Pet sitting insurance is a must-have, particularly with the risks associated with the day-to-day work. For instance, if a client’s pet on your watch ends up injuring someone else, you could be found at fault or otherwise negligent, leading to huge financial losses.
Pet Sitters International reports that’s exactly what happened to one pet sitter when the dog they were walking bit another dog and its owner. The total payout for insurance ended up being just shy of $23,000 to cover vet and medical bills — and that’s just for one instance. Costs and risk can rack up quickly, especially with more clients on your hands. That’s why we strongly recommend having ample coverage to protect your business, especially if you’re just starting out.
Pet sitting insurance cost & coverage types
As a pet sitter, you should be aware of the different types of insurance coverage you should consider to protect yourself. Below is a list of the most common types — you may not need all of them, but it’s best to assess your day-to-day to ensure you get sufficient coverage.
Policy type | Purpose | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|
General liability | Covers you for accidents that cause injury to clients or their property | $400-$2,500 |
Care, custody & control (CCC) | Protects you from losses or injuries of pets in your care | $100-$300 |
Professional liability | Helps with unintentional work-related mistakes | $200-$1,000 |
Commercial property | Covers certain damages on business property (like theft or weather damage) | $500-$1,500 |
Business owner’s policy (BOP) | Bundles your general liability and property protection into a single policy | $600-$3,000 |
Commercial auto insurance | Covers accidents while driving for business purposes | $700-$3,000 |
Workers' compensation | Helps with employee injuries and sicknesses | $500-$1,500+ |
General liability insurance provides coverage against accidental injuries or damage to other people or property. In fact, it’s basically considered a staple of insurance coverage regardless of which industry you operate in.
As it relates to pet sitting, it can protect you if a dog you’re walking ends up biting or injuring someone. Similarly, it can provide protection if you accidentally damage property inside your client’s home. It can also protect you from certain personal and advertising injuries claimed by other companies, such as when a competitor accuses you of libel or copyright infringement in your marketing practices. Even if you’re innocent, paying an attorney to defend you can still be quite costly.
Many general liability policies have a specific exclusion for pets, which is where CCC comes in. Unlike general liability, CCC is designed to protect the pets themselves, protecting you when a pet under your supervision is injured or lost. It can cover things like vet bills, costs to replace the pet, and other legal claims from the pet owner.
Like general liability, CCC is a critical type of coverage every pet sitter should get.
Professional liability insurance, sometimes called errors & omissions insurance, protects you against accidental work-related mistakes that cause harm to your client. Imagine a scenario where you forget to administer medication to a pet and they become ill. Or how about a situation where you administer the wrong dosage and the pet suffers long-term side effects?
Without professional liability coverage, you could be on the hook. Legal defense costs, settlements, future vet bills, and other judgments could suddenly become your financial responsibility. If you engage in any form of high-risk or specialized services, this coverage is pretty much a must-have.
Commercial property insurance protects business property against things like fire, theft, and certain types of natural disasters. It’s a crucial form of protection even if you run your pet sitting business out of your home, as some personal homeowner’s insurance policies may not cover business assets.
If you lease office space or own a building, it’s even more important. Break-ins or damages from natural disasters can not only damage the building, but also any business-related equipment. Without commercial property insurance, you would be on the hook yourself for covering repairs and replacement costs.
A business owner’s policy (BOP) combines two types of coverage, general liability and commercial property. Since most insurance companies offer discounts when you bundle policies with them, a BOP can be a great way to get the same amount of coverage at a more affordable price tag.
Few personal auto insurance policies cover you if you get into an accident on a business-related trip. For this reason, it’s important to get commercial auto insurance if you drive for any portion of your pet sitting business, whether it’s picking up pets, transporting them to the vet, or even just driving between client homes.
With commercial auto insurance, you’ll get pretty much the same types of protection as your personal auto insurance. It’ll cover damages to your car, medical expenses for injuries, and offer financial protection in the event you’re found liable for causing an accident.
If your pet sitting operation has employees, even if they’re part-time or seasonal staff, you’ll typically be required by state law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If an employee gets injured or ill due to working conditions, this policy covers things like lost wages, medical expenses, and rehabilitation costs.
For a pet sitting business, it’s easy to see how this might happen. An employee could be bitten by a dog or cat, suffer an injury while lifting boxes or moving equipment, or trip and fall while out walking dogs. Without workers’ compensation, you could be sued by your employee and be responsible for covering their expenses.
