Life with dogs · Numbers in context
U.S. insurers handled an estimated 28,450 dog-bite and other dog-related injury claims in 2025, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. That is an insurance-claims measure—not the total number of people bitten. Understanding that distinction makes the figures more useful than a frightening headline without a definition.
Research checked October 5, 2026. The comparison below uses complete calendar years 2024 and 2025; it is not a 2026 incident total.
The latest complete-year insurance figures
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated number of claims | 22,658 | 28,450 |
| Estimated claim value | $1,569.6 million | $1,862.1 million |
| Average cost per claim | $69,272 | $65,450 |
Source: Triple-I and State Farm’s homeowners-insurance analysis. Its notes include other dog-related injuries, such as fractures and blunt-force injuries, rather than bites alone. The published year-over-year changes are 25.6% more claims, 18.6% higher total claim value, and a 5.5% lower average cost per claim.
Triple-I’s April 13, 2026 summary reports the same broad pattern: greater total payouts alongside a lower average per claim. A falling average does not contradict a rising total when there are more claims.
A bite, an injury, a medical visit, and a claim are not the same unit
Before sharing a number, identify what the source counts. One measure may concern surveyed experiences, another hospital treatment, and another claims submitted to insurers. Different reporting systems can cover different populations and time periods.
For example, a claim involving a person knocked down by a dog can belong in the insurance series without being a bite. Conversely, a bite that never becomes an insurance claim is not captured merely because this table exists. Do not subtract one dataset from another to calculate an unreported remainder unless their methods actually permit it.
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Definition | Does the number include only bites, or other dog-related injuries? |
| Population | Does it cover all residents, insured claims, hospital patients, or a survey sample? |
| Date | When did the events occur, and when was the report published? |
| Geography | Is this a national, state, local, or single-hospital figure? |
| Comparison | Were both years counted using comparable methods? |
| Denominator | Is a rate being calculated from a relevant population or only a raw count? |
This is a reading checklist, not a new statistical study.
What these figures cannot establish
The table does not show that an individual dog is dangerous, identify the cause of the change in claim counts, or establish a nationwide ranking of breeds by risk. It also does not tell you what a particular insurance policy will cover. Those are separate questions requiring different evidence.
A state with more claims may also have more people, more dogs, or different insurance and reporting patterns. Raw state totals alone are not a fair measure of each resident’s risk. Likewise, the national average claim cost is not a prediction of a particular person’s medical bill or settlement.
Use the concern to improve ordinary interactions
The AVMA’s 2026 prevention guidance emphasizes active supervision around children, permission before approaching, and respect for a dog’s attempts to move away. A familiar family dog still needs a resting place where a child will not disturb them.
Our household planning exercise is to review three situations: deliveries at the door, a child visiting, and a dog eating or resting. For each, name the adult responsible, the separation arrangement when supervision is unavailable, and the rule visitors need to hear. Specific arrangements are more useful than telling everybody to be careful.
Read our first-greeting guide for practical introductions. A sudden change in tolerance or aggression also needs a veterinary conversation; see our safety-first guide.
Common questions
Were there only 28,450 dog bites in 2025?
No. That figure refers to the defined insurance-claims series, which includes some non-bite injuries and is not a census of every bite.
Do these numbers identify the safest breed?
No. This analysis does not provide the exposure and breed-specific evidence needed to answer that question.
Does a 2026 publication date mean the events happened in 2026?
No. The report discussed here was published in 2026 about claims from 2025. Keep both dates attached to the statistic.
Sources and editorial notes
The numeric comparison comes from the named insurance analysis. The interpretation checklist and household exercise are editorial aids, not legal, insurance, or individualized medical advice. See our editorial standards.
