The hidden clause in your policy that could leave you personally on the hook for a dog bite claim — and what landlords in Charlotte, NC, and SC can do about it right now.

📋  Why This Matters Right Now

U.S. insurers paid out $1.57 billion in dog bite and dog-related injury claims in 2024, with the average cost per claim reaching $69,272 — an 86% increase over the past decade, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm. Meanwhile, most landlords have never read the breed exclusion section of their landlord policy. If your tenant's dog bites a neighbor — and that breed is excluded from your policy — you may be paying that bill yourself.

$1.57B

Dog bite claims paid by U.S. insurers in 2024 (Triple-I / State Farm)

$69,272

Average cost per dog bite claim in 2024 — up 86% in 10 years (Triple-I)

22,658

Dog bite claims filed nationwide in 2024 — up 19% from 2023 (Triple-I)

1. The Fine Print Most Landlords Never Read

   
   

Here is the part of your landlord insurance policy that most agents do not walk you through: the  breed exclusion list.

Many landlord and homeowner insurance policies include a section that lists certain dog breeds as excluded from liability coverage. This means if your tenant's dog bites a visitor, a neighbor's child, or a delivery driver — and that dog is on the exclusion list — your insurance company may not pay the claim. That leaves you, the property owner, exposed.

According to Policygenius and the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), when an insurer places a breed restriction on your policy, it typically means one of two things: the insurer either will not cover dog bite incidents at all if the excluded breed is present on the property, or it will write you a policy but exclude all liability coverage related to that dog's actions. In some cases, the presence of an excluded breed can cause the insurer to non-renew your entire policy at the next renewal date.

This is not a theoretical risk. The numbers from Triple-I are clear: dog bite claims have risen 48% over the past decade in the U.S. The average claim now exceeds $69,000 — before attorney fees, which can add tens of thousands more.

The biggest mistake: Most landlords assume their insurance covers everything that happens on their property. They approve a tenant, the tenant moves in with a dog, and nobody checks whether that dog's breed is excluded from the policy. Months later, the dog bites someone — and the landlord finds out at the worst possible time that they have no coverage.

2. Which Breeds Are Commonly Excluded — and Why

   
   

Insurance companies create breed exclusion lists based on actuarial data — meaning historical claims data that shows which breeds are more commonly involved in serious bite incidents. This is a business decision, not a statement about individual dogs.

The most commonly excluded breeds across major insurers in NC and SC include:

• Pit Bull / American Staffordshire Terrier

• Rottweiler

• German Shepherd

• Doberman Pinscher

• Chow Chow

• Akita

• Wolf-Dog Hybrids

• Alaskan Malamute

• Siberian Husky

• Great Dane

• Presa Canario

• Any dog with a documented bite history

  
  

Breed exclusion lists vary significantly by insurer. This list reflects commonly excluded breeds based on Policygenius, RentPrep, and Triple-I industry research. Your specific policy may differ — always read your exclusions section or ask your agent directly.

Some insurers do not use breed lists at all. Companies like State Farm assess liability based on the individual dog's history of aggression rather than breed alone. Others use sub-limits — for example, covering dog bite claims up to $25,000 even if the total policy limit is $100,000. Do not assume — call your agent and ask specifically about pet breed exclusions on your rental property policy.

North Carolina and South Carolina do not have laws that prohibit insurers from using breed exclusions in landlord or homeowner policies. Pennsylvania and Michigan are the only states with such laws as of 2024, according to Triple-I. In the Carolinas, insurers have full discretion to exclude breeds.

3. NC and SC Dog Bite Law: What Landlords Can Be Liable For

   
   

Understanding your insurance gap is only part of the picture. You also need to understand what the law in your state says about who is responsible when a dog bites someone.

🌲 North Carolina

NC uses a modified version of the one-bite rule combined with a strict liability statute for "dangerous dogs." Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 67-4.4, if a dog has been officially declared dangerous or previously injured someone, the owner is strictly liable for all damages. NC courts have also ruled that owners of certain breeds can be held liable based on "breed-specific propensities" even without a prior bite (Griner v. Smith, 1979). Additionally, if a dog runs loose at night, the owner faces strict liability under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 67-12. The statute of limitations for dog bite claims in NC is 3 years.

