Working with live animals calls for protection against liability risks. While providing your professional services, these pets are your responsibility. You must ensure they are safe and well-cared-for. As much as you try to prevent accidents. they do happen in the workplace, and when you’re working with animals, the risks can add up.
Insurance is integral to any business, but it can be difficult to find insurance that protects both yourself and the pets you care for. Lucky for you, there are insurance policies available specifically for pet grooming businesses.
Not only will getting insured protect you and your business, but it can also look really good to potential and current clients if you adopt fairly comprehensive insurance policies. You would be able to assure your clients that you value the safety of your business and their pets, and that if anything were to happen to their loved ones, they would be covered.
General Liability
General liability insurance covers a client and/or their pet if they are accidentally injured while in your supervision. This coverage protects you if you are sued for negligence. This also applies if you run your business from your home. If you’re using your house as a professional space, regular home insurance isn’t adequate protection. General liability is your standard minimum foundation of coverage.
Professional Liability
Professional liability insurance protects you if you injure an animal when you’re performing (or failing to perform) your professional services. Loss generally encompasses death, escape, and injury. This differs from general liability as it is not as a result of negligence. Professional liability insurance is directly linked to the practice of your services and is often referred to as “malpractice” insurance. As such, this policy protects you from lawsuits against your business.
Commercial Property Insurance
Commercial property insurance covers replacement costs for tools and equipment in transit, storage, or in use. The property may be destroyed or rendered unusable by a variety of reasons: natural disasters, arson, theft, or vandalism, and with commercial property insurance, you won’t suffer double the loss. This policy covers furnishings, stock, and renovations to your studio or home.
Other Considerations
The policies listed above are the building blocks of every successful business insurance program, but for a pet grooming business, there are a few additional things to consider.
- Transportation – Are you a mobile groomer or do you offer offer pick up/drop off services? Be sure both you and the pet is insured throughout transportation.
- Runaway Pet – Pets are irreplaceable in an owner’s mind; so make sure you’re covered so you can do your best to aid the owner.
- Personal Accident /Disability – You can cover loss of income during a recovery period if you are involved in a workplace accident and can’t work due to personal injury.
- Public Liability – Consider covering any third party who is injured by a pet in your care.
About Bozzuto & Co. Insurance Services, Inc.
Bozzuto & Company Insurance Services has provided business and personal insurance solutions to clients throughout California since its founding in 1981. Our experienced staff understands the unique needs that each person has when insuring their lives and their businesses, and we pride ourselves on our deeply personal customer service. We are happy to help you through every step of the insurance selection process. Contact us today at (800) 400-6394 to learn more about what we can do for you.
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