Triple-I/State Farm: US Dog-Related Injury Claim Payouts Hit $1.57 Billion in 2024

U.S. insurers paid out $1.57 billion in dog-related injury claims in 2024, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm.

In addition to the potential for physical or emotional harm, dog bites can be financially costly. Janet Ruiz, director of strategic communications at Triple-I, reported that in 2024, the number of dog bite and related injury claims was 22,658, an increase of nearly 19% from 2023 and a 48% increase over the past decade, with the total cost of claims reaching $1.57 billion. The average cost per claim increased from $58,545 in 2023 to $69,272 in 2024. California, Florida and Texas had the most claims, she added.

“Education and training for owners and pets is key to keep everyone safe and healthy,” said Ruiz.

“State Farm is proud to support National Dog Bite Prevention Week and contribute data that helps raise awareness around dog-related injuries. While most dogs are loving companions, even well-behaved pets can bite if startled or stressed. Education is key to prevention—helping families, pets, and communities stay safe together,” said Gina Morss-Fischer, corporate communications specialist, State Farm.

Triple-I is marking National Dog Bite Prevention Week (April 13-18) to promote awareness and education for owners and pets. During National Dog Bite Prevention Week, a coalition of veterinarians, animal behavior experts and insurance representatives are urging people to understand the risks dog bites pose to people and other pets, and steps to prevent bites from happening.

According to the latest data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 45.5% of U.S. households include dogs, for a total of nearly 90 million canine companions in the United States. While the vast majority of these dogs will coexist peacefully with us, dog bites remain a serious public health risk, with more than 4.5 million people bitten each year in the United States.

During National Dog Bite Prevention Week, a coalition of veterinarians, animal behavior experts and insurance representatives are urging people to understand the risks dog bites pose to people and other pets, and to take steps to prevent bites from happening.

“Almost all dog bites are preventable and prevention begins with education,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. “By learning about dog behavior and teaching kids how to safely interact with dogs, we can help protect both people and pets. Responsible pet ownership and respectful interactions are key to strengthening the human-animal bond and reducing the risk of injury.”

Tips to prevent dog bites

Dogs can bite for many reasons, including improper care or a lack of socialization. All dogs, even well-trained, gentle dogs, are capable of biting when provoked, especially when eating, sleeping or caring for puppies. Therefore, it’s vitally important to keep both children and dogs safe by preventing dog bites wherever possible. The National Dog Bite Prevention Week Coalition provides the following tips:

• Don’t ever leave children unsupervised with dogs, even family pets. More than 50% of all dog-related injuries are to children, and for kids that are under 4 years of age, often those bites are to the head and neck region.
• Make sure your pet is healthy. Not all illnesses and injuries are obvious, and dogs are more likely to bite if they are sick or in pain. If you haven’t been to the veterinarian in a while, schedule an appointment for a checkup to discuss your dog’s physical and behavioral health.
• Socialization - Take it slow. If your dog has been mainly interacting with your family since you brought them home, don’t rush out into crowded areas or dog parks. Try to expose your dogs to new situations slowly and for short periods of time, arrange for low-stress interactions, and give plenty of praise and rewards for good behavior.
• Educate yourself in positive training techniques and devote time to interact with your dog.
• Be responsible about approaching other people’s pets. Ask permission from the owner before approaching a dog and look for signs that the dog wants to interact with you. Sometimes dogs want to be left alone, and we need to recognize and respect that.
• Make sure that you always walk your dog on a leash and recognize changes in your dog’s body language where they may not be comfortable.
• Always monitor your dog’s activity, even when they are in the backyard at your own house, because they can be startled by something, get out of the yard and possibly injure someone or be injured themselves.

“We can help prevent dog bites by understanding what dogs need in order to thrive,” said Victoria Stilwell, celebrity dog trainer and behavior expert. “Having a basic understanding of dog body language and teaching dogs how to cope and live successfully in a human world can help dogs and humans communicate more effectively with each other. This is best done using positive training methods that center on building a dog’s confidence while avoiding methods and equipment that cause pain or intimidate dogs into complying. How you teach a dog really does matter.”

RELATED LINKS

Article: Spotlight On: Dog Bite Liability

Facts and Statistics: Pet Ownership and Insurance

About the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I)

Since 1960, the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) has been the trusted voice of risk and insurance, delivering unique, data-driven insights to educate, elevate and connect consumers, industry professionals, policymakers and the media. An affiliate of The Institutes, Triple-I represents a diverse membership accounting for nearly 50% of all U.S. property/casualty premiums written. Our members include mutual and stock companies, personal and commercial lines, primary insurers and reinsurers – serving regional, national and global markets. Brokers, agents, consultants, educators and other insurance industry professionals are among Triple-I’s associate members.

About The Institutes

The Institutes are a global not-for-profit comprising diverse affiliates that educate, elevate and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes’ nearly 20 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting and preventing losses to create a more resilient world.

About State Farm

For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

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"While most dogs are loving companions, even well-behaved pets can bite if startled or stressed. Education is key to prevention—helping families, pets and communities stay safe together."