Dog-on-dog, or dog-on-person: who pays? Analysis of third-party liability cover in pet insurance

Taking your pet out for a walk should be a relaxing time. Yet few people would imagine that hidden dangers can be lurking on the street, from running into an out-of-control dog around the corner, or even one’s own normally well-behaved dog suddenly losing control and attacking a person or another animal.

The recent dog attack incident in Yuen Long has shocked the public across Hong Kong. According to media reports, a large dog allegedly bit and killed two small dogs within a short period of time, including a 17-year-old Poodle and a 4-year-old Bichon Frise. In such cases, pet owners who witness their beloved dogs being attacked will undoubtedly be deeply distressed, and the incident has also sparked much discussion: if an accident really happens, whether you are the injured party or the one whose dog bites others, will pet insurance pay out?

This is not a question with a simple answer. Whether a successful claim is possible depends at least on five factors:

• whether the policy itself includes third-party liability cover;
• whether your dog’s weight and breed are within the policy’s insured scope;
• whether any law or venue rules were breached at the time of the incident;
• whether the owner’s conduct could be regarded as negligence or something that could have been avoided;
• whether the insurer was notified within the timeframe required by the policy.

As a one-stop insurance platform, 10Life has compared 5 pet insurance plans on the market this time, namely OneDegree Pet CEO Plan, Prudential Selected “Pet Care”, Blue Cross Pet Insurance, bolttech Pet, and MSIG Pet Supreme, breaking down each plan’s third-party liability cover, compensation limits and exclusions. 

• In the policy, dog-on-dog incidents are treated as third-party “property damage”, not only bites to people are covered.
• Among the five plans, one provides no third-party liability cover at all; the remaining four do, with annual limits ranging from $550,000 to $3,000,000.
• The biggest blind spot: claims involving large dogs weighing 20 kg or above (for example, common breeds such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers) may be listed as excluded items.

Third-party liability cover deals with the situation where “your pet causes loss to others”, and can be broken down into three points:

• Who is covered: you, as the pet owner. When you are legally required to compensate a third party, the insurer will pay on your behalf in accordance with the policy terms.
• What is covered: bodily injury, death, and loss of or damage to the third party’s property.
• Note: medical cover for the pet itself (consultations, surgery, hospitalisation) and third-party liability are two separate matters; the two cannot replace each other.

In other words, if the pet insurance policy does not include third-party liability, once the pet injures another person or damages another person’s property, the owner may have to bear the legal and compensation liability personally. 

Key point: a dog biting another dog is treated as “property loss” under the policy 

Many owners assume that third-party liability only covers “biting a person”. However, under Hong Kong law, a pet is regarded as the owner’s personal property in property law. Therefore, if one dog kills another dog, this constitutes a third party’s “accidental loss of or damage to property” under the policy, and can also trigger third-party liability cover. See the following four policy terms with third-party liability cover: 

In other words, provided no exclusion applies, the liability dog owner’s policy may cover the victim’s veterinary expenses, funeral expenses, and the loss in value of the pet itself.

As for how the “value of the pet” is calculated, policy terms generally do not specify a method. It is often assessed with reference to the purchase price, the market price of comparable dogs, and depreciation by age, and evaluated by the insurer’s claims department; if there is a dispute between the parties, the final decision must be made by the court. It should be noted that the sentimental value of a pet to its owner is generally not recoverable in a property claim. 

Yuen Long YOHO dog attack incident: what protection do the dog owners on both sides rely on? 

• The owner of the larger dog (the liable party): relies on the third-party liability cover under their own policy to compensate the other dog owner’s losses.
• The owner of the two small dogs (the victim): relies on their own medical cover, and in some plans the funeral/end-of-life cover; these generally only cover veterinary fees and cremation expenses. Any other losses must be recovered from the liable dog owner.
• If the liable party does not have third-party liability cover, or if the claim is rejected, the victim may still seek recovery from the other party through civil proceedings. 

We compared pet insurance from 5 popular insurers. Among them, OneDegree does not provide third-party liability cover; Prudential, Blue Cross, bolttech and MSIG all include it, with an annual maximum benefit ranging from $550,000 to $3,000,000. Most policies have a $3,000 deductible per claim. 

Even if a policy includes third-party liability cover, exclusions may still lead to a claim being rejected. These may relate to breed/size, behaviour/negligence, or illegal acts or entry into places where pets are prohibited.

(1) Breed/size: some policies may exclude large dogs

Under section 2 of Cap. 167D, “large dog” means a dog weighing 20 kilograms or above, excluding fighting dogs and known dangerous dogs. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has listed examples of breeds that are usually over 20 kilograms, many of which are common household dogs in Hong Kong:

• Common family dogs: Labrador, Golden Retriever, Husky, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, Collie
• Large working and guard dogs: Doberman, Rottweiler, Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Great Dane, Bernese Mountain Dog, Alaskan Malamute
• Others: Afghan Hound, English Bulldog, Greyhound, Old English Sheepdog, Rhodesian Ridgeback, and many mixed-breed dogs

People may generally assume that only Tibetan Mastiffs or Pit Bull Terriers are considered high-risk breeds. However, when taking out insurance, it is also worth noting that the general exclusions in some insurers’ policies may not only exclude fighting dogs and known dangerous dogs, but may also classify “large dogs” as excluded.

