What is Pet Sitter Insurance + Why Would a Pet Sitter Need Insurance? Here's why you need it and how to find best dog walking insurance plans. To help you get the protection you need, Pet Sitters International offers LIABILITY … With this in mind, you certainly need to think about pet insurance, however, there are a few things to consider first. Top 5 Adorable Cat & Dog Videos You’ve Got to Watch! Must Ask Questions Before Accepting a Pet Sitting Job. Not only is pet sitting insurance important for your own protection, but it helps you stand out as a professional. Different businesses use slightly different terms to describe their policies, but the basic options are as follows: Liability insurance policies protect your business from things like property damage or bodily injury that may occur during the course of doing business. It also … By operating a legitimate business they are not treating this as a hobby or a way to make some easy cash. Pet sitting is a great choice of career for animal lovers. Given the risks driving always presents, this is an important consideration for dog sitters and walkers – particularly those who employ others. Once you’ve figured out the best policy for your needs and spoken with any insurance or legal professionals you need to, it is time to pick out a policy and put pen to paper. Or in-home Pet Boarding? Additionally, K9ofMine.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Animal hospitals and veterinarians Pet boarding Pet groomers Pet sitters Pet trainers and dog walkers Choose the best rate and coverage Insureon helps pet care professionals compare insurance quotes … Most pet sitters like to be covered if something were to happen at the meet and greet, while on a walk with a dog and they were attacked by another dog, or simply put, if they hurt themselves… These types of situations generally are not … And we all know there is a lot that could go wrong when pet sitting – from pets running away, biting someone, falling ill, and many other situations – all of which you are responsible for when caring for a person’s pet. This includes pet sitting insurance! It may even be wise to cough up a couple of hundred dollars to speak with an attorney about your potential liability before securing a specific policy. “An employee dishonesty bond is typically what you’re going to need, paired with the liability insurance to be adequately covered as a pet sitter or dog walker.” A bond is not insurance, but it will protect the client and it will protect you, the pet sitter or pet sitting … Contact the companies directly for more details. We stay overnight, take the dog for a walk and feed them. Your current browser may cause issues that will affect the use of this site. In a worst-case scenario, your client may place a lien on your home until you’ve paid for any damages that occurred. A number of things can go wrong when you’re taking care of a client’s pets. I know what you’re thinking: I would never steal anything from my clients, so I don’t need to become bonded. Both General Liability and Professional Liability coverage are included in the pet sitter’s policy. However, for pet sitters, there can be many more strands to public liability cover than other forms of work. What Does it Mean to be Bonded and Insured as a Pet Sitter? If, for example, your client’s dog breaks a leg because he tripped on a tree stump in your backyard, you may find yourself liable. If you're not insured when a pet is injured, eats something bad, or you damage a client's property, you and your business could be in financial trouble; these events, and others like them, expose pet sitters … However, you’ll be glad you obtained an insurance policy if something bad ever happens while you’re on the job, as the only difference between a successful business and one that has to close its doors often comes down to insurance. Anyone who wants to open a pet sitting business can do so without any formal training, and no licensing tests are required. Being insured is a great way to do so. Your typical pet-sitting procedures may also influence your insurance needs. To do this, you need to know as much as possible about the animals you are watching. 6 Ways to Improve The First Walk with an Unfamiliar Dog. You need to mitigate these risks, have access to resources to make the situation right, and ensure you are covered by investing in pet sitter insurance. You have successfully joined our pup pack. However, there are a variety of ways you may accidentally lose or take some of your client’s property and wind up facing a lawsuit. Some insurers can cover injury to pets, as part of your public liability insurance. An insurance commissioner helps to establish and enforce the insurance requirements in their state. It may also pay a portion of their salary until they are able to return to work. The Rover Guarantee is our commitment to you in the rare instance that something goes wrong during a booking. Frankly, these services don’t care if you get sued – they’re only interested in limiting their own liability. court. Check with your state government’s website to determine whether you need a business license to run a pet sitting … 1 Comment. It’s a risk that you don’t need to take,”. Professional United Pet Sitters LLC is not a ffiliated with any pet sitter and dog walker liability insurance companies, including the ones listed below. Search for companies that insure pet sitters. Pet sitters insurance, simplified. The UK's leading pet insurance for dog walkers. It’s the only way you’ll have a chance of succeeding in such a crowded industry. Pet sitting is a responsible job, and many owners appreciate a sitter who has specialist insurance. Insurance will not only protect you from financial loses if something bad happens, but it’ll also allow you to stop worrying about avoiding problems and focus instead on doing the best job you can. For example, you may accidentally pick up your client’s phone, thinking it was yours. The above question comes up often in the pet sitting business. You’ll surely notice that