Posts tagged "Dog Bite"

Should my insurance, BlueCross/BlueShield pay for a dog bite injury which happened at someone elses house?

Question by Kester: Should my insurance, BlueCross/BlueShield pay for a dog bite injury which happened at someone elses house?
My son was bitten by a dog at our friend’s house. My insurance, BC/BS, will not pay for the injury to be treated claiming that our friend’s ‘Homeowners” insurance should pay for it. However our friend’s are renters and have NO insurance, and NO money. Am I going to have to pay for this myself out of pocket? I feel like my insuance company has abaondend me and my son. If my son was to get injured at my house (which has happened before) BC/BS would and has paid for it and not claimed that my homeowners insurance should pay for it. Any ideas on how to proceed? Suing our friends who have no money will only cost me money and result in getting zero from them.

Best answer:

Answer by mbrcatz17
Well, yes, and then THEY can sue your friend for reimbursement.

Your friend should have had RENTERS insurance, to cover the bite. If your insurance pays for the bite, then they WILL sue your friend – so without insurance, your friend will have to pay for this, or have his wages garnished forever until they get reimbursed. That subrogation clause IS their right, and it’s in the health insurance policy.

It’s HIGHLY unusual for an insurance company to say they won’t pay. Have you told them he has no insurance? I’d tell them that, AND ask them to put the DECLINATION IN WRITING, so you can submit it to your state insurance commissioner for review.

That ought to light a fire under their rumps. And as soon as you have it in writing, submit it – but I don’t think you’ll have to, because I think they’ll pay when you tell them that.

What do you think? Answer below!

How can I find out if my neighbor has homeowners insurance and what company it is with?

I am trying to file a dog bite claim against my neighbors insurance, but I do not think he is responding truthfully about his insurance policy. He denies having insurance that has personal liability. He sent a copy of his mortgage protection coverage to our lawyer and claims that is the only coverage he has. He still has a mortgage, so he must have homeowners. How can we force it out of him? He has not provided proof of insurance or lack of from the time of the injury. If he truly does not have insurance, we are going to have to sue him because the medical bills are already into the tens of thousands. Please help.

You’re probably going to have to sue him. Then he has a choice–defend the suit himself or report your claim to his insurance company. I don’t believe his mortgage company would allow him to carry a mortgage without a liability policy, but he evidently thinks that if he stonewalls, you’ll just go away. That’s what litigation is for, and he will learn that this was a situation where he should have made the report up front.