AB 703: Residential property insurance: dog breeds.

Existing law generally regulates residential property insurance, including homeowners insurance and renters insurance. Existing law prohibits an insurer from canceling or refusing to renew a residential property insurance policy in specified circumstances, including on the basis that the applicant or insured person is, has been, or may be a victim of domestic violence.

Existing law regulates animal control agencies and the ownership of dogs. Existing law provides for a process for an animal control agency to declare a dog potentially dangerous or vicious, and requires an owner of a potentially dangerous dog to closely regulate the dogs behavior.

This bill would prohibit an insurer from refusing to issue, canceling, refusing to renew, or increasing the premium for a policy of residential property insurance on the sole basis that the applicant or insured owns or harbors a dog that is a specific breed or mixture of breeds, except if the dog is known to be or has been declared potentially dangerous or vicious. The bill would authorize an insurer to ask an applicant or insured if a dog that they own or harbor is known to be or has been declared potentially dangerous or vicious.