Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Dog Bite in Summerville, SC?

Ramie Shalabi | July 4, 2025 | Dog Bites | Last Updated August 30, 2026

Dogs are some of the most beloved animals on the planet. Unfortunately, it only takes a single incident for a canine to bite a human. In an instant, this situation can leave someone in pain and potentially put them in danger, depending on the bite’s ferocity and where it occurred.

Understandably, the aftermath of a dog bite can be a frightening time for the victim, the dog, and the animal’s owner. Knowing what comes next can provide some clarity during such a stressful and potentially traumatizing time.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• If homeowners’ insurance covers a dog bite
• How insurance may cover bite-related expenses
• When a dog bite may not be covered
• About dog bite settlements
• What can animal owners do to prevent dog bites
• How a personal injury dog bite attorney can provide help

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Dog Bite? It’s Complicated

DSB Law Firm would love to give you a simple yes-or-no answer to this question. Unfortunately, each dog bite case is different in Summerville, SC (or elsewhere). Most homeowners insurance policies cover dog bite claims as a type of personal liability. However, that’s not always the case. It’s imperative to understand how key limitations and exclusions may affect your case.

How Homeowners’ Insurance Covers Dog Bites

A typical homeowners’ insurance policy can cover a dog bite under one of two types of coverage. The first type of coverage is personal liability coverage. It can pay for damages, including a victim’s medical expenses, scarring, and lost wages, if a policyholder and dog owner is found liable.

The second coverage type is medical payments coverage. It can pay for a portion of a dog bite victim’s medical costs, even if a dog bite case in Summerville, SC, had nothing to do with a dog’s owner being negligent.

When Dog Bites Might Not Be Covered

As we’ve mentioned, in most cases, homeowners’ insurance covers dog bites. So, what about when it doesn’t?

These situations can include:

• Breed Restrictions: Some insurance companies won’t cover incidents involving Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, or other breeds they deem as dangerous.
• Where the Bite Happened: A homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover a bite that happened in public or otherwise not on the policyholder’s property. 
• Who Was Bit: Insurance providers typically don’t cover injuries that happen to anyone living in the insured home.

Even if a homeowner’s insurance policy covers dog bites, victims may still face delays during the claims process. Insurance adjusters often conduct a thorough review of these cases, seeking any reason to reduce payouts or avoid paying someone altogether. If you suspect that’s happening, speak with DSB Law Firm immediately. We’ll help manage communications with insurers, assist with accurately documenting damages, and ensure that no one takes advantage of your situation.

Dog Bite Settlements: What to Expect

Whether you’re the owner of a dog who bit someone or you were a victim of an animal bite, settlements are essential for all parties to understand. A settlement lets one party (the dog’s owner) agree to pay for the victim’s damages in exchange for the other party not to pursue further legal action.

As personal injury dog bite attorneys, we know that exact settlements vary on a per-case basis. However, dog bite settlements typically factor in the following:

• Medical expenses (emergency room visits, ongoing appointment costs, surgeries, etc.)
• Lost wages 
• Temporary or permanent disfigurements/scarring
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering

While you’d like to believe they’re on your side, insurance companies may offer settlement amounts lower than what you deserve. That’s why you never want to accept an initial settlement offer without speaking to a personal injury dog bite attorney first. DSB Law Firm offers free case reviews. Let us learn the details of your incident and help ensure you leave nothing on the table.

What Homeowners Can Do to Prevent Dog Bite Incidents

Taking proactive steps as a homeowner and dog owner can reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of a bite. Our personal injury dog bite attorneys are here to offer several innovative ways to avoid your dog biting someone:

• Training Your Dog: Whether due to their nature or the environment in which they were raised, some dogs are more prone to exhibiting aggression than others. If your dog isn’t naturally friendly around people, it may require training to enforce boundaries.
• Practice Socializing: A key way to prevent bite incidents is by ensuring your dog is comfortable around people. Dog training experts recommend socializing a canine as early as possible.
• Keep the Animal Away From People: Sometimes, there’s no other option for an animal owner than to keep their dog away from other people whenever possible. In that case, fences, pet crates, and strong leashes can help keep everyone safe.
• Stay Up-to-Date with Vet Visits: Typically, healthy dogs are less likely to be aggressive than those who are in pain or discomfort. Additionally, keeping your dog’s vaccinations up to date can help minimize the medical expenses of a bite victim.

