonderful, loving animals that can quickly become trusted members of our family. They serve as our companions, and often, they can warn away intruders and protect us from harm. Unfortunately, dogs don’t always know the good guy from the bad. So if you’ve ever been worried about your dog nipping or biting a guest (or the dreaded delivery personnel), then it is a good idea to review your Lincoln, NE insurance policy for its policy related to dogs. Here’s what to know:

Dogs & Umbrella Insurance: What to Know

Even if you have a seemingly comprehensive homeowner’s insurance policy, you may not have coverage for medical damages and legal expenses related to a dog bite. Most homeowners’ insurance policies, including those offered by our team at Richards Insurance Agency, cover your home and personal property in the event of a theft, disaster, or similar situation. They tend to have strict limits on the financial protection for guests who are injured in your home. You may have some personal liability and medical payment coverage. Still, it is often a token amount, and generally, it will only cover situations that occur within your own home and not if you’re, for example, walking your dog down the sidewalk.

For the best financial protection and protection for off-home and in-home biting incidents, you need umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance is a type-of add-on policy you can get that will provide extra liability coverage and legal defense costs for situations that occur outside the scope of your general insurance policy. Given that dog-related claims now account for a whopping one-third of personal liability claims, getting this extra protection makes financial sense.