On June 2, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed Nevada Senate Bill 103 into law. The new law will soon prohibit insurers from charging higher premiums or denying coverage based solely on a dog's breed.
According to the language of the bill, SB 103 will officially prohibit an insurer from "refusing to issue, canceling, refusing to renew or increasing the premium or rate for certain policies of insurance on the sole basis of the specific breed or mixture of breeds of a dog."
Proponents of the bill argue that studies have found that breed is not a factor in dog bites, but despite this, many insurance companies would still use breed as a factor for policies and determining premium rates. Prior to this law, if a homeowner acquired a dog of a certain breed, the homeowners insurance could cancel your coverage. Proponents of the bill also noted that regulation by breed has historically been ineffective and unfairly punitive to responsible dog owners.
Insurers are generally concerned about any law that could interfere with the normal course of underwriting or rating a risk. Insurance companies stand by their need to be able to properly underwrite and rate a risk.
The law does allow insurers to ask other questions about the dog in question including whether the dog has bitten anyone, whether the dog has been deemed dangerous or vicious, and whether there have been any complaints about the dog.
Proponents of the bill note that in other states that do not have laws against breed bans, families may be forced to either choose to go underinsured or uninsured or end a relationship with a beloved pet. They also note that dogs should be judged on their character, not on breed stereotypes.
Nevada was the first state to pass this type of law, which will become effective on January 1, 2022.
Editor's Note: You can find a comprehensive analysis of every relevant aspect of dog bite statutes and insurance coverage in the following four articles. Although they may seem dated, Nevada is the first state to change its tactic on this issue so the content is still highly relevant in the vast majority of states.