Legal Question in Insurance Law in California

forced to get pet liability

I live in a mobile home park and it was just purchased by someone. The new owner states that each owner of a dog must have a policy releasing him of liability for $500,000.00 coverage against a dog biting. I have lived in this park for 13 years and such a contract was never mentioned prior. I contacted the broker he suggested and was informed no such policy exists. Can he do this? no other park requires such a policy. Doesn't homeowners cover this? Can he make us give up our pets? Thank you


Asked on 9/02/03, 11:06 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Steven Murray Steven W. Murray, APC

Re: forced to get pet liability

Did you originally have a written rental agreementor lease, and was it continuously renewed? If so, the new owner may have bought subject to whatever terms it contains.

Or did you have to sign any kind of certificate/paper for the seller to close the escrow?

Homeowners DOES cover this kind of of liability and you could simply have the owner named as an additional insured. This should satisfy him. If you need higher limits, it is really not very expensive. Or buy an umbrella over your homeowners which should only cost two hundred dollars or so.

This is a lot cheaper than having a legal battle with a landlord and arguing about whose lease rights are superior. The bottom line is he might be able to do this, or you might be able to force him to abide by what was, but adding him to your policy is much simpler. Then who is right is irrelevant.

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Answered on 9/06/03, 6:24 pm


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