Who is liable for a dog bite incident?

Coverage Q&A: A dog bit an individual while in the care of a sitter. Do the dog sitter and dog owner share liability?

Approximately 4.7 million dog bites occur in the United States annually, says the CDC. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Every claim is different, and some insurance policies can be difficult to interpret for unique situations. FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation, the recognized authority on insurance coverage interpretation and analysis for the P&C industry, makes it simple to find credible answers to your complicated coverage questions. Analysis brought to you by our FC&S experts. 

Editor’s Note: Dogs create a lot of issues when it comes to insurance policies. Some insurance carriers list various large or “aggressive” breeds that they will not provide coverage for, as the risk of injury to others is too high.

Dog bites can create other issues. For example, if a dog bites another party while in the care of a dog walker, the walker’s insurance coverage will cover the incident. But what if a dog is in the care of its owner’s relative. How is liability assigned in the event of a bite?

Question: Our insured was watching his mother’s dog at his property while she is away. The mother does not live with the insured and is divorced from the father.

The insured’s father and step-sister visit the insured’s property, and while leaving the premise, the step-sister was bitten by the dog. The property is insured under the AAIS Form FO3 policy.

We have two different opinions as to who has liability for the dog bite. Does the son have sole liability for the incident, or does his mother share responsibility, as the dog owner?

— Pennsylvania Subscriber 

Answer: To learn the answer to this week’s coverage Q&A, please log into your FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation account.

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