Comprehensive Coverage for Pet Care Professionals
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Get a QuoteAnimal services insurance provides essential protection for kennels, groomers, pet sitters, dog trainers, veterinarians, and other pet care businesses. Whether you operate a boarding facility, grooming salon, doggy daycare, or training center, this specialized coverage shields your business from the unique risks of working with animals. At First Underwriters, we've helped Pacific Northwest pet care businesses secure comprehensive coverage since 1992.
The pet care industry is booming. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans now spend over $130 billion annually on their pets, and pet services—boarding, grooming, training, daycare—have become essential parts of modern pet ownership. But with growth comes risk, and standard business insurance policies simply don't address the unique exposures that animal services insurance is designed to cover.
When you're responsible for someone's beloved pet, the stakes are high. A dog escapes during a walk. Two animals get into a fight. A grooming accident results in injury. A pet becomes ill while boarding. These scenarios happen every day, and without proper coverage, they can devastate your business and personal finances.
"For many pet owners, their animals are family members. When something goes wrong, emotions run high and lawsuits follow. Proper animal services insurance isn't just about protecting your business—it's about having the resources to make things right when accidents happen."
The essential protections every pet care business needs in an animal services insurance policy
Animal bailee coverage is the cornerstone of pet care insurance. It protects you when animals in your care, custody, and control are injured, become ill, die, or escape. This coverage is essential because standard general liability policies typically exclude damage to property in your care—and legally, pets are considered property.
Whether you're a boarding kennel, groomer, pet sitter, or dog walker, if you take possession of someone's pet, you need animal bailee coverage as part of your animal services insurance. It pays for veterinary treatment, the animal's value if it dies, and related expenses.
General liability protects your business when your operations cause bodily injury or property damage to others. For animal services, this includes situations where animals in your care injure third parties—a dog bites a visitor, a cat scratches a delivery person, or an escaped animal causes a car accident.
This animal services insurance coverage also protects against premises liability claims—slip and falls, trip hazards, and other injuries that occur at your facility. Every pet care business needs robust general liability protection.
Professional liability—also called errors and omissions—protects against claims that your professional services caused harm. For animal care providers, this animal services insurance includes allegations that you failed to follow instructions, provided negligent care, made errors in training, or gave harmful advice.
This coverage is particularly important for dog trainers, behaviorists, pet nutritionists, and anyone who provides professional guidance about animal care. It covers claims that your expertise or advice led to harm.
Commercial property insurance protects your physical assets—your building (if owned), equipment, furniture, inventory, and business personal property. For animal services businesses, this includes kennels, grooming equipment, cages, runs, fencing, and all the specialized equipment needed to care for animals.
Property coverage also includes business income protection, which replaces lost revenue if a covered loss forces you to temporarily close. When your facility is damaged by fire, storm, or other perils, this coverage keeps you financially stable during recovery.
Animal bailee coverage is a specialized form of inland marine insurance designed specifically for businesses that take temporary custody of animals. The term "bailee" refers to someone who holds another's property—in this case, pets—for a specific purpose. This coverage is a critical component of any comprehensive animal services insurance policy.
This coverage is critical because standard general liability policies contain a "care, custody, and control" exclusion that specifically excludes property you're responsible for. Without animal bailee coverage as part of your animal services insurance, damage to or death of animals in your care would be uninsured.
Policies typically cover death, injury, and illness of animals while in your care, as well as theft and escape. Coverage can apply at your facility, in transit, and during off-site activities depending on your policy terms.
Many pet care business owners believe their general liability policy covers animals in their care. It doesn't. The "care, custody, and control" exclusion specifically removes this coverage. Animal bailee coverage is a separate, essential protection.
Tailored animal services insurance for every type of pet care operation
Overnight boarding facilities caring for dogs, cats, and other pets. Coverage for escapes, illness outbreaks, animal fights, and facility-related incidents.
Grooming salons and mobile groomers. Protection for grooming injuries, clipper cuts, heat-related incidents, and reactions to products.
Daytime play and supervision facilities. Coverage for play injuries, fights between dogs, and escape from indoor/outdoor play areas.
Professional dog walking services. Protection for escapes, leash-related injuries, bites during walks, and transportation incidents.
In-home pet care services. Coverage for incidents at client homes, key holder liability, and care for multiple species.
Training facilities and private trainers. Protection for training injuries, behavior modification incidents, and professional advice liability.
Full-service veterinary practices. Professional liability, animal bailee, and coverage for surgical and treatment-related claims.
Horse boarding, training, and riding facilities. Specialized coverage for high-value animals and equine activities.
Cat-only boarding and breeding facilities. Coverage tailored to feline care, including escape and illness exposures.
Care for birds, reptiles, and exotic pets. Specialized coverage for unique species with different care requirements and values.
Training service and therapy animals. Professional liability for specialized training outcomes and certification.
Mobile grooming, veterinary, and training services. Coverage for vehicle-based operations and off-site care.
