Your dog, under the influence of an emotion such as fear, to defend its territory, to defend itself or even because it is aggressive, has bitten a person or another animal.
Reimbursement for the consequences of the bite is a legal obligation, regardless of the category of the dog. You or your insurance must cover the costs.
I compare dog insurance to be covered
What insurance covers dog bites?
Several solutions exist to protect yourself from the consequences of damage caused by your dog:
- The civil liability of your comprehensive home insurance allows compensation for damage caused by a dog or one in your care.
- You have not taken out comprehensive home insurance or your MH insurance provides an exclusion of coverage for dogs. You can then take out specific private civil liability insurance for yourself, your family members, your employees and your pet.
- Your dog belongs to category 1 or 2 and you must then take out specific insurance for animals.
>> Do dog owners need to have civil liability insurance?
Who is responsible in the event of a dog bite?
Whether you were negligent by not keeping him on a leash during his walk or if you let him wander or because he escaped your supervision, you are considered the guardian of your animal and responsible. from him.
As part of your civil liability for damage that you may cause to others or their property, you have a legal obligation to repair any type of damage that your animal may have caused such as an accident, a fall or the bite injury.
As such, you are therefore required to reimburse the costs of medical or veterinary care provided to the victim of the bite, human or animal. This obligation also applies to the animal in your care or that is entrusted to you for a moment.
The costs caused by treatment following the bite can be quite high depending on its severity. If you are not insured for civil liability, you will therefore have to pay them out of your pocket. If you have taken out civil liability insurance, check the amount of the excess, that is to say the amount that remains your responsibility after compensation for the victim.
You must, as soon as you become aware of the accident, declare the claim to your insurance company within 5 days, with all the factual elements useful to the insurer, such as the identity and contact details of the animal’s owner, the date, location, circumstances and consequences of the accident with the assessment of costs and invoices for the necessary care. To avoid any subsequent dispute, it is advisable to obtain the signature of the claim declaration by the owner of the animal.
If your animal has bitten a person, even if it is not suspected of having rabies, you have an obligation to report this incident to the town hall and you must submit it to the supervision of the health veterinarian at your expense.
Even if the dangerousness of a dog is in practice due to its balance and its education, whatever its size or breed, the situation is special if your dog is classified in the category of so-called “dangerous” or attack dogs. . This is because they are supposed to be more aggressive or unpredictable. Pit bulls, Mastiffs, belong to category 1. American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweillers, Tosa, considered guard and defense dogs, are classified in category 2. It is true that the consequences of a Attacks from these dogs can be dramatic.
As the owner of a category 1 or 2 dog, you are then subject to legal obligations and specific procedures, intended to make owners responsible for being able to keep such an animal, such as a certificate of detention and subscription to liability insurance. civil for category 1 dogs.
2024-01-13 09:47:03
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