July brings highest dog bite numbers for Texas

July brings highest dog bite numbers for Texas

Over One Million paid in claims in July of 2017

Summer is in full effect, which means more kids, and more dogs outside. The result: June, July, and August account for about 30% of all dog bites in Texas.

Texas Summer Dog Bite Numbers

June 2017 11 claims $196,742 paid

July 2017 21 claims $1,084,594 paid

August 2017 18 claims $893,740 paid

The number of dog-related injury claims ranks Texas in the top 5, but the 2017 payout increased 91% to $6,000,000.

2017 State Farm Dog Bite Claim Numbers/State Ranking

State # of claims Amount paid Avg claim

California 468 claims $18.7 million $40,103

Illinois 318 claims $12.6 million $39,796

Ohio 226 claims $5.2 million $23,272

Pennsylvania 202 claims $5.0 million $24,797

Texas 175 claims $6.0 million $34,607

Educating children how to interact safely with dogs is key to reducing the amount of dog-related injuries. Overall, children make-up 50% of all dog bite claims and half of all children age 12 and younger have been bitten by a dog. Here are some safety tips to share with children:

Do not play fight with puppies

Do not hug or kiss dogs

Do not pull or tug on a dog’s tail

Do not pet an unknown dog

Give dogs plenty of space

A scared dog is just as dangerous as an aggressive dog

Dog Owners:

Reduce the risk: Some insurers won’t cover certain breeds, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, and rottweilers, so make sure your insurer knows about any pets you have in the house. (State Farm does not discriminate based on breed). If covered, your insurance will usually cover legal liability expenses up to a certain amount of your limit (usually $100,000 to $300,000), but you may have difficulty renewing your policy again.