🌴  South Carolina

SC follows a strict liability rule for dog bites. Under S.C. Code § 47-3-110, if a person is lawfully in a public or private place when injured by a dog, the dog's owner or anyone having the dog in their care or keeping is strictly liable for damages — regardless of whether the dog had ever bitten before. SC courts have also ruled that landlords can be held liable if they knew about a dangerous dog on their property and failed to act. The statute of limitations in SC is also 3 years.

South Carolina is stricter than North Carolina. In SC, the law extends liability to anyone "having the dog in their care or keeping" — which courts have interpreted to include landlords who knowingly allowed a dangerous dog to remain on their property, especially in common areas. In one SC appellate case, a landlord was found potentially liable after a tenant's dog, kept chained in a common area for nearly 10 years with the landlord's knowledge, bit a child (Clea v. Shannon, SC Court of Appeals, 2011).

4. Can a Landlord Be Held Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite?

   
   

The short answer: yes — under specific circumstances in both NC and SC. This is not just a renter problem. It is a landlord problem too.

Here is when a landlord may be held liable for a tenant's dog bite:

• The landlord knew about the dog and its aggressive tendencies but allowed it to remain on the property

• The bite occurred in a common area the landlord controls — a parking lot, shared yard, hallway, or entrance

• The landlord allowed an excluded breed to live on the property without checking their insurance coverage, and that dog later bit someone

• The lease allowed pets but had no pet policy, no documentation of the dog's breed, and no requirement for liability coverage from the tenant

• The landlord failed to act after receiving prior complaints from neighbors about the dog's aggressive behavior

Remember:  homeowner and landlord insurance policies generally do not cover civil rights violations, and most standard commercial liability policies do not cover dog bite incidents involving excluded breeds. If your insurer denies the claim and you are found liable in court, you pay the judgment out of pocket. A $69,000 average claim — before legal fees — can erase years of rental income.

5. What Pet Screening Is — and How It Protects You

   
   

   Pet screening is a formal process where landlords verify and document information about a tenant's pet before the pet is allowed to live in the rental property. Think of it as a background check — but for animals.

Professional pet screening tools like PetScreening.com — one of the most widely used platforms in the property management industry — collect and verify:

• The pet's breed, age, weight, and temperament

• Vaccination records and veterinary history

• Microchip information

• Any prior bite incidents or animal control violations

• References from prior landlords about the pet's behavior

• Spay/neuter status

PetScreening assigns each animal a FIDO Score™ — a 1-to-5 paw rating that reflects the pet's risk level based on verified data. A score of 5 paws indicates a low-risk, well-documented pet. A score of 1 or 2 raises concerns that the landlord needs to review before approving.

Once a pet is documented in a system like PetScreening, that record can be cross-referenced against your insurance policy's breed exclusion list. If the tenant's dog breed is excluded from your coverage, you know this before you approve the tenant and before you have any legal exposure. This is why pet screening at application time — and at renewal — is a best practice that professional property managers across Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbia, Greenville, and Charleston use today.

Why Pet Screening at Renewal Matters Too

Tenants get new pets after they move in. A tenant who started with a small cat may now have a large dog — one you have never documented and whose breed you do not know.

Requiring tenants to resubmit pet information at every lease renewal is one of the most important risk management practices a landlord can adopt. Without it, you may discover a breed exclusion issue only after a bite has already happened.

PetScreening.com pet profiles are active for one year upon activation. Landlords can require renewal of the profile at each lease renewal as a condition of the new lease term. This keeps your documentation current and ensures your insurer has accurate information about the animals living on your property.

6. Fair Housing and Assistance Animals: The Important Exception

   
   

Here is one of the most important things to understand about pet policies and insurance: assistance animals are not pets under the law.

Under the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604) and HUD's guidance on reasonable accommodations, landlords must allow tenants with disabilities to keep emotional support animals (ESAs) and service animals — even in a no-pet property, and even if the breed would otherwise be excluded by your pet policy.

You cannot deny an ESA or service animal based solely on breed. A 2025 federal court ruling (Chhang v. West Coast USA Properties LLC, E.D. Cal., February 11, 2025) found that denying housing because an insurance company excluded the tenant's ESA breed may itself violate the Fair Housing Act. This is an emerging and important area of fair housing law that directly affects how landlords handle breed restrictions in the context of disability accommodations.

