Do any of you park owners require tenant’s to maintain and provide proof of insurance disclosing their pet(s)?
Yes – on dogs over 30 pounds. We do not allow dangerous breeds at all, and require private insurance on all other large breeds that are not dangerous, in the amount specified by our insurance carrier. We use Kurt Kelley, and he can give you the rundown of how the dog issue works today. The good news is that all pets under 30 pounds – even if they were a miniature Kodiak bear (just kidding) – are considered safe and do not require additional insurance. It’s pretty obvious that one day, in the very near future, large dogs of all breeds will not be allowed in parks. Considering the fact that the large dog chained to a stake in the front yard is the quintessential “trailer park” image, this will be a good thing. Without large dogs, the overall lifestyle experience of all tenants will be enhanced.
Frank,What limits of coverage do you require the tenants to get for dogs bigger than 30 lbs?
It varies by state, and really is 100% determined by your insurance company. Kurt Kelley is the expert on this, as he handles the dog insurance on all 104 of our properties (as well as thousands more for other people). I’m going to say that it averages $500,000 of coverage and costs $500 to $1,000 per year. The bottom line is that not one single person that I’m aware of have bought the insurance yet, rather than just get rid of their dog and replace it with a smaller one. It’s important to remember that the insurance company is not trying to get rid of dogs – just large dogs. They have been very forgiving on small dogs. Hopefully, one day all park residents will have replaced giant dogs with something more in keeping with getting along with their neighbors.