Bringing Your Dog To Work? Can You Afford The “Bite” Of Litigation?
Animal Liability – Bringing Your Dog To Work
Some say dogs at work reduce stress, increase productivity, and create good public relations with customers. Just ask Google, Zynga and Ben & Jerry’s. Others beg to differ. While the jury is out on whether or not dogs improve the bottom line, there is one thing that everyone can agree on — there are liabilities to bringing dogs to work.
What if your dog misbehaves and takes a disliking to a colleague or another dog at work, or worse — to a customer onsite? What if a coworker is not on the same page because he/she is allergic to dogs. In the U.S., as many as 3 in 10 people with allergies have allergic reactions to cats and dogs.* Consider this: according to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, an animal allergy can be considered a legitimate disability. If your co-worker is huffing and puffing and just plain miserable around your dog — and you’re not considering the health condition of a pet-allergy sufferer — it could amount to discrimination against the disabled.
While your employer should have insurance in place to cover any mishap to employees or customers on-premises, the dog owner can be held liable as well. Of course, you want to be able to bring Fido to work, but at what cost? Can you afford the financial “bite” of a lawsuit?
About XINSURANCE
Before you head to the office, be sure you’re covered with an animal liability insurance plan from XINSURANCE, powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, an insurance brokerage. We have decades of experience writing insurance for dog owners and can customize an animal liability insurance protection plan and provide solutions for any breed of animal, even a pet with previous incidents.
If you want to bring your dog to the office, bring XINSURANCE along with you. It’s peace of mind for you and your four-legged friends.
Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE
Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.