Dog bites and other dog-related injuries accounted for more than a third of homeowners liability insurance payout in the US in 2014, costing more than $530m (£341m).
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), a non-profit insurance information organisation, and State Farm, US writer for home insurance, the number of dog-bite claims nationwide dropped by 4.7%, to 16,550 in 2014, but the average cost per claim was up by 15%. The average payout for these claims was $32,072 (£20,614), compared with $27,862 (£17,902) in 2013. From 2003 to 2014 the average claim cost went up by 67%.
Loretta Worters, III's vice president, said: "The average cost per claim nationally has risen more than 67% from 2003 to 2014, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs, which are still on the upswing."
III said California had the largest number of claims in the US at 1,867. Ohio had the second largest number, at 1,009. New York had the third largest at 965 but it had the highest average cost per claim, costing insurers $56,628 (£36,385).
III explained the increase in claim costs was attributable not simply to dog bites, but also to other injuries, such as dogs knocking down children, cyclists, the elderly, and more. The organisation said this trend resulted in fractures and "other blunt force trauma injuries that impact the potential severity of losses".
Estimated number of cost of dog-bite claims and other dog-related injuries from 2003 to 2014
Year Value of claims ($m) No of claims Average claim cost ($)
2003 324.20 16,919 19,162
2004 318.9 15,630 20,406
2005 321.1 14,295 22,464
2006 322.4 14,661 21,987
2007 356.2 14,531 24,511
2008 387.0 15,823 24,461
2009 412.0 16,586 24,840
2010 412.6 15,770 26,166
2011 490.8 16,695 29,396
2012 489.7 16,459 29,752
2013 483.7 17,359 27,862
2014 530.8 16,550 32,072