What this means for insurance: if your policy excludes a breed that a tenant has as an ESA, you may face a dilemma — your insurance excludes the animal, but fair housing law requires you to accommodate it. The practical solution:

• Talk to your insurance agent immediately when you receive an ESA accommodation request for an excluded breed

• Ask whether a standalone dog liability policy or an umbrella policy would cover the specific animal

• Ask your agent about per-incident sub-limits for excluded breeds — some policies offer partial coverage

• Document your good-faith effort to obtain coverage — this matters if a claim is later filed

• Consult a real estate attorney before denying any accommodation request based on insurance exclusions

Pet screening tools like PetScreening.com include a separate workflow specifically for ESA and service animal accommodation requests. It collects and verifies required documentation under HUD's fair housing guidance without asking impermissible medical questions. Using a third-party service for this process helps protect landlords from both fair housing liability and false ESA claims.

7. Action Checklist for NC and SC Landlords

   
   

Here is what to do right now — before your next tenant application and at every lease renewal:

1. Pull out your current landlord or homeowner insurance policy

   Find the liability section. Look for any language about dog breeds, animals, or pet exclusions. If you cannot find it, call your agent and ask directly: "Does my policy have a breed exclusion list, and if so, what's on it?"

   
   

2. Add a pet policy addendum to your lease

   Every pet-friendly lease in NC and SC should include a separate pet addendum that specifies permitted breeds, weight limits, required vaccinations, tenant liability for pet-related damages, and the requirement to carry renter's insurance with pet liability coverage.

   
   

3. Require pet screening for every applicant with a pet

   Use a service like PetScreening.com to document the breed, vaccination records, bite history, and FIDO Score before any pet is approved. This takes the guesswork out of breed identification and gives you a defensible record.

   
   

4. Cross-reference the pet's breed against your insurance exclusion list

   Once you have the pet's breed from the screening, check it against your policy's exclusion list. If the breed is listed, contact your insurer before approving the pet. Ask about umbrella coverage, standalone dog liability policies, or sub-limit options.

   
   

5. Require renters insurance with pet liability coverage in the lease

   NC and SC landlords can legally require tenants to carry renters insurance as a lease condition. Specify a minimum liability limit — typically $100,000 — and require the policy to cover pet-related incidents. Ask for proof of coverage annually.

   
   

6. Re-screen pets at every lease renewal

   Require tenants to resubmit their pet information through your screening process at each renewal. New pets must be disclosed and approved before moving in. Update your insurance records if any pet information changes.

   
   

7. Handle ESA requests through a documented fair housing process

   Never use your pet policy to deny an ESA or service animal without going through a proper reasonable accommodation review process. Use a third-party verification tool to handle ESA documentation. Consult a local real estate attorney if you are unsure how to proceed.

📋 Quick Policy Language to Add to Every Pet-Friendly Lease in NC and SC

Consider working with a local real estate attorney or your NC REALTORS® / SC REALTORS® member attorney referral service to include language in your lease covering: (1) pet screening as a condition of approval; (2) required renters insurance with minimum $100,000 pet liability coverage; (3) breed and weight restrictions consistent with your insurance policy (subject to ESA/service animal accommodations); (4) mandatory pet re-screening at each lease renewal; (5) tenant liability for all pet-related property damage and third-party injuries; and (6) right to remove an unapproved animal from the property.

The Bottom Line

Dog bite claims cost U.S. insurers $1.57 billion in 2024. The average payout was over $69,000 — and that number has nearly doubled over the past decade. In a state like North Carolina, where courts have found liability based on breed-specific propensities, and in South Carolina, where strict liability extends to anyone with knowledge of a dangerous animal, the cost of being uninsured for a bite claim is very real.

The good news: this risk is manageable. Reading your policy, using a pet screening service, documenting every animal living in your rentals, and requiring tenant renters insurance are all practical steps that cost very little but can protect you from a financial loss that could wipe out years of rental income.

For landlords in Charlotte, NC and SC: this is not the fine print you can afford to skip. Read your policy. Screen the pets. Renew that screening every year.