Homeowners Insurance update

So my love/hate relationship with insurance companies continued this morning when I actually got a response from the company who wants to absorb my policy from Citizens. It was a very nice response.
Homeowners Choice is a company based in Clearwater which does not have breed restrictions. The do not cover liability for dogs of any breed, just like Citizens. This means you would have to pay out of pocket, but you can keep your dog, regardless of what breed it is.
Yippee.
I responded to the email and let them know how much I appreciated this news and I would make sure their name was broadcast far and wide as being pet friendly. This is great news for homeowners who may be threatened to lose their insurance if they don't get rid of their pets.
The company is Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Inc. They are based in Clearwater and the toll-free number is 1-888-210-5235. You can check them out online here.
If you love your pet, regardless of breed and don't want to have to give them up, this company may be able to write a policy for you.

Comments

Unknown said…
Jean-
I recently received an e-mail from Best Friends out in Utah (it was forwarded to me from a friend here in FL) regarding the breed restrictions. I would like to write a well informed letter (rather than just copying and pasting someone else's words) to the legislators in whose laps this decision rests. I have copied the text from the e-mail below in case you have not received this e-mail yourself. I am not in a position myself to have a dog anytime soon (I'm not home enough) but would like to support other responsible owners who have well-trained, behaved animals. Any tips are appreciated.

Laura
lauraaconrad@yahoo.com


- Florida Faces Breed Specific Legislation -
Your Voice Needed!

Dear Florida Network Members,
Please act today to prevent breed discriminatory legislation in Florida.
Florida State Rep. Perry E. Thurston, Jr. filed H.B. 189, "an act relating to dangerous dogs," to repeal the prohibition on breed discriminatory legislation (BDL) in Florida. An identical bill, S.B. 922, has also been filed by Senator Anthony C. Hill.

H.B. 189 and S.B. 922 would allow any Florida local government to restrict or regulate any breed of dog. A similar effort to legislate BDL was unsuccessful in 2008.

Currently Miami-Dade is the only county in Florida that is allowed to "profile" dogs and destroy them because of this. They enacted a "pit bull" ban in 1989 and last year around 800 "pit bulls" were picked up and destroyed simply because of their breed.

Best Friends opposes canine profiling. The problem of dangerous dogs is not remedied by the quick fix of breed-discriminatory laws. All dogs can bite. Studies of pre and post breed ban dog bite rates in the United Kingdom and Spain concluded that their pit bull breed ban had no effect whatsoever on reducing dog bites.
Breed discriminatory laws cause unintended hardship to responsible owners of entirely friendly, properly supervised and well-socialized dogs that happen to fall within the regulated breed category. Although these dog owners have done nothing to endanger the public, they may be forced by the municipality to either give up their dogs or move out of their home. The pets that are given up are killed.
How You Can Help

Politics is not a spectator sport. Please take action on behalf of animals.

-H.B. 192 was referred to the committee on January 22, 2009. Florida residents are asked to please write the members of the House Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Committee and ask them to vote "NO" on H.B. 189

-Also, constituents are asked to please write or call your Florida Representatives and Senators and respectfully ask them to vote "NO" on H.B. 189 and S.B. 922, "an act relating to dangerous dogs." Local governments already have the ability to adopt regulations regarding dangerous dogs and protect the public as they see fit. Breed bans are ineffective, costly to enforce, and penalize responsible dog owners. Visit the Best Friends Network for contact information.
Please act today.
Sincerely,
The Best Friends Network

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