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Are you responsible if your dog bites a burglar in France?
Home insurance policies often cover damage from pets
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Am I insured if dog bites someone?
If my dog bites someone, am I covered on my household insurance? F.W.
Usually yes. Responsibility for harm by a pet falls to the owner or the person who was looking after it at the time the harm happened. This relates to someone being bitten or to objects being broken.
The responsabilité civile part of your multi-risque household insurance covers such cases, as long as the harm happened unintentionally and concerns a third-party (not yourself or your immediate family).
Some insurers do not cover the whole of the damage and there may be a franchise (excess) to pay.
Owners of so-called “dangerous’ dogs”, whether of the first or second category, are obliged to have third-party insurance but some companies do not cover this and some charge extra for it.
It is generally advisable to let your insurer know if you get a pet and thus to check what cover you have.
