Dog Bite Insurance Payouts Are Increasing

Dogs may not be growing more vicious, but getting bitten costs a lot more than in the past. Dog bites and other canine-related injuries accounted for $530 million in homeowners insurance liability claim payments last year—more than one-third of total U.S. homeowner claim payouts, according to an analysis by the Insurance Information Institute. While total dog bite claims fell nearly 5 percent from 2013, the average cost per claim jumped 15 percent.