Breed-specific insurance discrimination is an underwriting practice: an insurer may refuse, cancel, decline to renew, charge more for, or limit a homeowners’ or renters’ policy because it assigns a dog to a breed or mix on its list. Some state laws restrict breed-only decisions, but protections vary by state and policy type. They may still allow an insurer to consider an individual dog’s documented conduct or legal dangerous-dog designation.
That distinction matters if you have seen questions such as “Home insurance denied due to owning a Rottweiler” or “What dog breeds will get our homeowners insurance cancelled?” Those phrases reflect questions people ask; they do not establish how common denials are or what the law requires in a particular case.
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What breed-specific insurance discrimination means
Homeowners’ and renters’ insurance can include liability coverage for injuries or property damage involving a dog. An insurer using breed-specific underwriting may treat a dog’s assigned breed or mix as a reason to deny coverage, cancel or nonrenew a policy, raise its premium, or exclude or restrict coverage.
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A breed-only rule is different from an individualized assessment. A state law may bar an insurer from taking adverse action solely because of breed while permitting it to consider a particular dog’s documented behavior or a formal dangerous-dog designation. The exact actions barred, policy types covered, exceptions, and required underwriting basis depend on the state statute and the policy.
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Why breed-only rules are disputed
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says some insurers use breed lists when underwriting homeowners’ and renters’ liability coverage. It also notes that identifying a dog’s breed by appearance is not definitive and that critics question whether reliable actuarial data link specific breeds to negative behavior. The NAIC acknowledges that dog-related incidents are a significant source of claims costs; that fact does not establish that a particular breed caused those losses or that breed lists are actuarially justified. NAIC overview
The NAIC attributes the following 2024 figures to the Insurance Information Institute: $1.57 billion paid for nearly 23,000 U.S. dog-related injury claims, with an average cost of about $69,000 per claim. The figures include dog bites and other incidents; they describe dog-related claims overall, not losses caused by any particular breed. NAIC overview
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The NAIC also reports that the National Conference of Insurance Legislators adopted a model law in 2022 that would prohibit denying coverage solely because of breed. A model law is a proposal for state legislation, not a state statute and not a nationwide ban. The NAIC describes differing positions: industry groups such as the American Property Casualty Insurance Association support breed lists, while animal-welfare and professional organizations oppose breed-specific approaches. These are positions in an ongoing policy debate, not settled legal or actuarial conclusions. NAIC overview
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHow state protections differ
The following examples illustrate why it is important to read the relevant statute rather than assume one state’s rule applies elsewhere. They are not a complete state-by-state inventory.
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| State | Policy scope and breed-only protection | Individual-dog exception or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Insurance Law §3421 addresses homeowners’ liability insurance. It bars refusing to issue or renew, canceling, increasing the premium, or excluding, limiting, restricting, or reducing coverage solely because a policyholder owns a dog of a specific breed or mix. | The statute permits specified action based on a dog’s designation as dangerous under Agriculture and Markets Law §123, subject to sound underwriting and actuarial principles reasonably related to actual or anticipated loss experience. The section’s text is about homeowners’ insurance; do not assume it extends to renters’ policies. New York Insurance Law §3421 |
| Illinois | The Insurance Code bars listed adverse actions on homeowners’ and renters’ policies solely because a policyholder harbors or owns a dog of a specific breed or mix. | An exception concerns an individual dog determined dangerous or vicious under the Animal Control Act. Any action must be tied to underwriting and actuarial principles reasonably derived from the insurer’s actual loss experience and anticipated loss. Illinois Insurance Code |
| Nevada | Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 687B includes a breed-specific insurance restriction. | The chapter allows action under sound underwriting and actuarial principles where a particular dog is known or declared dangerous or vicious under state law. The chapter page notes 2025 amendments; check the current subsection and policy scope before relying on a detailed interpretation. Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 687B |
| Colorado | HB 25-1207 amended protections concerning breed-based insurance decisions for residential structures. | The law describes an exception for action based on a particular dog being known or declared dangerous under specified provisions and sound underwriting and actuarial principles. The state summary says it was signed May 22, 2025 and took effect August 6, 2025, assuming no referendum petition was filed; verify current legal status and text. Signed bill text; Colorado bill summary |
New York renters’ insurance proposals
New York’s current §3421 page concerns homeowners’ liability insurance. A 2025 bill, S364, proposed extending the rule to renters’ insurance, but the governor vetoed it on December 12, 2025. A10272 was introduced in February 2026; its official record lists it as substituted by S9207 and returned to the Senate after Assembly passage in May 2026. That record does not establish that the later proposal became law, so check current legislative status rather than treating renters’ coverage as protected by §3421. S364 legislative record; A10272 legislative record
What to check before relying on a protection
A statute’s existence alone may not answer whether your policy or a specific insurer decision is covered. Check the current law and your policy documents, and look for these details:
- Policy type: Does the rule cover homeowners’ insurance, renters’ insurance, or both?
- Insurer action: Does it address refusal, cancellation, nonrenewal, premium increases, exclusions, or other coverage restrictions?
- Reason for the decision: Is the insurer relying on breed or mix alone, or on the individual dog’s history or legal designation?
- Exception standard: Does the law require a dangerous-dog designation, documented conduct, or a stated underwriting and actuarial basis?
- Timing: When did the law take effect, and does it apply to existing policies, renewals, or policy changes?
What to do if an insurer raises your dog’s breed
- Ask for the decision and its basis in writing. Request the relevant policy language and ask whether the action is based solely on the dog’s assigned breed or mix, or on an individual history or legal designation.
- Identify the policy and action at issue. Note whether the policy is homeowners’ or renters’ insurance and whether the insurer is refusing, canceling, nonrenewing, increasing the premium, or restricting coverage.
- Compare the decision with your state’s current statute. Use the official state source where possible, paying attention to the policy scope, barred actions, exceptions, and effective date.
- Contact your state insurance department or a licensed insurance professional. Ask how the rule applies to your specific coverage question. A general statutory example cannot determine the outcome of an individual policy dispute.
The NAIC overview of breed-specific legislation is dated September 24, 2025, and the claim figures cited above concern 2024. State laws and bill status can change; consult current official sources for a decision you need to make now. NAIC overview
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