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What can a rottwelier, pit bull dog or German shepherd to to your home insurance rate? The Insurance Information Institute notes that dog bites made insurers pay out claims of $356.2 million in 2007, (the most recent number released). Many insurers will provide home owners insurance with dogs, but may raise the premium if the dog bites someone.

More and more states are passing legislation making dog owners liable for injuries and deaths causes by their animal. Generally, your home owner’s insurance provides liability coverage which would cover the cost of dog bite liability up to the policy limit. Past the limit of liability on the policy, the dog owner will need to come up with the rest.

Also, more and more states are passing legislation that prevents insurance companies from denying or cancelling coverage based on certain dog breeds. Typically, insurance companies have developed underwriting guidelines for dog breeds in the home. For instance, the dog owner may be required to sign a liability waiver for the insurer. Some have higher rates for dogs considered dangerous such as German shepherds, chows, rottweilers and pit bulls. Depending on the insurer, certain breeds may not even get coverage.

Because of the variance between insurers on rates and underwriting rules, it pays to get some comparison quotes if you are a dog owner — especially if your current company has given you problems because of your dog. Try to obtain three or more quotes from different insurers for a good comparison. Taking the time to do this could lower your insurance costs considerably.

One of the easiest ways to get quotes is through a home insurance comparison Web site. A site like this provides multiple quotes back and you only need to fill in one online form. That way you don’t need to keep entering the same information for each company providing a quote.

Did your dog already raise your insurance costs? Check to see if you can lower your premium through any discounts. For example, if you insure your home and auto with the same company you can usually qualify to save some money.

Of course you also want to make sure you take steps to reduce your dog bite liability, such as spaying or neutering your animal, getting obedience training and socializing your pet with people and other animals.