Pet Care Business Insurance

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Choose from the nation's best insurance providers
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Top pet businesses we insure

Insureon has helped small businesses secure over 1.5 million policies.

Don't see your profession? Don't worry.
We insure most businesses.

Recommended insurance policies for pet care professionals

Whether you do pet sitting in your home or own a grooming shop, you’re responsible for the safety of your clients’ pets. Business insurance provides financial protection against pet injuries, property damage, and other risks.

General liability insurance icon

General liability insurance

This policy covers common pet care risks, such as a dog or cat being injured while in your care. Bundle it with commercial property insurance for savings in a business owner’s policy (BOP).

BEST FOR
  • Customer and pet injuries
  • Damaged client property
  • Libel and other advertising injuries
Business owner’s policy icon

Business owner’s policy

A BOP bundles commercial property and general liability coverage in one plan. It's often the most cost-effective type of business insurance for a pet care professional.

BEST FOR
  • Customer and pet injuries
  • Damaged client personal property
  • Stolen or damaged business property
Errors and omissions insurance icon

Errors and omissions insurance

E&O, also called professional liability insurance, can cover lawsuits related to work mistakes, such as a pet sitter forgetting to stop by a client’s home.

BEST FOR
  • Failure to deliver promised services
  • Accusations of negligence
  • Work mistakes or oversights
Workers’ compensation insurance icon

Workers’ compensation insurance

Most states require workers' comp for pet care businesses that have employees. It also protects sole proprietors from work-related medical bills that health insurance might deny.

BEST FOR
  • Employee medical expenses
  • Disability benefits
  • Lawsuits from employee bodily injuries
Cyber insurance icon

Cyber insurance

This policy helps pet care businesses recover financially from data breaches and cyberattacks. It's recommended for any small business that stores customer information.

BEST FOR
  • Customer notification costs
  • Fraud monitoring services
  • Data breach investigations
Commercial auto insurance icon

Commercial auto insurance

Commercial auto insurance covers the cost of an auto accident involving a vehicle owned by your pet care business. Each state has its own auto liability insurance requirements.

BEST FOR
  • Property damage caused by your vehicle
  • Auto accident injuries
  • Vehicle theft and vandalism
Looking for different coverage? See more policies.

How much does pet care business insurance cost?

Pet service business owner calculating the cost of insurance.

Insurance providers look at several factors when calculating insurance costs, including:

  • Pet care services offered, including pet grooming and training
  • Business equipment and property
  • Annual revenue
  • Where your business operates
  • Number of employees
  • Policy limits, deductibles, and exclusions
View Costs

How do I get pet care business insurance?

It’s easy to find insurance for pet care businesses. Whether you’re in pet boarding, dog walking, or dog training, you’ll need to have some basic information about your business available.

Our application will ask you for your annual revenue and payroll, among other details. You can get a quote, buy a policy online, and access a certificate of insurance with Insureon in three easy steps:

  1. Complete a free online application.
  2. Compare free quotes and choose a policy.
  3. Pay for your policy and download a certificate for proof of insurance.

Our licensed insurance agents work with top-rated U.S. providers to find the right insurance plan for your pet care business, whether you’re a solo pet groomer or run a pet store with several employees.

Common questions about pet care business insurance

What is animal bailee coverage for pet businesses?

Bailee insurance provides additional protection for situations where a customer's property is in your care, custody, and control. A bailee policy is a form of inland marine insurance, which protects property in transit or at any location.

Animal bailee coverage is designed to cover damages or losses that result from the unique risks of working with pets, such as pet sitting or dog daycare. For example, an injury could result from two dogs fighting while in your care.

In most policies, animal bailee coverage will:

  • Pay the medical expenses of an animal that's accidentally injured in your care
  • Cover the cost of advertising expenses for the recovery of a lost animal
  • Pay to transport animals to a temporary location for the animal's safety
  • Cover the replacement costs of a lost or deceased pet

What other liability insurance coverage do pet care businesses need?

To fully protect your pet care business from risks and liabilities, as well as give you peace of mind, you should consider several types of coverage, including:

Business income insurance, also called business interruption insurance, offsets lost net income if your business is forced to close because of a covered peril, such as a fire or storm.

Extra expense coverage pays for expenses above and beyond a business's normal operating costs after a disruptive event. You can get this coverage as a standalone policy, as a rider to commercial property insurance, in a package with business interruption insurance, or as part of a business owner's policy.

Fidelity bonds provide reimbursement if one of your employees commits fraud, theft, or forgery against a client or your business. Unlike insurance, the policyholder must pay back the bond amount to the insurer or lender.

Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional coverage for liability claims made on general liability, commercial auto, or employer’s liability insurance policies.

Lost key coverage helps minimize the cost to your business if a client's keys go missing and you're held responsible for replacing the locks and keys. The cost of retooling a lock might not sound like an insurance-worthy event, however it can be a sizable expense for a small business.

How do I find affordable pet business insurance?

Pet care business insurance costs vary based on several factors. In addition to choosing lower coverage limits, the following tips can help keep costs down:

Bundle your insurance policies. Small businesses can often save money by bundling policies purchased from the same insurance provider.

For example, a business owner's policy bundles general liability coverage with a commercial property insurance policy. This package protects against financial losses from customer accidents and incidents like fires and burglaries.

Pay the annual premium upfront. You can usually choose to pay your policy premiums in monthly or annual installments. While it's tempting to go with monthly payments because they require less cash upfront, many insurance companies offer businesses a discount for paying the entire annual premium at once.

Manage your liability risks. If your pet care business has no prior liability claims in your insurance history, you could save money on your premium. You can keep costs low by implementing a comprehensive risk management plan for your business. For example, you might:

  • Develop a thorough training program for employees
  • Invest in a security system
  • Compile rules for posting to social media
  • Create procedure checklists and reviews
  • Minimize hazards on your premises
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