Animal services insurance for pet care professionals
When you are responsible for someone's pet, a dog fight, an escape or a grooming accident can quickly become a claim. We build programs for kennels, groomers, trainers, daycares, pet sitters and veterinary practices across the Pacific Northwest.
Serving Pacific Northwest pet care businesses since 1992
Standard business policies miss the animals in your care
According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spend over $130 billion a year on their pets, and boarding, grooming, training and daycare have become essential parts of pet ownership. Standard business insurance doesn't address the exposures of working with animals.
A dog escapes during a walk. Two animals fight. A grooming accident causes an injury. A pet becomes ill while boarding. For many owners, their animals are family, so emotions run high when something goes wrong. The right coverage gives you the resources to make things right.
Core coverages for animal services
Animal bailee
The cornerstone of pet care insurance. Protects you when animals in your care, custody and control are injured, become ill, die or escape. General liability typically excludes property in your care, and legally pets are property. Pays for veterinary treatment, the animal's value if it dies and related expenses.
- Injury to animals in your care
- Illness or sickness while boarded
- Death from covered causes
- Escape and recovery expenses
- Emergency veterinary treatment
- Defense costs if you're sued
General liability
Bodily injury and property damage your operations cause to others, including when animals in your care injure third parties, plus premises claims such as slips and falls at your facility.
- Bite injuries to customers or the public
- Injuries caused by escaped animals
- Slip and fall accidents
- Property damage by animals in your care
- Personal and advertising injury
- Legal defense costs
Professional liability (E&O)
Claims that your professional services caused harm, such as failing to follow instructions, negligent care, training errors or harmful advice. Particularly important for trainers, behaviorists and pet nutritionists.
- Failure to follow owner instructions
- Negligent training methods
- Errors in feeding or medication
- Missed signs of illness
- Incorrect advice or recommendations
- Defense costs for malpractice claims
Commercial property
Your building (if owned), kennels, cages, runs, fencing, grooming equipment, furniture and inventory, plus business income if a covered loss forces you to close temporarily.
- Building and structures
- Kennels, runs and enclosures
- Grooming and care equipment
- Furniture, fixtures and signage
- Business income / loss of revenue
- Extra expense coverage
Understanding animal bailee coverage
Animal bailee coverage is a specialized form of inland marine insurance for businesses that take temporary custody of animals. A "bailee" holds another's property for a specific purpose; here, that property is a pet.
Standard general liability policies contain a "care, custody and control" exclusion for property you're responsible for. Many pet care owners believe their general liability covers animals in their care; it doesn't. Without animal bailee coverage, damage to or death of animals in your care would be uninsured. Depending on policy terms, coverage can apply at your facility, in transit and during off-site activities.
What animal bailee covers: veterinary expenses for injuries; death from illness, injury or accident; illness contracted in your care; escape and recovery costs; fire, smoke and heat exposure; transportation incidents; animal-on-animal attacks; and legal defense costs.
Pet care businesses we insure
Boarding kennels
Overnight boarding for dogs, cats and other pets: escapes, illness outbreaks, animal fights and facility incidents.
Pet groomers
Salons and mobile groomers: grooming injuries, clipper cuts, heat-related incidents and product reactions.
Doggy daycares
Daytime play and supervision: play injuries, fights between dogs and escapes from play areas.
Dog walkers
Escapes, leash-related injuries, bites during walks and transportation incidents.
Pet sitters
In-home care: incidents at client homes, key-holder liability and care for multiple species.
Dog trainers
Training facilities and private trainers: training injuries, behavior modification incidents and advice liability.
Veterinary clinics
Professional liability, animal bailee and coverage for surgical and treatment-related claims.
Equine facilities
Horse boarding, training and riding: coverage for high-value animals and equine activities.
Catteries
Cat-only boarding and breeding, including escape and illness exposures.
Exotic animal care
Birds, reptiles and exotic pets with different care requirements and values.
Service dog trainers
Professional liability for service and therapy animal training outcomes and certification.
Mobile pet services
Mobile grooming, veterinary and training: vehicle-based operations and off-site care.
Additional protection for a complete program
Care, custody and control
Broadens protection beyond standard bailee limits, for high-value pets or many animals at once.
- Higher limits for valuable animals
- Multiple animal coverage
- Extended territory coverage
- Breeding animals
Commercial auto for pet transport
Vehicles used for daycare pickups, vet trips or mobile grooming, with liability and physical damage.
- Liability for accidents
- Collision and comprehensive
- Animals in transit
- Hired and non-owned auto
Workers' compensation
Medical expenses and lost wages for staff injured by bites, scratches, lifting and other hazards.
- Medical treatment costs
- Wage replacement
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Death benefits
Commercial umbrella
Additional limits above general liability, auto and employers liability when a serious incident exhausts primary limits.
- Excess over GL, auto and WC
- $1M to $10M+ limits available
- Defense cost coverage
- Broader protection
Cyber liability
Breaches of customer names, addresses, payment cards and pet records: notification, credit monitoring and liability.
- Data breach response
- Customer notification
- Credit monitoring
- Ransomware and extortion
Employment practices liability
Employee claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination or other employment issues.
- Discrimination claims
- Harassment allegations
- Wrongful termination
- Wage and hour disputes
How pet care claims happen
Illustrative examples of everyday animal services exposures, and the coverage that typically responds.
A dog fight during group play
Two dogs fight during supervised group play. Both need emergency veterinary care, and both owners file claims against the facility.
Illustrative example. Real outcomes depend on the facts and your policy terms.
Common coverage gaps, and how to close them
No animal bailee coverage
Relying on general liability alone, which excludes animals in your care. Add animal bailee with appropriate per-animal and aggregate limits, higher for expensive purebreds or many animals.
Inadequate liability limits
One serious bite can exceed a $300,000 or $500,000 limit. Carry at least $1 million in general liability and add a commercial umbrella; higher limits cost relatively little.
Transportation not covered
Many policies cover animals only at your premises. Confirm coverage for animals in transit and add commercial auto, including hired and non-owned auto.
No professional liability
Trainers, behaviorists and advisors can be sued for professional negligence. Add E&O if you provide training, behavioral advice, nutrition counseling or other professional services.
Employee injury exposure
Staff face bites, scratches, lifting injuries and slips. Carry workers' compensation as required by Washington State law (see lni.wa.gov), and consider it even if you're an exempt sole proprietor.
Relying on waivers
Waivers help, but courts can void them and they don't cover gross negligence. Use them as one layer alongside proper insurance.
What we bring to pet care businesses
Industry knowledge
We understand pet care operations, their risks and the coverage that responds when things go wrong.
Specialized markets
Carriers that specialize in animal services, with coverage designed for pet care rather than generic business policies.
Coordinated programs
Animal bailee, liability, property and professional coverage packaged together so nothing falls between policies.
Market comparison
As a broker, we compare options across multiple carriers to find the right balance of protection and price.
Claims support
When an incident happens, we help you through the claims process and advocate for a fair, prompt settlement.
Since 1992
More than three decades protecting Pacific Northwest businesses.
Get an animal services insurance quote
Quotes and guidance for every kind of pet care business. Prefer email? Reach us at info@firstunderwriters.com.
Coverage descriptions are general summaries for education. They are not legal, tax or coverage advice, a statement of coverage, an offer or a binder. Scenarios and dollar figures are illustrative examples, not representations about any business. Coverage, limits and eligibility are governed by the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies issued and are subject to underwriting.