Usually yes, but not always. Most standard homeowner’s insurance policies include personal liability coverage that pays for injuries caused by your dog, including bites. In Nevada, insurers are also prohibited from denying coverage based on breed alone. That said, policies vary, exclusions exist, and limits can be exceeded fast, especially when injuries are serious.
When a dog bites someone, the homeowner’s personal liability coverage generally steps in to pay for the victim’s medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and legal costs if the case is litigated. It applies whether the bite happens on the owner’s property or off it.
The Nevada Division of Insurance notes that homeowner’s policies combine property and liability protections, and most include coverage for dog-related injuries under that liability component. Renter’s insurance typically provides the same protection for tenants who own dogs.
Standard policies carry liability limits of $100,000 to $300,000 per occurrence. If the claim exceeds that limit, the dog owner becomes personally responsible for the difference.
Nevada is one of a small number of states where insurers cannot deny or limit liability coverage based on a dog’s breed alone. That’s meaningful protection for owners of breeds that are commonly blacklisted elsewhere, such as pit bulls or rottweilers.
However, Nevada law does not prevent insurers from considering a dog’s individual bite history. Under NRS 202.500, a dog that has behaved menacingly in two or more incidents within an 18-month period can be classified as dangerous. If your dog carries that designation, or has a documented prior bite, your insurer can still exclude it from coverage, increase your premium, or non-renew your policy.
The key distinction is this: breed cannot be the reason. History and behavior still can be.
More than most people expect. According to the Insurance Information Institute, U.S. insurers paid out $1.57 billion in dog bite and related injury claims in 2024, with the average cost per claim reaching $69,272. That’s an 86% increase from 2015. Medical costs are rising, and jury awards for dog bite injuries have trended sharply upward.
Those figures matter because they show exactly why policy limits are a real concern. A single serious bite involving nerve damage, infection, scarring, or prolonged recovery can generate a claim that exceeds standard policy limits entirely. When that happens, the dog owner’s personal assets are exposed, and the victim’s recovery depends on what else can be accessed.
With over 22,000 dog bite claims filed nationally in 2024, nearly 19% more than the prior year, this is not a rare scenario. Working with a Las Vegas dog bite attorney early helps ensure the full scope of a claim is documented before any insurance negotiations begin.
This is where many bite victims end up, and it’s worth knowing your options before assuming you’re out of luck.
If the dog owner’s policy excludes the animal, the owner can still be sued personally. Nevada allows dog bite victims to pursue compensation directly from the owner’s assets in cases where insurance doesn’t cover the claim. If you were bitten in a rental property, the landlord may carry separate liability insurance that applies, particularly if they knew about the dog and failed to act.
Clark County Animal Protection Services maintains bite reports that can document the incident officially and establish whether the animal had a prior history. Both of those factors matter when building a claim against an uninsured owner.
It can affect which policy applies, but not whether you have a claim. Most policies cover the owner’s dog regardless of where the bite occurred, including off the owner’s property in parks, on sidewalks, or in other people’s homes.
What location does affect is who else might be liable. If the bite happened at a business, the property owner may share liability under premises liability principles similar to those in slip and fall cases. If it happened while a dog owner was operating a vehicle, there may be overlap with auto insurance coverage similar to motor vehicle accident claims. If a worker was bitten on the job, workers’ compensation may be the appropriate avenue regardless of the dog owner’s homeowner’s policy.
Get medical attention first. Then document everything: the dog, the owner’s information, the scene, and your injuries. Photographing the dog at the scene is one of the most useful steps you can take, since even a blurry photo from a distance helps establish which animal was involved. Request a copy of the bite report from Clark County Animal Protection Services at (702) 455-7710 if you’re in the Las Vegas area. Ask the owner for their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information directly.
Don’t give a recorded statement to the owner’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurers evaluate claims to limit payouts, not maximize them. What you say early in the process can affect what you ultimately recover.
If you were bitten by a dog in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, or anywhere in Clark County, Meesha Moulton Law can help you navigate the insurance side and pursue the full compensation you’re owed. Meesha is a Top 100 National Trial Lawyers honoree who handles dog bite cases on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless you recover. Contact us here to talk through your situation.