Most importantly, if such restrictions are set out under the “general exclusions”, they may affect the entire policy, not just third-party liability cover. Pet medical, surgery or hospitalisation benefits may also be affected, so the individual policy terms should prevail.

Owners of large dogs should check carefully before buying cover

In practice, many insurers do in fact accept large dogs for cover. Taking a Golden Retriever as an example, adult dogs of this breed usually weigh more than 20 kilograms, yet online applications can generally proceed successfully by selecting this breed. Therefore, policyholders should pay closer attention to whether the insurer may later rely on this exclusion as grounds for denying a claim.

10Life recommends checking the relevant terms with the insurer before taking out cover, for example:

• Does the dog fall within the definition of a “large dog” under the Dangerous Dogs Regulation?
• Does the clause in the general exclusions relating to large dogs apply to claims in all circumstances?
• If the insured pet’s weight increases to 20 kilograms or above during the policy period, will the coverage change? 

(2) Behaviour/negligence: may result in claim rejection 

This is a difference in wording of the policy provisions and does not mean that the insurer will necessarily deny the claim on that basis. Any actual claim outcome must still be determined according to the specific facts and policy terms.

(3) Illegal or prohibited premises: the most common trigger in practice

Section 9(1) of Chapter 167D provides that any person in possession of a large dog weighing 20 kg or above must, when the dog is in a public place, keep it securely restrained by a leash not exceeding 2 metres in length, or securely tied to a fixed object by a leash not exceeding 1.5 metres in length; otherwise, the person in possession of the dog (i.e. the dog owner or the person then in charge of the dog) commits an offence.

All four policies contain exclusion clauses for “failure to comply with the relevant regulations as a pet owner” or for “the pet appearing in any place where it is not allowed to enter”; the latter expressly includes breaches of building deeds of mutual covenant.

What this means is that, at the moment the accident occurs, the question is whether the premises where the pet is located permit pets to enter, such as a shopping mall area that expressly prohibits pets, a private estate clubhouse, a podium garden, or a designated floor. In other words, even if third-party liability cover has been taken out, a claim may still be rejected if an accident occurs in these places.  

If your pet is bitten by another dog

• Call the police immediately and take your pet to a vet to have the injuries treated first.
• Take photos or videos of the injuries, the scene and the other dog, and obtain the case reference number.
• Keep all receipts, including consultation fees, surgery fees, follow-up fees and funeral expenses.
• First claim under your own pet medical insurance; any shortfall or excluded portion may be recovered from the other dog’s owner, as a civil claim. If the other party’s policy includes third-party liability cover, the compensation may be paid by its insurer.

If your pet bites another person or another pet

• First, control the situation and help the other party go to hospital or see a vet, and do not leave the scene.
• Notify your insurer as soon as possible. Most policies require notification within a specified number of days, and late notification may itself be grounds for rejection of the claim.
• Do not admit liability or settle compensation privately without the insurer’s consent. Most third-party liability clauses expressly prohibit this, and any breach may affect the claim.
• Keep a record of the scene and the other party’s details, and cooperate with the police investigation.

As Hong Kong’s pet economy takes off, more and more shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and public spaces are opening their doors to furry companions, and the number of pet-friendly events keeps growing. At the same time, the density of encounters between people and dogs, and between dogs and dogs, in shared spaces has also increased significantly. With more interaction, the chances of accidents naturally rise.

In the past, people mainly compared medical cover. But as pets’ living environments expand from home to the street, shopping malls and restaurants, third-party liability cover has become something you simply cannot ignore.

Learn about pet insurance: Which pet insurance is best in 2026? Compare the premiums and comprehensive cover of popular products now (with actuary ratings)

Q1: If my dog bites or kills someone else’s dog, how much do I have to pay?

Under Hong Kong law, pets are regarded as the owner’s property. This therefore falls under a third-party property damage claim, which may include the other party’s veterinary fees, cremation costs, and the pet’s own value. If your pet policy includes third-party liability cover, and the incident does not fall within any exclusion, the insurer will handle it in accordance with the policy terms; a deductible of $3,000 per claim is usually applied. If the policy does not include this cover, or if the claim is rejected, you will have to bear the compensation yourself.

Q2: Can I choose either pet insurance or the third-party liability cover under home insurance?

Although the two are similar in nature, their terms differ, so it is not advisable to assume that one can replace the other. The third-party liability cover under pet insurance is specifically designed for losses caused by the insured pet; the personal liability cover under home insurance is broader in scope, but may not expressly include pets, and may also impose breed or weight restrictions. The safest approach is to check each policy individually to avoid double insurance, or assuming you are covered when you are not.

Further reading: Home Insurance Comparison

(The coverage information in this article has been compiled from the public policy terms of various insurers as of August 2026 and is for reference only. It does not constitute insurance advice. Actual coverage, claim amounts and exclusions are subject to the full policy terms and the insurer’s final approval. Legal liability in individual cases shall be determined by the police and the court.) 

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.