On 1st February 2024, a ban on owning XL bully type dogs came into force across the UK. Owners who wished to keep their XL bully type dog legally, had to apply for exemption, which came with a long list of requirements. One of these was the requirement for them to ensure they had third party liability insurance for their dog. At the time, no UK insurance company was providing such a thing for these breeds, then the Dogs Trust stepped up and added third party insurance for exempt breeds to their Companion Club scheme. This was a lifeline for owners who were facing the prospect of having to have their pet euthanised.
Now, just over two years later, the Dogs Trust have announced that as of 30th June 2026, they are no longer going to be providing this insurance cover. This has come as a shock to many and as yet, there has been no sign of an alternative option. What happens now is still very much unknown and currently there are more questions than answers.
What is ‘third party liability’ insurance?
When an owner takes out pet insurance for their dog, it will usually consist of two parts – cover for veterinary fees resulting from illness or injury, and third-party liability. Third party liability insurance covers an owner for fees resulting from their dog causing injury or damage to someone or something else. This could be veterinary fees if the dog injures another animal, medical fees if they injure a person, damages if property is involved or even legal fees if a claim is made against an owner because of something their dog did. It will also apply in situations such as a car crash caused by the dog running out into the road.
Third party liability insurance tends to come as standard in most comprehensive pet insurance policies. It is not a legal requirement to have it unless you live in certain types of rented accommodation or the dog is a banned breed (hence the problem arising now). There are also some exclusions and limitations on what is covered including damage to an owners own property, injuries to the owner themselves or harm or damage caused intentionally such as through dog fighting. Working dogs and dogs with a history of aggressive behaviour are also not typically able to be covered in this way, although working dogs are often covered on business insurance e.g. Employer’s liability insurance.
The XL Bully Ban
In February 2024, the government introduced a ban on owning the American XL Bully dog. This made it the fifth dog breed to be banned in the UK, the others being the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brasileiro. However, unlike these other breeds, the American XL Bully is not a recognised breed, but rather a ‘type’. This means there is no genetic test that can identify such a dog. The detailing in the ban lays out various conformational standards around size, build, head shape, muzzle shape and tail form. If a dog is seen by a police officer or a court to match a significant number of the features, then it is classed as an XL Bully.
In order to continue to be allowed to own an XL Bully after the date of the ban, owners had to register for exemption, however because of this more subjective definition of a ‘breed’ compared to DNA testing, there are likely to have been many dogs registered in order to be exempt from the ban ‘just in case’ they were seen to be a match. The exemption allowed owners to keep their dog, but they were subject to a number of conditions –
- owners must have an official Certificate of Exemption
- the dog must be neutered
- the dog must be muzzled and on a lead at all times in public areas and must not be under the care of a person under the age of 16
- it is illegal to sell, gift, breed or abandon an XL Bully dog
- the dog must be kept securely at home
- owners must have third party liability insurance for the dog
- the death of the dog or any changes in the address at which it’s kept must be reported to DEFRA.
If an owner didn’t register their dog by the deadline or doesn’t uphold the rules of the exemption, the dog will be seized and destroyed.
Dogs Trust Companion Club
The Companion Club is a membership scheme offered through the Dogs Trust charity and is open to any dog owner. Currently, for £25 per year, members receive discounts on Dogs Trust training programmes and in their shop, access to a 24/7 veterinary helpline, invitations to events and, of course, the third-party liability insurance, with a claims limit of £1,000,000. The low fee made this a hugely attractive offer for many people, especially those with XL bullies.
In advance of the ban in 2024, the government estimated that there would end up being around 10,000 XL bullies registered. In reality, by early 2025, that figure was 57,000 across England and Wales. This difference may stem from a gross under-estimation by the government or be down to owners’ ‘just in case’ approach as they didn’t want to get caught out.
With regards to the Dogs Trust Companion Club, subscriptions doubled in just a few months following the ban as owners sought the vital third-party liability insurance that it offered. What initially looked like a great publicity and marketing idea, the scheme soon became a victim of its own success and has led us to the point we are at today.
Why has Dogs Trust stopped providing third party liability insurance?
The main reason seems simply to be supply not being able to keep up with demand. With an incredibly low joining fee, yet a high claim limit combined with a huge number of people signing up and therefore a huge increase in the number and value of insurance claims being submitted, in just a couple of years, it has proved not to be a sustainable venture and therefore will end later this year. Normally, the withdrawal of a benefit of a membership scheme, even an insurance benefit, would not make headlines, but with this being the only product of its kind on the market, it’s ending leaves tens of thousands of owners afloat and their dogs’ future uncertain. At the end of the day, the Dogs Trust is a charity and such an increased demand on their finances just couldn’t be absorbed.
What happens now?
At the time of writing, there is still no known insurance provider that will be covering exempt breeds with third party liability cover from 1st July 2026. The Dogs Trust are currently in talks with DEFRA and the government to seek an alternative arrangement before the 30th June deadline and customers have been advised that they will hear as soon as there is any news.
For current Companion Club members, their insurance cover is still valid until the end of the current policy year and any renewals that are due on or before 30th June 2026, will still go ahead with the third-party liability insurance in place. If the renewal is due on 1st July or later, the renewal can still go ahead, but it will not include the third-party liability insurance. Dogs Trust are not currently allowing any new signs ups to the membership scheme until after these changes to the benefits have gone through.
Clearly some decisions have to be made else one of the most important stipulations of the XL Bully exemption programme will become null and void, potentially leaving owners open to huge financial responsibilities or to even be at risk of losing their pet. The hope is that rather than removing the third party liability insurance as a rule of the exemption, an arrangement can be made with another insurance provider, or group of providers, in order to keep the cover going and protect not only the general public, but owners and their dogs too.
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