Homeowner insurers felt the bite last year as dog bite cases jumped 18 percent across the country, spurring more than $600 million in claims—more than one-third of all homeowner liability claims for 2016.

In a report timed for this week's observation as National Dog Bite Awareness Week, the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm Insurance said the average claim dropped by about 10 percent to $33,230 in 2016.

California recorded the most dog bite claims last year with 1,934, followed by Florida with 1,321 and New York with 1,042. Georgia came in at No. 10, with 462 claims.