Cost factors and how to lower your premiums
How much you pay for insurance as a pet sitter will vary depending on a wide range of factors. This can be different from one insurance carrier to the next, however. The following is a list of common factors insurance companies take into consideration when evaluating your risk level and corresponding premium to charge.
- Business size and revenue: The more clients you have and the greater your revenue, the more exposure you have to risk, which typically translates to a higher annual premium.
- Number of employees: The more staff you have, the greater your risk exposure as well as the likelihood of potentially needing to file a workers’ compensation claim, something that can also increase your premiums.
- Coverage limits: Choosing higher limits gives you greater financial protection, but it also comes at the expense of a higher premium, since it also represents a greater risk for the insurance carrier.
- Services offered: Pet sitters that offer riskier or more specialized services (such as administering medication or handling more aggressive types of pets) should expect to pay more for coverage.
- Location: Insurance costs vary by state and city. For example, certain areas may be more prone to experiencing natural weather disasters, something that can affect what you pay for commercial property insurance.
- Claims history: Having a record of few or no insurance claims is a great way to paint yourself as low risk to an insurance company if you want to score low premiums. It’s almost like saying, “I’ve never filed a claim before, so it’s unlikely I’ll cost you money if you take me on as a new customer”.
How to lower your premiums
You may not have control over how much an insurance company charges you, but that shouldn’t make you feel completely helpless. Here are some things you can do to keep your insurance costs manageable:
- Bundle policies: Many insurance companies offer discounts when you bundle policies with them. A BOP is one example, but discounts could extend to your other business and even personal insurance policies if you decide to house them with the same company.
- Adjust your deductible: Selecting a higher deductible can lower your premium, but make sure you can afford to pony up the cash if or when you ever need to file a claim.
- Pay annually instead of monthly: Many insurance companies offer a discount if you opt to pay your premium in full rather than making monthly payments.
- Shop around: Some insurance companies have a bigger appetite for risk, so getting quotes from multiple providers can allow you to get the best coverage at the most affordable rates.
- Keep a clean record: Businesses with a record of little to no claims benefit from lower premiums. To help with this, you can practice strong safety measures, such as ensuring dog leashes are properly secured, in order to minimize the chances of an accident happening.
Why you need pet sitting insurance
By running your own business operation as a pet sitter, you take on many types of risk. You’re taking the responsibility for the well-being of people’s pets, their homes, neighbors, and passersby. If you don’t have insurance, even a single accident could put your finances, your reputation, and your business at serious risk.
Here are some common examples of how getting the necessary pet sitting insurance can protect you:
- Animal bites: You can’t always be in full control of what a pet does. If you’re walking a dog, for instance, it could lunge and bite a passing jogger. In this instance, you could be held liable for any resulting medical expenses.
- Pet injuries: Pets, like us humans, don’t always make the smartest decisions. A pet could try to take a larger-than-usual leap from a counter and end up injuring itself, requiring a visit to the vet. Vet visits are notoriously expensive, and something like this could end up costing several thousand dollars.
- Property damage: Pets aren’t always fully aware of their surroundings, and if they get riled up during playtime, they may accidentally knock over a vase or TV, leaving you to foot the bill for repairs or replacements.
- Lost keys: If you lose the keys to your client’s house, they may choose to replace every lock throughout their home for safety and security, and they’d likely look to you to cover those costs.
- Legal defense costs: Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, someone could still try to sue you for damages or medical bills, and hiring a lawyer to defend you in court isn’t cheap.
Having the right insurance will ensure you’re covered for any of these unexpected costs. Carrying proper licensing and insurance coverages also helps show clients that you’re a serious, trustworthy, and professional business owner — which is a huge bonus on its own right.
Top pet sitting insurance providers
It’s easy to get lost in the sea of insurance providers. After all, how do you know which ones are good, offer quality customer service, have affordable prices, and will have your back if you ever need to file a claim. If you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, consider my recommendations below for three of my top choices for pet sitting insurance companies:
- Simply Business: Best for comparing multiple quotes quickly
- Pet Care Insurance: Best for affordability and industry expertise
- Thimble: Best for part-time or seasonal pet sitters
Simply Business: Best for comparing multiple quotes quickly
Pros
- Quickly and easily get quotes from multiple companies
- Customize coverages and see adjustments to premiums in real-time
- Works with a wide range of top-rated insurance carriers
Cons
- No 24/7 call center
- Post-purchase, claims and questions must be directed to your carrier
Standout features:
- Policy documents can be made available immediately after purchasing a policy online
- Guidance from a dedicated agent is available if you’re unsure or uncomfortable with purchasing a policy online
- Policies are provided from a number of top-rated carriers only
Financial stability: Simply Business is owned by Travelers Insurance, which carries an AM Best rating of A++ (Superior).