most of the successful pet sitters are insured (they’ll usually advertise that they are), and potential clients will usually prefer pet sitters who have policies in place. I love cats and would like to become a cat sitter. Because of the unique risks associated with working with animals, pet business owners do have specific insurance needs. It is often obtained by pet-sitting businesses who have many contractors or employees, but it can make sense for owner-operators to do so as well. If you’re making a living as a pet sitter, there are certain things you need to do to prove you’re the real deal and a professional who takes your job seriously. insurance. Dog walking insurance from Pet Business Insurance. Call or buy online. Similarly, some policies won’t cover damages that occur while you have live animals in the vehicle. Martha is the founder of CanadianNanny.ca. Dog walkers may provide slightly different services than pet sitters, but they are subject to many of the same risks and liabilities that pet sitters are. Public liability insurance offers protection against an incidence such as a pet in your care escaping from the garden and damaging a neighbour’s property. This is particularly prevalent in dense urban areas, where pet owners often lead busy working lives, and are hence unable to care for their pets. or Safari. Speak with an insurance agent or attorney if you have any questions. Pet Sitter liability insurance is very important to all pet sitting / dog walking / poop scooping businesses. Some of the factors that’ll influence the amount of money you pay for your policy include: A few of the companies offering policies for pet sitters start at around $10 a month or so, but you may end up spending much more than this if you, for example, work with a large number of families. They won’t trust just anyone with their pets. The UK's leading pet insurance for dog walkers. Public liability, loss & much more. “Without needed liability coverage, sitters are taking a huge risk. Understanding that you need an insurance policy and knowing how to obtain one are two completely different things. Pet owners can choose from dozens – and, in some cases, hundreds – of pet sitters in major metropolitan areas. Note that your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover business activities conducted in your home. While the odds of having an issue are slim when you care for someone’s pet once in awhile, offering pet sitter services professionally is completely different, and you need to start thinking of your services from a professional standpoint. This includes the obvious stuff, like walking the dog, feeding and watering, and providing some interaction while the pet parent is away. There’s a lot to think about when starting your own pet-sitting business. Even if they don’t require pet sitters and walkers to be insured, it may still be very wise for you to obtain a policy. Dog Parks: To Use or Not to Use–That is the Question! Since 1998, we've provided our members with the … I understand that I would need pet insurance and bonding. You may need pet sitter insurance if you own any type of pet service business. You may just trip over a new puppy or kitten and fall onto the glass coffee table, causing it to smash. It will immediately take your business to the next level and help you secure more gigs. Customers are looking for someone who takes their job professionally and can treat their home and pets with great care. BIC’s coverage includes the broadest Care, Custody or Control coverage for … Different companies charge different rates and design their policies in different ways. Some insurance policies will even provide an attorney to plead your case in court. Your pet sitting insurance policy will provide you with up to £10 million worth of Public Liability, £50,000 Care, Custody and Control cover should an animal get injured, lost or killed, plus £10,000 worth of lost key cover as standard. Start by posting a free pet sitter profile and look for open pet sitter positions in your area all from the same place. Where to Find the Best Pet Sitter Insurance. What are you waiting for? Dog sitting insurance is designed to cover you when you are looking after a pet either at the home of the owner or in your own home. General Advice: Yes, Probably. Launching a website, securing good advertising and having positive customer reviews may come to mind, but even more important than any of that is securing pet sitters insurance. In addition to providing protection against lawsuits, insurance will help dog walkers look more professional compared to the other dog walkers in business in your area. Liability insurance is the first type of insurance policy most dog sitters – particularly those with new businesses – should obtain. Disclaimers . Fortunately, many of these things are pretty fun to think about. Pet industry business insurance for dog groomers, boarding kennels and catteries in the pet industry. You’ll need to carefully research the laws in your state and any current insurance policies you have to determine how location will affect your insurance needs. Business insurance is designed to protect your small business from financial harm. What exactly does pet sitting insurance … We’ll talk about each of these reasons below. If a pet injures someone or causes damage, claims can run into tens of thousands of pounds so it's worth considering getting insurance. If any of these things happen, you may find yourself on the receiving end of a court summons. Do I need pet sitting insurance? Time To Pet highly recommends that pet sitters and dog walkers carry some form of Pet Sitting Insurance to help mitigate their risk. But you may find yourself in hot water if your client’s dog becomes injured while visiting your home. 13 min read PetSitter.com is the #1 way pet parents find loving pet sitters, walkers, and boarding. You can also get coverage if you are a pet groomer, dog walker, dog trainer, daycare or pet kennel. Do Pet Sitters Need Insurance? 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