How DSB Law Firm Can Help in Your Dog Bite Case in Summerville, SC

Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC, understands that animal bites can incur significant emotional and financial stress. Dog bites might sound minor, but severe ones can turn someone’s world upside down in moments.

We help dog bite victims in several ways, including:

• Investigating the bite incident and gathering evidence
• Identifying coverage outlined in a homeowner’s insurance policy
• Negotiating with insurance adjusters for maximum compensation
• Representing you in court if a dog bite settlement isn’t provided

Know Your Rights and Understand Your Options

We’ve covered whether homeowners’ insurance covers dog bites. It’s now time to think about what comes next. Whether you’re a homeowner trying to understand your responsibilities or a victim navigating the aftermath of a dog bite case in Summerville, SC, you have legal options. The personal injury dog bite attorneys at DSB Law Firm are here to assist you.

Please follow these steps by contacting us. Reach out today for your free consultation with DSB Law Firm. We’re an experienced and responsive legal team that’s dedicated to helping our clients.

FAQs

Does homeowners insurance cover a dog bite that occurs away from the owner’s property, such as at a Summerville park?

Yes, in most cases. Personal liability coverage generally follows the dog owner rather than the property, so a bite that happens off-site, like at a park or on a sidewalk, is typically treated the same as one that happens at home. Coverage still depends on the specific policy terms and any breed or history exclusions the insurer has written in.

How does South Carolina’s strict liability law affect a homeowners insurance dog bite claim?

Under South Carolina Code § 47-3-110, a dog owner is legally responsible if their dog bites someone in a public place or while the victim is lawfully on private property, even without a prior history of aggression. This standard makes it easier for victims to hold an owner’s insurance accountable, since fault typically doesn’t need to be proven the way it would in a standard negligence case. The main exceptions involve trespassing or provocation of the animal.

Can a dog’s breed or bite history cause an insurer to deny coverage?

Yes, some insurers exclude or limit coverage for breeds they consider high-risk, such as Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, or Chow Chows, and a documented history of aggression can also lead to a denied claim. Reviewing the specific policy language is the only way to know whether an exclusion applies to a particular dog.

What kind of evidence helps strengthen a dog bite claim in Summerville?

Photos of the injury and the scene, animal control or police reports, medical records, witness statements, and proof of the dog owner’s homeowners insurance all help establish what happened and support the value of a claim. Gathering this documentation quickly, before memories fade or evidence disappears, makes it far easier to counter an insurer’s attempt to minimize the incident.

Will a homeowner’s insurance policy be canceled or premiums raised after a dog bite claim?

It’s possible. Some insurers respond to a paid dog bite claim by raising premiums, adding a breed exclusion, or declining to renew the policy altogether, though this varies by carrier. That decision belongs to the insurance company, not the victim, and it shouldn’t discourage someone who was genuinely injured from pursuing fair compensation.

Is it safe to speak directly with the insurance adjuster before consulting a lawyer?

It’s risky. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that can be used to minimize or deny a payout, and statements made early on, before injuries are fully understood, can limit what a victim recovers later. Speaking with a dog bite attorney at DSB Law Firm first helps protect those rights and keeps the conversation from working against the victim.

Why shouldn’t a dog bite victim accept the insurance company’s first settlement offer?

An initial offer is often calculated to close the claim quickly and for less than it’s actually worth, before the full cost of medical care, lost income, or scarring is even known. Once accepted, a settlement typically closes the door on further compensation, even if complications arise later. Reviewing any offer with an attorney first helps confirm whether it truly reflects the value of the case.