U.S. insurers paid out more than $1 billion in dog-related injury claims in 2022, a double-digit percentage increase over 2021 even though the number of claims decreased within that timeframe, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm.
“The 2.2 percent decrease in claims for dog bites and dog-related injury claims in 2022 underscores the progress of educating dog owners to take responsibility for their beloved pets,” stated Janet Ruiz, Director, Strategic Communications, Triple-I. “Unfortunately, the total cost of these claims increased by 28 percent in 2022 to $1.13 billion, with an average cost per claim rising by 32 percent, to $64,555.”
“Educating dog owners about being responsible will reduce dog-related injuries because, under the right circumstances, any dog might bite,” Ruiz added.
Offers tips to help reduce likelihood of dog bites
To reduce the likelihood of dog bites, Triple III offered the following tips that agents can share with their insureds:
- Know your dog’s triggers of aggression
- Keep your dog secured at home if the dog consistently overreacts to visitors
- Begin your dog’s training sessions early
Pedestrians and others encountering dogs with whom they are unfamiliar should:
- Never approach a barking, growling, or scared dog
- Ask the dog’s guardian for permission before petting their dog
- Avoid leaving children aged 10 and younger alone with a dog
Overall number of claims dropped in 2022
The number of dog-related injury claims nationwide dropped to 17,597 in 2022, having stood at 17,989 in 2021. The cost of 2021’s U.S. insurance claims for this type of incident totaled $882 million and the average cost per claim in that year was $49,025.
More than a third of the nation’s dog-related injury claims in 2022 were filed in five states, the Triple-I and State Farm estimate. California (1,954 claims), Florida (1,331), Texas (1,017), New York (969), and Michigan (905) topped the list, in that order. The Top 10 list for last year can be found on the III website and is reproduced here in this table:
| Rank | State | Number of Claims | Average cost per claim | Value of claims ($ millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | California | 1,954 | $78,818 | $154.0 |
| 2. | Florida | 1,331 | 78,203 | 104.1 |
| 3. | Texas | 1,017 | 65,923 | 67.0 |
| 4. | New York | 969 | 77,421 | 75.0 |
| 5. | Michigan | 905 | 49,502 | 44.8 |
| 6. | Pennsylvania | 805 | 66,636 | 53.6 |
| 7. | Illinois | 729 | 67,238 | 49.0 |
| 8. | Ohio | 658 | 50,692 | 33.4 |
| 9. | New Jersey | 550 | 74,837 | 41.2 |
| 10. | Georgia | 475 | 61,082 | 29.0 |
| Top 10 | 9,393 | $69,323 | $651.2 | |
| Other | 8,188 | $61,199 | $501.1 | |
| Total United States | 17,583 | $64,555 | $1,135.1 |
Source: Insurance Information Institute, State Farm®.
