Reptile & Amphibian Forums

HELP! My wife and I are in the midst of purchasing our condo that we currently rent. The homeowners insurance folks are saying no policy if you have exotics. Does anyone know of an insurance company that will cover a homeowners policy with exotics?

Michael Johnson
johmich461@hotmail.com

Don't tell them you have exotics or you may have a problem getting anyone to insure you home.

see this thread right below yours:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=392302,392302

I am the journalist/editor of our local herp society's magazine and I just finished an article on herp insurance. I'm in Alberta, Canada so our agencies probably vary a lot from your area. Where I got most of my leads was the AMA, or the American version: AAA (American Auto. Ass.) They should have homeowners insurance but will probably deny you for your snakes. They will recommend you to other agencies if you press for it.
I don't recommend omitting the fact that you have reptiles if the specifically ask because this will affect your claims. If they don't ask, then you don't need to give them this info.
Good luck in your search!

I ran into the same problem when I bought my house in November of last year. American Family covered us at first but then cancelled us after realizing that we owned reptiles. They would cover a house with pitbulls but wouldn't cover us even if we only owned a single green anole. Insurance companies like so many people in the US look down on reptile ownership. I had to look hard but I finally found a company that "didn't ask". I hated not disclosing what we had but it was the only way we could afford it. We found some companies that would cover the house but wouldn't cover the reptiles and would require a $5000 a year premium on top of the standard policy to cover possible injury due to the reptiles. That didn't cover damage to the reptiles or cages either. I would recommend contacting your local HERP society and talking to some other owners in your area to see who they are using.

I have 5 species of reptiles occurring naturally on my home and in my yard--should I kill them all to make the insurance company happy, or are they less of a threat than two turtles, two geckos, and a garter snake I keep?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

I totally agree - this is completely asinine.

I am contemplating the possibility of buying a house, lol, and now I'm wondering if I even *can* - aside from the money thing!

I want to start a home-based business doing educational programs for schools, etc. (ie. the animals live at home with me)... Now, I am on an egroup called "animal educators", and liability insurance, etc. is a big discussion there.... Now if I have to get that for my animal-based business *anyways* at an extra cost, will that be sufficient for the homeowner's insurance company's "accepting" me? Because if I'm running a business, I can't *not* disclose my animals. What choices are there for herp keepers?

Personally, I think we should do what the "dog people" are doing - uniting to pass bills in our states to prevent discrimination by insurance companies based upon what breed of dog, reptile, etc. we decide to keep in the privacy of our own homes. If the dog discrimination bills are pending in your state, try to get the wording changed to be inclusive of other types of animals.

Incidentally, I asked some of my friends who are gun owners and home owners, and none could recall guns being an issue with homeowner's insurance! Apparently gun collections can be insured so why not reptile collections?!

Pretty soon, companies like "State F*rm" insurance will no longer insure ranches, etc. You might get stepped on by a horse, or get mad cow disease!

Welcome to the USA - land of the free.

Lisa

Lisa, would you direct me to the animal educators egroup. I would be interested in this. If you don't want to put it on the forum please email me directly at :
aor@chorus.net

thanks

on which state in which you reside. Different states have different laws pertaining to insurance practices. Louisiana law forbids insurance companies to refuse coverage unless you are participating in an illegal activity like keeping reptiles that are in violation of a local code. ~Bill~

WHAT DOES OWNING REPTILES HAVE TO DO WITH HOME INSURANCE?

I suspect it has to do with all the fires started by heating devices gone arye, and or the possibility of the reptile owner being sued if a big snake or venomous snake gets out and hurts somebody. Even if a garter snake bites the neighbor kid while he and your son are holding your son's pet. If he gets sick from say lock jaw, or hepitius, or god only knows what, and the nieghbor kids parents decide to sue.

The real problem is that insurance companies RUN THIS COUNTRY! They do so because we let them. People don't take responsiblity for their own actions, and the whole damned country has gone sue crazy! What we need to do is outlaw insurance, and kill all the lawyers! But since that will never happen,...

Find a company that dose'nt ask, and don't tell!!! Good luck, and let me know what you find.
Tony.