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Dogs are having an impact on home insurance rates.

Dogs can cost you money on your home insurance premiums.

If you have a breed of dog known for biting, or one that has an aggressive personality, it may cost you extra to keep it and keep the proper insurance coverage.

When I inform people that their dog can have an impact on their insurance premium, they assume that it is because of the damage a dog can do to their property. That isn't the case. It is the liability exposure that the dogs create. If you dog bites your neighbors 4 year old girl in the face, look out. The cost of a lawsuit from this event will be large.

Check with your insurance agent before you get an aggressive dog, such as a Pit Bull Terrier or a Rottweiler, to see if the insurance company will place you in a different rating tier or insure you at all. If you already have the dog, be sure to update your home insurance policy. The last thing you want is to have a claim, then have the insurance company deny payment for non-disclosure or a misrepresentation of the risk.