In almost every Florida dog bite case, the money comes from an insurance policy, not the dog owner’s wallet — usually the personal liability coverage inside a homeowners or renters policy. So the first real question is not whether the owner is liable. Florida law already answers that. The question is what coverage stands behind that liability, and whether an exclusion quietly wipes it out.
A recent Miami reminder of how fast this happens
On July 17, 2026, WSVN 7News reported that a man walking his dog in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood was seriously injured when two unleashed dogs attacked him. According to that report, the victim described facial fractures, his own dog was also injured, and police made an arrest days later.
That matter is pending. Nothing below is a statement about it, about anyone involved, or about whether any claim exists there. It is here only because it shows a familiar sequence: a sudden attack, serious injuries, and a victim left to figure out where recovery comes from.
Florida dog bites are a big insurance category
The Insurance Information Institute reports that Florida recorded 2,347 dog bite liability claims in 2025, averaging $62,375 per claim and totaling roughly $146 million — the second-highest claim count of any state in the country.
Those are insurance claims. The system that pays for dog bite injuries in Florida is, overwhelmingly, the property-insurance system. An average says nothing about the value of any individual case, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome — but it does show where the money lives.
Does homeowners insurance cover dog bites in Florida?
Generally, yes. A standard Florida homeowners policy carries personal liability coverage that typically responds when the insured’s dog injures someone, up to the policy limit. Many policies also include a small medical-payments coverage for limited treatment costs, regardless of fault.
Three practical consequences follow:
- The claim is handled by an insurance adjuster, not by the neighbor who owns the dog.
- The insurer normally provides the defense and pays any covered settlement or judgment, up to limits.
- The policy limit — not the severity of the injury — often becomes the practical ceiling on recovery.
What if the owner rents?
A renters policy is bought mostly for personal property, but it usually includes personal liability coverage that can apply to a dog bite. Victims routinely skip this question. If the owner rents in Miami-Dade or Broward, do not assume there is no coverage — ask. A Florida dog bite lawyer can send the requests that surface policies the owner never thinks to mention.
Breed exclusions and prior-bite exclusions: the Florida problem
Here is the sharpest coverage issue in this state: insurers can write dog liability out of a policy entirely. Two common forms:
- Breed exclusions — the policy excludes bites by dogs of specified breeds, or the insurer declines to cover a household that owns one.
- Prior-incident exclusions — after a reported bite, the insurer excludes that specific dog, declines renewal, or conditions coverage.
Some states have passed laws restricting breed-based underwriting. Florida has not. That means a Florida homeowner can hold a perfectly valid policy that still provides no coverage for the dog that caused the injury. Checking whether an exclusion or endorsement actually applies — rather than accepting a carrier’s early “no coverage” letter at face value — is a core part of handling your dog bite claim.
Is the landlord responsible?
Usually not automatically. Florida’s strict-liability statute reaches the dog’s owner, and a landlord is generally not strictly liable for a tenant’s dog. A landlord claim normally runs on ordinary negligence: whether the landlord knew the dog had dangerous propensities, and whether the landlord kept enough control over the area to do something about it.
This is fact-specific. A landlord is not a second automatic defendant.
What if the dog belongs to a friend, family member, or neighbor?
This is one of the most common reasons a claim never gets filed. People are badly hurt and simply refuse to “sue” someone they care about.
The honest framing: the claim is presented to the insurance policy. The carrier investigates, defends, and — if the claim is covered and resolves — pays. It is usually not a personal financial attack on the person who owns the dog. But no one should promise the owner faces zero consequence: premiums can change, a carrier may decline renewal, and coverage may be limited or absent entirely. You deserve to hear that before you decide.
And if there is no policy at all?
Then it gets hard, and it is worth being blunt. Florida’s strict-liability statute may give you a clean legal right against the owner, and that right can still be worth very little if the owner has no insurance and no reachable assets. A judgment against someone who is effectively judgment-proof may collect nothing — and you should be told that at the start, not after months of work. Before anyone concludes there is nothing, the alternatives worth checking are an umbrella policy, a separate household policy, and a negligence claim against some other responsible party.
The Florida law behind the coverage
Three statutes shape most Florida dog bite claims:
- Fla. Stat. § 767.04 — Florida’s dog bite statute imposes strict liability on the owner, regardless of the dog’s former viciousness or the owner’s knowledge of it. Florida is not a “one free bite” state. Damages are reduced by the bitten person’s comparative negligence, and the statute gives a limited defense where the owner displayed an easily readable “Bad Dog” sign — a defense that does not apply to a child under six.
- Fla. Stat. § 768.81, as amended by HB 837 — modified comparative negligence. On the negligence counts, a claimant found more than 50% at fault recovers nothing.
- Fla. Stat. § 95.11 — for negligence claims accruing after March 2023, the limitations period is two years. Evidence, witnesses, and animal-control records disappear long before that deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Does homeowners insurance cover dog bites in Florida?
Usually. Personal liability coverage under a standard homeowners policy typically responds up to the policy limit, and medical-payments coverage may cover limited treatment costs. A breed exclusion, a prior-incident exclusion, or a lapsed policy can defeat coverage, so the policy language matters.
What if the dog’s owner rents instead of owning?
A renters policy generally includes personal liability coverage that can apply to a dog bite. Always ask — many victims assume a renter has no coverage and never check.
What if the owner has no insurance at all?
Recovery becomes much harder. Strict liability still applies, but a judgment is only as good as the assets behind it, and it may collect nothing.
How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Florida?
Under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, negligence claims accruing after March 2023 carry a two-year limitations period. Talk to a lawyer well before that — coverage investigation takes time.
Talk to a Florida dog bite lawyer
If you or your child was attacked in Miami-Dade, Broward, or anywhere in Florida, the only way to know whether coverage exists is to have someone check. The Perazzo Law Firm offers a free consultation, and there is no attorney’s fee unless we recover. Call 888-PERAZZO — (888) 737-2996 — or request your free case evaluation. We handle cases in English and Español.
This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Attorney advertising. The Perazzo Law Firm, North Miami Beach, Florida.