Why I like Simply Business
If you don’t know where to start looking for insurance coverage, a broker like Simply Business can be the perfect choice for you. That’s because brokers work with multiple carriers and can help you choose the best one for you. With just a single application to Simply Business, you’ll have multiple quotes right at your fingertips.
Insurance can be difficult to understand, so if you need help, you’ll be happy to know that Simply Business can provide guidance over the phone. However, keep in mind that since Simply Business really only acts as the intermediary, you’ll need to contact your carrier directly once you’ve purchased a policy.
Pet Care Insurance: Best for affordability and industry expertise
Pros
- Affordable policies that can be paid monthly or annually
- Nationwide coverage is available
- Wide range of policies offered
Cons
- Most companies must purchase add-ons to be adequately protected
- No other types of insurance offered for those in non-pet sitting industries
Standout features:
- Consistent stream of high ratings from customers who regularly cite quick claims resolution processes
- Multiple add-ons to policies are available, allowing for a high degree of customization
- Low deductibles, which typically max out at either $250 or $500
Financial stability: Pet Care Insurance (PCI) is owned by Veracity, which is a managing general agent and therefore has no assigned AM Best financial rating.
Why I like Pet Care Insurance
PCI offers coverage exclusively for pet sitters, so you’ll be sure to get enough protection, as PCI has thought of nearly every type of accident that could occur to you. However, note that coverage is only available to those exclusively in the pet industry. In other words, if pet sitting services are only a portion of your business, you’ll need other coverages, as PCI doesn’t cover non-pet aspects of the job.
It places a large emphasis on ease of use for its policies. This includes making it easy to get an online quote, purchase a policy, and file claims online. In fact, many online reviews showcase how pleased its customers are with the entire process of claim payouts. If you value customer service, PCI is an excellent option to consider for those reasons.
Thimble: Best for part-time or seasonal pet sitters
Pros
- Offers on-demand coverage
- Easy to get quotes and same-day coverage
- Allows you to share an unlimited number of COIs
Cons
- Does not offer commercial auto insurance
- Does not offer higher limits like some competitors
- Can be difficult to get a hold of a live person for issues surrounding claims
Standout features:
- Works with around a dozen top-rated carriers in order to provide affordable prices and quality coverage
- Ability to provide coverage by the job, hour, day, month, or year, reducing the need to cancel or pause policies
- Mobile app allows you to easily manage your policy, claims, and create COIs
Financial stability: Thimble works with different carriers, the lowest of which received an AM Best rating of A- (Excellent).
Why I like Thimble
Thimble is an excellent option to consider if you want flexibility on when you get coverage. This is because it can essentially offer coverage on an as-needed basis only. This is vastly different from other carriers, which typically require you to pay for policies for a minimum of 6 to 12 months at a time.
As a company, Thimble generally specializes in providing insurance for new small businesses. It also works with a handful of highly-rated carriers to ensure you get the best policy at affordable rates. Note, however, that since it usually works with smaller businesses, it may not be able to provide higher limits for larger pet sitting operations.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Everyone that owns a pet sitting business. There are lots of risks involved with pet sitting, and unless you have enough financial assets to pay for things like medical bills and property damage, having the protection of an insurance policy can protect your assets and help you avoid bankruptcy.
It can typically cost between $200 and $500+ per year. The price you pay depends on a number of factors, such as the risk appetite of your carrier, how big your business is, the types of pet sitting service you offer, and the details of the policy you’ve chosen (such as the coverage limits and deductibles).
Yes. In fact, Thimble is an excellent insurance company to consider because it specifically offers on-demand insurance coverage that can provide protection by the job, day, hour, month, or year. This can be a more cost-effective solution for those who intermittently offer pet sitting services throughout the year.
Bottom line
Running your own pet sitting business can be a rewarding venture, but be mindful of the risks it carries because it could cost you everything if you’re not protected. The right insurance — whether it’s general liability, CCC, and professional liability — can shield you financially from unexpected accidents and lawsuits. By choosing the right insurance company and a policy tailored to your needs, you’ll get the peace of mind of knowing that your financial livelihood is protected, all at an affordable price.
