Insurance for Pet Sitters, Dog Walkers, Groomers and Trainers
Pet care business insurance helps protect pet sitters, dog walkers, groomers and trainers from liability claims, and can include coverage for injuries to the animals in their care. Chelsea Insurance Services is a family-owned independent agency in Firestone, Colorado, licensed in 31 states.
Quick facts
- Built for pet sitters, dog walkers, groomers, trainers and pet waste removal services.
- Standard general liability often excludes animals in your care; animal bailee coverage can help fill that gap.
- Some policies include vet expense reimbursement and lost key coverage.
- Kennel, boarding and breeding operations often need different coverage.
- Coverage depends on the policy and insurance company. We’ll review options with you.
Who pet care business insurance is for
If you care for other people’s pets for a living, full-time or on the side, this coverage is built for you:
- Pet sitters and cat sitters
- Dog walkers
- Pet groomers
- Dog trainers
- Pet waste removal services
Boarding, kennel, daycare and breeding operations often need different coverage. Ask us if that describes your business.
What pet care liability policies commonly include
Policies designed for pet care businesses commonly bundle several coverages. Exact coverages, limits and deductibles depend on the policy and insurance company.
- General liability. Helps if someone is injured or their property is damaged because of your work, such as a client tripping over a leash or a dog you’re walking knocking over a neighbor’s bike.
- Animal bailee (care, custody and control). May help if an animal in your care is injured, becomes lost or dies, depending on the policy’s terms and limits.
- Veterinary expense reimbursement. Some policies help pay vet bills for an animal injured in your care, in some cases regardless of fault.
- Products and completed operations. Helps with claims tied to products you use or sell, such as shampoo, or to work you’ve finished.
- Personal and advertising injury, such as a claim of libel or slander in your marketing.
- Damage to premises rented to you, for certain damage to a space you rent.
- Medical expense, which pays certain medical bills for someone injured by your operations, regardless of fault, up to a small set limit.
- Lost key coverage, to help replace keys and rekey locks if you lose a client’s key.
Why animal bailee coverage matters
This is the gap many pet professionals don’t know about. Standard general liability typically excludes damage to property in your care, custody or control, and in insurance terms a client’s pet is generally treated as property. Without animal bailee coverage, an injury to the very animal you were hired to look after may not be covered.
When you compare policies, check that animal bailee coverage is included and what its limit is, and whether vet expense reimbursement applies regardless of fault.
What it usually doesn’t cover
- Kennel, boarding facility and breeding operations, which many pet care policies exclude.
- Certain dogs and activities, such as attack, fighting, guard, protection, police or service dogs, and landscaping work, in many policies.
- Your own injuries or your own pets.
- Theft of client property by you or your staff, which usually needs a separate bond.
- Injuries to your employees, which are generally a workers’ compensation matter.
- Vehicles you use for work, which may need auto coverage that fits business use.
- Your own equipment and supplies, unless you add property or inland marine coverage.
Exclusions vary by policy. The policy’s own wording is what applies.
Proof of insurance for clients and venues
Clients, apartment buildings, salons and booking platforms often ask for a certificate of insurance, and some ask to be named as an additional insured. Many pet care policies can provide certificates, and some allow additional insureds, subject to the insurance company’s rules. Tell us what you’re being asked for and we’ll look for a policy that meets it.
How to get a pet care business quote
- Tell us what you need. Use the quote form or call 720-669-3647.
- We compare options. As an independent agency, we can look at more than one insurance company for you.
- You choose. We walk you through the options in plain English, and you decide.
What to have ready:
- The services you offer (sitting, walking, grooming, training, waste removal)
- The states where you work
- Your approximate annual revenue
- Number of employees or contractors
- Where you work: clients’ homes, a mobile unit or a rented space
- Any past claims
Pet care business insurance FAQs
Do I need insurance to be a dog walker or pet sitter?
Insurance usually isn’t required by law just to walk dogs or sit pets, but many clients, apartment buildings, salons, facilities and booking platforms ask for proof of liability insurance before they’ll work with you. A policy can also help protect your savings if a client blames you for an injury or damage. Local rules vary, so check any licensing requirements where you work.
Does general liability cover a dog that’s injured in my care?
Often not on its own. Standard general liability typically excludes damage to property in your care, custody or control, and pets are generally treated as property. That’s why pet care policies commonly add animal bailee coverage, which can help if an animal in your care is injured, lost or dies, subject to the policy’s limits and terms. Ask us to check how a policy handles it.
What if I lose a client’s house key?
Some pet care policies include lost key coverage, which can help pay to replace keys and rekey locks when you lose a client’s key. It usually has its own limit. Pet sitters and dog walkers who keep client keys or lockbox codes often find this coverage worth confirming when comparing policies.
I groom pets in a space I rent. Is the salon covered?
Many pet care policies include damage to premises rented to you, which can help if you’re responsible for certain damage to the space you rent, such as a fire you accidentally cause. It doesn’t replace the landlord’s building insurance, and it doesn’t cover your own equipment. Your lease may also set insurance requirements, so send it to us.
Does a pet care liability policy cover my employees if they get hurt?
Generally not. A liability policy covers claims by other people, such as clients or the public. Injuries to your own employees are generally a workers’ compensation matter. Most states require workers’ compensation for employers, but thresholds and exceptions vary by state, and we can help you check the rules where you work. If you use independent contractors, ask us how that affects your coverage. See our business insurance page.
Can boarding facilities and kennels get this coverage?
Sometimes, but not always. Many pet care liability policies exclude kennel, boarding facility and breeding operations, or treat them differently, because the exposure is larger when many animals stay overnight. If you run a boarding or daycare facility, tell us how it operates and we’ll look at coverage designed for that kind of business.
Get a pet care business quote from a family-owned agency
Tell us a little about what you need and we’ll follow up to review options with you.