Does Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Dog Bite Legal Claims?

Key Points:

• In the State of Georgia, Homeowners’ insurance usually covers dog bites if the dog owner’s negligence caused your injuries.   
• Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover medical expenses, pain and suffering and other losses caused by a dog attack. 
• Coverage applies both on and off the property. Even if the bite happened at a park or on a neighborhood walk, coverage typically still applies. 
• Victims are entitled to full compensation from a dog bite.  Full compensation, also known as damages, includes medical care, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term effects like scarring and mental trauma. 
• Insurance companies often try to limit payouts. If a dog owner or the insurance adjuster can dream up any reason to blame you – no matter how ridiculous – the insurer may fight your claim.  Fortunately, many of these so called “defenses” have no legal merit. 

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If you recently experienced a dog bite you likely have questions about how the medical bills and other related expenses are paid for — and unlike a car accident, how homeowner’s or business policies may apply is not always common knowledge.   

In many Georgia dog bite cases, the answer is that homeowner’s insurance often does cover your injuries. But getting fair compensation isn’t always simple. It’s important to understand how this coverage works, what claims (medical expenses, lost pay, and pain and suffering) are covered, and what to do if the insurance company tries to deny or limit your claim. 

How Homeowners' Insurance Covers Dog Bite Injuries in Georgia  

Many Georgia homeowners don’t realize their policy does a lot more than just protect their house. Homeowners' insurance also includes personal liability coverage, which protects them if someone gets hurt because of their negligence. 

If a dog owner’s negligence caused your bite, such as failing to leash or control their dog or allowing it to roam freely in your yard unattended, their insurance company is responsible for covering your losses. This applies even if the bite happened away from their home, such as at a park, a sidewalk, or a friend’s house. A typical homeowners' insurance policy in Georgia provides $100,000 to $500,000 in liability coverage, though some offer more. That coverage should pay for: 

• Medical expenses: emergency care, surgery, stitches, medication, or physical therapy 
• Lost income: if your injuries kept you from working, causing lost wages 
• Pain and suffering: emotional distress, anxiety, or trauma after the attack 
• Scarring or disfigurement: these are common when injuries are permanent 

In many cases, the owner’s medical payments coverage may apply in addition to the bodily injury and property damage portions of the homeowner’s insurance policy. Med Pay coverage is an additional add-on provision found in some homeowner’s policies' that pays for medical expenses up to a certain dollar amount, but it won’t include things like pain and suffering or lost wages.  

How to File a Dog Bite Claim with the Dog Owner’s Insurance 

If you were bitten by someone’s dog, your claim will go through the dog owner’s homeowners' insurance company. Typically, your personal injury attorney will then: 

• Notify the insurer of the incident and request coverage details. 
• Submit a demand letter outlining your injuries, bills, and losses. 
• Negotiate a settlement or, if needed, file a lawsuit to enforce payment. 

In Georgia, the process starts with proving negligence that the owner failed to restrain or control their dog. A personal injury lawyer can ensure the claim is documented correctly and the insurer doesn’t delay or deny payment. 

What Happens If My Injuries From the Dog Bite Are Severe? 

When dog bite injuries are serious, meaning they require surgery, hospitalization, or leave permanent scars, the full liability coverage of the owner’s policy may apply, depending on the severity of the injuries.  

In some cases, a personal umbrella policy may also cover the difference. Umbrella coverage kicks in after homeowners' coverage is exhausted, providing additional protection for large claims. 

As an example, say your neighbor's dog attacks and then severely injures you, and the total costs reach $900,000, but their homeowners' policy only covers $500,000. The umbrella policy could then cover the remaining $400,000.  

Reasons That Homeowners' Insurance May Deny a Dog Bite Claim 

While homeowners' insurance covers most dog bite cases in Georgia, there are times when insurers may deny or limit payment, highlighting the importance of having a personal injury lawyer on your side. Some common reasons can include: 

• Disputing how the dog attack occurred: The insurer may argue that the dog acted defensively or that the circumstances don’t fit within their coverage terms. They sometimes rely on false, incomplete or misleading statements, which is why documenting the incident and working with a personal injury attorney is so important. 
• The dog was excluded from the policy: In Georgia, insurers can, and sometimes do, exclude certain breeds from coverage.  However, these exclusions can be unclear, poorly written, or inapplicable to some situations.  It is also not out of the question for adjusters to lie about whether a bite or attack is excluded.  Therefore, when an exclusion is claimed, it is important to always have the dog owner’s policy language reviewed by an attorney to verify whether coverage is excluded. 
• Negligence is difficult to prove: If the owner was following all leash laws and the dog had no history of aggression, the insurer may claim there’s no negligence, especially if the bite happened in a public setting like a dog park. 

Insurance companies sometimes look for ways to dispute what happened. Comprehensive documentation of the dog attack and your injuries helps ensure your story is fully supported and your right to compensation is truly protected. 

How to Strengthen Your Evidence in Your Georgia Dog Bite Claim 

The stronger your evidence, the harder it is for the insurance company to deny or underpay your dog bite claim. Here’s what helps the most:  

• Seek immediate medical attention. Even small bites can become infected, so it’s important to visit a doctor soon after the attack. This also helps to document your wounds, linking them to the bite. 
• Report the attack to animal control or police. This creates a formal record of the incident for future reference in your claim. 
• Take photos of your wounds, the dog, and the scene, if possible. 
• Obtain witness contact information. Statements from neighbors or bystanders can help to confirm what happened, providing a clearer picture of the events. 
• Ask for the owner’s insurance details. If they refuse to give you these details, your personal injury attorney can obtain it through a legal discovery. 

With legal help, you can pursue the full amount you deserve, not just what the homeowners' insurance company offers. 

What Should a Fair Dog Bite Settlement Include? 

If the owner’s negligence caused your injuries, their insurer should cover both economic and non-economic damages, including: 

• Medical Expenses: ER visits, surgery, medication, therapy, rehabilitation. 
• Lost Wages: Income that was lost during your recovery, as well as reduced future earning capacity. 
• Pain and Suffering: this may include physical pain, emotional trauma, and anxiety around dogs. 
• Scarring/Disfigurement: cosmetic surgery or long-term visible injuries due to the dog. attack  
• Property Damage: Clothing, phones, or other items damaged during the attack. 

Your personal injury attorney will calculate both the short and long-term impact of your injuries to make sure your settlement reflects your true losses, not just your immediate bills. 

What If the Dog Owner Has No Insurance At All? 

If the dog owner doesn’t have homeowners' or renters’ insurance, you can still take legal action directly against them. However, collecting money from an uninsured individual can be difficult if they don’t have a lot of assets. Your personal injury lawyer can explore other potential sources of coverage, such as: 

• Landlord liability: if the attack happened on a rental property 
• Umbrella insurance policies: if the owner carries additional coverage 
• Third-party negligence: if someone else (like a property manager or pet sitter) contributed to the attack 

Why Dog Bite Victims Turn to The Millar Law Firm 

The Millar Law Firm has over three decades of experience handling Georgia dog bites and homeowners’ insurance claims. Our attorneys know how to uncover evidence, challenge insurers who deny responsibility, and pursue full compensation for medical bills, scarring, and emotional trauma. We’re known for taking on tough cases and standing up for victims when insurers try to minimize their losses. Call us today for a free consultation.