Additional animal services insurance protections for complete risk management
Broadens your protection for animals entrusted to your care beyond standard animal bailee limits. Essential for high-value pets or when caring for multiple animals simultaneously.
Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles used to transport animals—whether picking up for daycare, driving to vet appointments, or mobile grooming services. Includes liability and physical damage for your business vehicles.
Workers' compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages when employees are injured on the job. Animal care workers face bites, scratches, lifting injuries, and other occupational hazards that make this animal services insurance coverage essential.
Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability limits above your general liability, auto, and employers liability policies. Essential protection when a serious incident exhausts your primary policy limits.
Cyber liability protects against data breaches involving customer information—names, addresses, payment cards, and pet records. This animal services insurance covers notification costs, credit monitoring, and liability for data theft.
EPLI covers claims by employees alleging discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, or other employment-related issues. Protects against one of the fastest-growing areas of business liability.
Understanding how animal services insurance coverage applies when things go wrong
Two dogs get into a fight during supervised group play. Both sustain significant injuries requiring emergency veterinary care totaling $8,500. Both owners file claims against the facility.
A groomer accidentally nicks a dog's skin with electric clippers, resulting in a wound requiring veterinary treatment and stitches. The owner sues for $3,200 in vet bills plus emotional distress.
A dog slips its collar during a walk and runs into traffic, causing a multi-car accident. Property damage and injury claims total over $75,000. The dog also requires treatment for injuries.
During an unusually hot day, a dog suffers heat exhaustion during outdoor play time. Despite emergency treatment, the dog dies. The owner sues for the dog's value plus emotional distress—$45,000 total.
A pet sitter accidentally leaves a door ajar, and a valuable purebred cat escapes. Despite search efforts, the cat is never found. The owner claims $5,000 for the cat's value plus search expenses.
A dog develops anxiety and behavioral issues after training that the owner claims used inappropriate methods. The owner sues for $12,000 in subsequent behavioral treatment costs and the dog's diminished value.
Despite vaccination requirements, kennel cough spreads through the facility. Multiple dogs require treatment. Owners collectively claim $15,000 in veterinary expenses and allege negligent sanitation.
A mobile grooming van is involved in an accident while transporting three dogs. All dogs are injured, and the van is totaled. Pet injuries total $11,000; vehicle damage is $45,000.
Many pet care businesses operate with inadequate animal services insurance coverage, leaving them exposed to significant financial risk. Here are the most common gaps we see—and how to address them.
Many pet care businesses rely solely on general liability, not realizing it excludes animals in their care, custody, and control. When a boarded pet dies or is injured, they discover they have no coverage.
Add animal bailee coverage with appropriate per-animal and aggregate limits. Consider higher limits for facilities that care for expensive purebreds or multiple animals.
A single serious bite incident can easily exceed a $300,000 or $500,000 policy limit. Many pet care businesses carry minimum animal services insurance limits that leave them personally exposed when claims are severe.
Carry at least $1 million in general liability, and add a commercial umbrella policy for additional protection. Higher limits cost relatively little compared to the protection they provide.
Many animal services insurance policies only cover animals at your premises. If you transport animals—to the vet, to owners' homes, or in mobile grooming operations—you may have no coverage for incidents in transit.
Ensure your policy includes coverage for animals in transit. Add commercial auto coverage if you use vehicles for business purposes, including hired and non-owned auto.
Trainers, behaviorists, and other professionals who give advice or use specific methods can be sued for professional negligence—claims that general liability doesn't cover.
Add professional liability (errors & omissions) if you provide training, behavioral advice, nutrition counseling, or any professional services beyond basic care.
Pet care employees face regular exposure to bites, scratches, lifting injuries, and slips. Without workers' compensation, you're personally liable for employee injuries.
Carry workers' compensation insurance as required by Washington State law. Even if you're exempt (sole proprietor), consider coverage anyway—employee injuries can be financially devastating.
Many pet care businesses rely on liability waivers for protection. While waivers help, they're not bulletproof—courts can void them for various reasons, and they don't cover gross negligence.
Use waivers as one layer of protection, but don't rely on them alone. Proper insurance is essential because waivers can be challenged and don't protect against all claims.
Why Pacific Northwest pet care businesses trust us
We understand pet care businesses—the daily operations, the unique risks, and the coverage that actually protects you when things go wrong.
We work with carriers that specialize in animal services insurance, offering coverage designed specifically for pet care—not generic business policies.
We package all the coverages you need—animal bailee, liability, property, professional—into a coordinated animal services insurance program with no gaps.
Multiple carrier options mean competitive quotes. We shop your coverage to find the best combination of protection and price.
When incidents happen, we're in your corner. We help navigate the claims process and advocate for fair, prompt settlements.
Since 1992, we've protected Pacific Northwest businesses. Our experience and relationships deliver results for our clients.
Get a quote from specialists who understand pet care businesses.
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