Here at the Personal Injury Hotline, we have handled our fair share of dog bite cases. From my experience as a personal injury attorney handling these matters, finding an insurance policy that would actually cover a dog bite accident is usually the biggest hurdle we face. As such, if you are thinking of getting a dog, please consider the following. Owning a dog can be exciting, heartwarming and enjoyable. However, before you contemplate becoming a dog owner you may want to consult your agent for your homeowner’s policy. According to the CDC, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bites a year with 800,000 bites requiring immediate medical attention. Some insurance companies will require you to have a special rider (and pay more) if you have a vicious breed of dog, while others won’t insure your property for liability coverage at all if the dog breed you own is known to bite or has vicious propensities. For example, many carriers will not insure you if you have a Pit Bull, Rottweiler or a Wolf Mix, while some only exclude a Pitbull. Other carriers will look at the individual history of the dog, such as if your dog has bitten before or is known to torment the neighbors and mail carriers. It is always important to disclose this type of information to your insurance company, otherwise it may come back to bite you … literally, in the form of an insurance disclaimer of coverage after an accident.