Help help help!  My insurance has just come round again and the premium has gone up by £10.51 per month even although I have made no claims and had none made against me.  I have tried a whole list of insurers to try and switch but it seems there is a new rule where aggressive dogs aren't touched.

When I say aggressive, copper will go for other dogs and behaves aggressively towards them when he sees them.  He's always on the lead and often wears a muzzle if we're anywhere where there are going to lots of dogs.  He's never bitten anyone except me and that was only once when I was removing him from a fracas.  He has also seen a behaviourist.

Anyone know of any company that will insure a dog with behavioural problems as the insurers are putting it.  They are all asking me the same questions which makes me wonder if there's been a blanket change in policy by all the companies.

CG

Have you tried M&S? My Mr Beastly is insured with them, they didn't ask if he was aggressive when I took out his insurance :)

Actually its M&S that I'm switching from and they didn't ask me that question either when I took out the policy.  I could keep their policy no problem but I just think its far too dear now.  I thought I'd switched to Halifax last year and they didn't ask me the question either but I messed up the direct debit so the policy was void.  Today they refused to insure.

Interestingly though, Axa have agreed to do it (they underwrite M&S) but excluding any claims arising from fights with dogs and they are charging me only £12.21 per month.  Looks like the same policy to me but I will double double check the public liability bit when I get it.

Mr Beastly - what a fantastic name for a dog :D. 

Your home insurance may cover any liability claims involving your dog.

"excluding any claims arising from fights with dogs"  I wouldn't want this policy, as if Mr Beastly ever has a 3rd party claim this is likely to be where it comes from. Like you I'm very careful with him. He's always on his lead if we are likely to see other dogs, and muzzled when he's off his lead in safe areas - but still I have insurance just in case. If a dog managed to get into my garden one day, or one appeared in the field and he managed to get his muzzle off or any number of other (albeit unlikely) scenarios.

His names not really Mr Beastly, it's Tchi (as in Tchaikovsky) but I call him Mr Beastly for obvious reasons :rolleyes: :D

try axa, underwriters of M&S, but significantly cheaper if you go direct to them.

Avoid Argos, apparently they actually specifically ask if the dog has aggressive tendancies.

Argos do indeed ask the question, as did Halifax, Direct Line, Tesco, Sainsburys, Animal Friends, More Than, Churchill and some other more obscure insurers.  I said he was aggressive in that he would go for another dog given half a chance.  Then I was asked "would he bite another dog" which I had to agree that he probably would.  Then it's "would he bite a person" etc etc.  All crystal ball stuff really.  He might and he might not.  Any dog might bite depending on the circumstances.  Copper is really not a vicious dog, he just can't cope with competition.  Makes me wonder where the rescue agencies get their insurance from as they have tons of problem doggies.

CG

Makes me wonder where the rescue agencies get their insurance from as they have tons of problem doggies.

DogsTrust insure their dogs with Petplan :)

I would try pet plan - they are more animal specialist than most of the others.

How does the insurance company know such and such a dog is aggressive?

Have you tried looking at Virgin? i am in the prosses of looking for a more pocket friendly insurance that offers good cover at a fair price, (another m&s victim) and i found them very good so might try them, do not remember them asking about aggression. Also i think that Lloyds are supose to be pretty good.

If you read your policy it will clearly state that you must inform the insurer if the dog has ever been in any incidents with people or dogs involving fights etc.

If you do not inform them of this your insurance may be invalidated if your dog is injured in such a case

I've never came across a policy that says you must inform the insurer if your dog has been in a fight although I guess there may be some out there ????

Some insurers have an exclusion where they will not pay for a claim that is in any way linked to vicious tendencies or behavioural problems the pet show signs of before cover started, which is fair enough.  Like a pre-existing condition.

pet plan has put it in its policies for years.

Oh I see, Pet Plan is not one I've used.  I don't remember seeing it in their T& C's.  I'll bear it in mind, thanks.