April 2022

A recent Insurance Information Institute (III) and State Farm analysis found that more than 33 percent of all homeowners liability claims dollars paid out in 2021 were due to dog bites and other dog-related injuries, totaling $881 million.  Dog bite claims across the United States rose 2.2 percent from 17,567 in 2020 to 17,989 last year. Meanwhile, the analysis found that the average cost per claim dipped 1.1 percent from $50,245 to $49,025 over the same period. Over the last decade, though, the cost per claim jumped 39 percent and the value of claims rose 44 percent, attributable to increased medical costs and larger settlements and jury awards.

With the large number of pets adopted during the pandemic, it should come as no surprise that there are more dog-induced injuries. As the weather warms up and people head outdoors with their pups, there are also more opportunities for dog and human interaction. Please be mindful that Minnesota has a strict-liability standard when it comes to dog-related injuries (See MN Statutes 347.22). If a dog injures someone, the owner (or anyone harboring or keeping the dog) can be held liable for injuries without having to be proven negligent, if the victim was lawfully at the location where bitten, acting peaceably and did not provoke the dog.