On Thursday, February 16, 2023, the Connecticut General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee will accept public testimony on HB 6635, concerning dog breed insurance underwriting. The bill would prohibit homeowners’ insurance and renters’ insurance policies from discriminating based on harboring or owning any dog of a specific breed or mixture of breeds. If enacted, these insurers would no longer be able to cancel, refuse to issue, or renew any homeowners or renters insurance policy, or charge an increased premium, unless an individual dog has been designated as dangerous.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) believes that insurance companies should determine coverage of a dog-owning household based on the dog’s deeds, not the dog’s breed. Ownership of dogs that match vague physical characteristics are consistently discriminated against regardless of their parentage in relation to housing, insurance, and re-homing. If a dog is a well-behaved member of the household and the community, there is no reason to deny or cancel coverage.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Connecticut residents are strongly encouraged to electronically register your support by contacting the committee before February 16, 2023.
- Click on the committee contact form here.
- Fill in the fields for your name, and select “February 16, 2023, 9:00AM” from the “Hearing Date and Time” drop down menu.
- Select “HB06635-AAC DOG BREED INSURANCE UNDERWRITING”.
- On the right-hand side, select “Supports”.
- If you wish, you may add comments and/or upload written testimony in PDF format.
In addition, you may speak at the February 16, 2023, 9:00AM public hearing in person or remotely. To do either, you must register by following these details before Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 3PM.
For more information on these or other legislative issues in Connecticut, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at 919-816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.