A bill under consideration in Maryland would require firms to treat dog breeds equally when setting premiums for renters or homeowners insurance policies.
The idea is to prevent owners of breeds such as pit bulls and Rottweilers from being charged more, Maryland Matters reports.
State Sen. Katherine A. Klausmeier introduced the measure to the Maryland General Assembly.
The proposed law “would require an insurer to either cover losses by all dog breeds or exclude coverage altogether,” Klausmeier told the state’s Senate Finance Committee.
Supporters of the legislation say premiums should not be based on “outdated breeds stereotypes,” Maryland Matters reports.
“Insurance companies should identify individual dogs that have a history that may predict their likelihood of being dangerous in the future,” said Emily Hovermale, of the Humane Society of America’s Maryland/Delaware chapter.
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But Nancy Egan of the American Property Casualty Insurers Association said insurers “should be able to look at their business losses and be able to exclude those risks that they see are not profitable for them.”
Read more at Maryland Matters
