3rd party public liability only pet insurance?

sgt_bilko_2

Does anybody know of an insurer that offers pet insurance limited to 3rd party public liability cover without the vet care?

For the last few years we have used the Dogs Trust that includes this but on closer study it's not quite as comprehensive as first imagined. Our dog is about 9 years old now and good natured but I'd like this covered just in case something unfortunate occurs.

sheramber

I don't know of any third party only but you can get accident and third party only.

Your homes contents insurance may cover you for third party claims.

sgt_bilko_2

Thanks I'll look at this tomorrow. I would be surprised if home insurance covered you if you were out walking and the dog knocked somebody over or whatever but I'll try to find out.

Fosterdog

Is there anything specific about the dogs trust insurance that's not what you wanted?

sgt_bilko_2

The dogs trust offers a 3rd party public liability policy when you become a member and it looks like straight forward cover for up to £1 million with no caveats but after writing to them I discovered you are only fully covered in civil cases.

Dog laws have become much tougher recently and should you find yourself facing a legal prosecution, whether merited or not, the dogs trust only covers legal fees but with no details of how it works in practice.

In that scenario I question how much incentive they would have to fight on your behalf. Should you lose and then face fines or claims for compensation you are on your own, even if you have really done nothing wrong. It could really cost you dear.

Fosterdog

Surely that would be normal for insurance, that it only covers the civil side of things.

If you had car insurance even fully comp and you caused an accident by dangerous driving the insurance would sort out the civil side but they won't get you legal representation if you are prosecuted and won't pay any fines or court ordered costs etc. For you.

sgt_bilko_2

It may well be this is an industry standard practice in which case I would like to know. I can understand that the dogs trust won't pay criminal fines but they also exclude compensation and as I said before the law has become extremely tight in the last year or two.

There are just too many unspecified grey areas with the dogs trust policy and I feel they should provide more information on the site. For example what happens if you face a legal prosecution on some minor area of law and subsequently a civil claim for compensation is made?

To give this some context a few years ago I was walking my dog on a path in an open area. As we neared a corner a Collie raced over and attacked my dog who started to retaliate in self defence but I grabbed her by the collar and pulled her off. Ten seconds later the elderly owner appeared on his disabled buggy.

Now clearly this man had no control over his dog and he didn't offer the least apology but it occurred to me then that had he or his dog been injured it likely would have made the papers and involved the police with dire consequences both myself and my dog because he would be seen as the disabled old man, while I would be judged as the hooligan with a vicious dog.

Fosterdog

Although I do agree there are a lot of grey areas and areas not yet tested, I am worried to a point too as my new girl is highly reactive, getting better, no longer lunges at people and traffic but still highly dog reactive and may take months or years to get better or may never fully get better and will always be something to manage.

In the scenario you posted there would be no case for you to answer, it was either no witnesses with your word against the other owner or witnesses who saw you in control of your on lead dog and his dog off lead and out of control. Either you would both get a warning to be more careful or he would get full blame. Him being disabled doesn't mean he would automatically get the sympathy vote.

Saying that I've just looked up on the DT website and this is a direct copy/paste of what it covers it is clear that civil cases are covered and legal defence in a criminal matter so it would only be criminal court issued costs not covered. Compensation awarded by a civil judge would be covered but not compensation awarded by a criminal judge.

What does the insurance cover me for?
Membership provides third party public liability insurance of up to £1,000,000 per incident if your dog causes damage or injury to another person, their property, or pets.

The insurance includes your legal defence costs in such situations, where (a) a damages claim is brought in a civil court and (b) your legal defence costs where a prosecution is brought in a criminal court under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (or equivalent).

Fines, compensation and penalties connected with or resulting from a criminal court prosecution are excluded.

pinkteapot

You might be surprised by your home insurance. My hubby was paying for separate golf insurance, mainly for the public liability element (in case he hits someone on the head with a golf ball). Our home insurance gives us £5m public liability and I phoned them to confirm - it would cover him if he hurt someone in a golf accident. Can't see much difference between walking a dog and playing golf, but individual insurers will vary in what's covered.

sgt_bilko_2

pinkteapot wrote: »

You might be surprised by your home insurance. My hubby was paying for separate golf insurance, mainly for the public liability element (in case he hits someone on the head with a golf ball). Our home insurance gives us £5m public liability and I phoned them to confirm - it would cover him if he hurt someone in a golf accident. Can't see much difference between walking a dog and playing golf, but individual insurers will vary in what's covered.

I am with John Lewis for home insurance and have their premium cover so I'll ask them but I don't recall seeing anything that would indicate dogs are covered.

On a broader point about insurance and contracts always ask for details in writing rather than by phone if you want some firm evidence of cover.

Another point worth mentioning is that we sometimes unwittingly insure things more than once, since policies can overlap and this can lead to problems when insurers fight over who is responsible. Many years ago my father was an insurance salesman so I've heard a few stories about what can happen.

sgt_bilko_2

@Fosterdog Perhaps you are right about that case being his word against mine, but I can't help feeling the police or indeed a witness might be more inclined to take the side of an old man on a disabled buggy. People sometimes allow their own prejudice to overrule facts.

In practice I know my dog could walk past a hundred dogs without showing signs of aggression and she would never jump up at people, especially now she is older. Nevertheless I always put her on a lead near small children, mainly to reassure parents but also knowing how strict the law has become.

It's a fact of life that dogs sometime disagree and it can be something as daft as ownership of a stick that causes a squabble. If another owner intervenes to try and break them up and is bitten in the process I wonder what the legal situation is these days.