Insurers Face Rising Dog-Bite Losses
Homeowners- and renters-liability carriers paid an estimated $1.57 billion in dog-related injury claims last year, an increase of 41 percent over 2023. The claim count climbed to 22,658, while the average cost per claim jumped to $69,272—up 18 percent year-over-year. For the 2023 claim numbers, See Agency Checklists’ article of April 9, 2024, “Triple-I: Dog-Related Injury Claim Payouts Hit $1.12 Billion in 2023.”
Triple-I Spotlight Report and Prevention Campaign
The figures appeared in the Insurance Information Institute’s “Spotlight on: Dog Bite Liability” paper, released on April 15 with State Farm as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week (April 13-18, 2025).The Triple I’s outreach stressed training, supervision, and proper restraint to curb incidents.
Why the Findings Matter for Massachusetts Agents
Even without cracking the national top ten, Bay State households face the same cost pressures that dictate higher liability limits:
| Benchmark | 2024 Claim Count | Average Cost/Claim |
| California (#1) | 2,417 | $86,229 |
| New York | 994 | $110,488 highest |
| Georgia (#10) | 671 | $46,724 |
| U.S. average | — | $69,272 |
Action items for local producers
- Stress higher limits and umbrellas. A single severe bite can eclipse a $100 k sub-limit.
- Review dog-ownership disclosures. Massachusetts imposes strict liability; nondisclosure can jeopardize coverage.
- Highlight prevention resources. Point clients to Triple-I safety checklists and municipal leash or breed ordinances.
Proactive counseling on higher limits for canine exposures helps Massachusetts agencies protect clients—and their own loss ratios—in a line where claim severity shows no sign of retreating.
