Don’t be bitten by Florida Pet Laws

ABSLMM — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:19:29 +0000

As of January 1, 2026, several new laws went into effect concerning pets. House Bill 655 requires that
Insurers be more transparent concerning Pet coverage sold for sickness or accident-related claims
for your pet. These changes were made to give the pet owner/insured more protection and require
Insurers to be more transparent in defining the coverage limitations.
1. The consumer now has 30 days to review their policy after the date of purchase to see if they are
satisfied with the coverage, and if not, may cancel within that 30 days for a full refund.
2. Insurers are prohibited from making the purchase of a Wellness Plan a requirement for pet
coverage.
3. Insurers can still exclude pre-existing conditions under the pet policy, but they must prove the
pre-existing condition if they are going to deny a pet claim.
4. Insurers are now required to clearly identify exclusions for pre-existing conditions, explain claim
payment formulas, waiting periods, (which cannot exceed 30 days for illnesses and none for
accident-related claims).
5. Insurance agents now must undergo specific training for pet insurance products to ensure that
they are accurately explaining coverages and conditions under the pet policies of insurance.
Additionally, Dexter’s Law, HB 255, also went into effect launching Florida’s first searchable Animal
Abuse Database to assist animal shelters, breeders, and the public in screening individuals for pet
adoptions.
Finally, we want to emphasize once again that if you own pets, then you need to consult your
homeowner’s policy of insurance to verify that you will be covered by your policy if those pets bite
someone or injure them. Many policies have exclusions for pets, or certain ones, so just make sure
your specific type of pet is covered. If not, then consult an insurance agent about purchasing a Rider
to your policy that will give you liability protection.
If you have rental properties and you allow your tenants to keep pets on your property, then require
your tenants to carry liability coverage on those pets that lists you as an additional insured under
that policy. We recommend that you make that as a condition under your lease and obtain a copy of
their declarations page and insurance policy for your own records and verification.
If you should have any questions concerning this legal topic, or any other matters, feel free to contact
us at (727) 494-2008.
We are always here for YOU!
Chuck and Sarah

The post Don’t be bitten by Florida Pet Laws first appeared on Philips & Raaymakers Law.

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Don’t be bitten by Florida Pet Laws