OR: Pit bulls put bite on disabled Oregonians' chances for homeowners insurance

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon accuses Travelers insurance companies of violating federal law by not selling homeowners policies to disabled people who keep pit bulls as service dogs.

Officials with the nonprofit agency conducted a phone sting last year in which "testers" posing as people with disabilities placed calls to Travelers' toll-free number to get quotes on home insurance policies.

Each time, the testers said they owned service dogs – specifically pit bulls – and the company's phone representatives wouldn't give them a quote, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week in Oregon's U.S. District Court.

Pit bulls are among America's most controversial pets. While advocates for the animals recognize the best of the breed as loyal and sweet-tempered, the dogs are sometimes trained for canine blood sport and have gained infamy for their vicious attacks on humans.

The lawsuit names several divisions of Travelers and two of its Oregon agents – Progressive Insurance Corp. and Lloyd Purdy & Co. Insurance.

John M. Purdy, at Lloyd Purdy, declined to comment about the lawsuit until he could look further into the allegations. Matt Bordonaro, a spokesman for Travelers, also declined to discuss the suit, citing a general company policy of not commenting on pending litigation.

The testers involved in the phone sting were trained by the housing council.

One of them placed a call on June 5, 2014, and reached a customer service representative identified as "Lisa."

"Lisa asked the tester if he owned any pets, and the tester explained that he had a pit bull that was his assistance animal for his disability," the lawsuit alleges. "Lisa explained that Travelers had a breed restriction policy and could not provide homeowners insurance because the assistance animal was a pit bull breed."

The tester asked for a waiver or modification of the insurance company's pit bull policy, but Travelers wouldn't budge, the lawsuit alleges.

Another tester phoned on July 24, 2014, reaching a customer service representative named Alicia; she sought an insurance quote and also was turned down for homeowners insurance.

"Alicia made clear that ... Travelers' breed restriction policy still applied even if the specific assistance animal in question had no history of dangerous or vicious tendencies," the lawsuit alleges.

Testers placed two similar calls to Travelers last fall, meeting the same result.

One of those calls to the insurance giant's toll-free number rang into one of Travelers' authorized agents in Portland: Lloyd Purdy & Co. Insurance. There, according to the lawsuit, the tester reached a customer service rep named Ann, explaining that he owned an assistance animal prescribed by his doctor.

"Ann asked the breed, and the tester told her that it was a pit bull," the lawsuit alleges. Ann then asked the tester if the assistance animal had any bite history, to which the tester responded that the assistance animal had never bitten or harmed anyone."

After the Portland agent checked with Travelers on its breed restriction policy, it also refused to provide a quote, according to the lawsuit.

"They have a prohibition against certain breeds and pit bulls are one of them," said Portland lawyer Dennis Steinman, who represents the Fair Housing Commission of Oregon.

The commission accuses Travelers and its agents of discriminatory housing practices, and Steinman pointed out that failing to provide homeowners insurance to disabled people because they own pit bulls hurts their chances of buying homes.

June 02, 2015 at 8:00 AM, updated June 02, 2015 at 8:47 AM
-- Bryan Denson Pit bulls put bite on disabled Oregonians' chances for homeowners insurance policies, lawsuit alleges | OregonLive.com