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For immediate release��
California Press Office: Janet Ruiz, 707-490-9365, janetr@iii.org

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NEW YORK, April 6, 2023—U.S. insurers paid out more than $1 billion in dog-related injury claims in 2022, a double-digit percentage increase over 2021 even though the number of claims decreased within that timeframe, according to the �Ӱ�ԭ�� Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm.

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“The 2.2 percent decrease in claims for dog bites and dog-related injury claims in 2022 underscores the progress of educating dog owners to take responsibility for their beloved pets,” stated Janet Ruiz, Director, Strategic Communications, Triple-I. “Unfortunately, the total cost of these claims increased by 28 percent in 2022 to $1.13 billion, with an average cost per claim rising by 32 percent, to $64,555.”

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Triple-I is marking National Dog Bite Prevention Week (April 9-15) again this year along with the American Humane Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, Positively Victoria Stillwell, and State Farm.

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“Educating dog owners about being responsible will reduce dog-related injuries because, under the right circumstances, any dog might bite,” Ruiz added.

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To reduce the likelihood of dog bites, dog owners are encouraged to:

• Know your dog’s triggers of aggression
• Keep your dog secured at home if the dog consistently overreacts to visitors
• Begin your dog’s training sessions early

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Pedestrians and others encountering dogs with whom they are unfamiliar should:

• Never approach a barking, growling, or scared dog
• Ask the dog’s guardian for permission before petting their dog
• Avoid leaving children aged 10 and younger alone with a dog

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The number of dog-related injury claims nationwide dropped to 17,597 in 2022, having stood at 17,989 in 2021.�� The cost of 2021’s U.S. insurance claims for this type of incident totaled $882 million and the average cost per claim in that year was $49,025.

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More than a third of the nation’s dog-related injury claims in 2022 were filed in five states, the Triple-I and State Farm estimate. California (1,954 claims), Florida (1,331), Texas (1,017), New York (969), and Michigan (905) topped the list, in that order.�� The Top 10 list for last year can be found here.

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