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What is dog walker and pet sitter insurance, and why is it important?

Dog walking and pet sitting insurance is a specialised form of pet business insurance designed to protect you if something goes wrong while you’re caring for someone else’s animal.

Rather than a single policy, it’s a collection of insurance products designed to give you financial protection in the event of an incident. If you employ people as part of your business, your pet sitting business insurance should also include Employer’s Liability insurance. This is a mandatory requirement if you employ anyone, including part-time workers and family members.

Without the right level of insurance, you could find yourself financially liable if someone is injured by an animal in your care, their property is damaged, or the animal comes to any harm while it's being looked after by you.

What does it cover?

A pet sitter insurance policy or dog walker cover is made up of several types of insurance cover, including:

Public Liability insurance — This may protect you financially if an animal in your care, such as a dog, injures someone or damages their property. PLI may cover the cost of any compensation claim and the associated legal costs. For example, if a dog in your care gets loose and knocks over a cyclist, you may be held responsible for any injuries or damage to their bicycle.
Care, custody & control — This may provide cover if there is injury, illness, loss, or death of a client’s pet while you’re responsible for it.
Key cover — If you’re pet sitting and you lose a client’s house keys, key cover could pay for lock replacement and related costs.
Equipment cover — Every business has assets that need protection. Equipment cover protects essential business items such as leads, crates, harnesses, first aid kits, and other tools you use in your dog walking or pet sitting business.
Animal transportation cover — If part of your pet sitting business involves driving pets to parks, vets, or grooming appointments, this may provide cover if an animal in your care is injured while being transported, subject to the policy terms. Bear in mind that you may also need to take out commercial vehicle cover, as you are using your vehicle for business operations.
Employer’s liability — Legally required if you employ staff, including many part-time workers. Could also be applicable for volunteers, depending on the nature of their engagement.
Personal accident cover —This protects you if you’re injured while working.

What isn't covered

There are some things that dog walker insurance and pet sitting insurance policies don’t cover, including:

Your own pets – These policies are specifically designed to cover other people’s pets, not your own
Pre-existing injuries or illness – If an animal becomes ill or injured as a result of a pre-existing condition before you took responsibility for its care
Unlicensed home boarding or daycare – Your insurance will not cover pets boarded in your home if you do not have a council licence
Certain breeds and banned animals – If a breed is included in the Dangerous Dogs Act list or is registered as a guard dog or dog used for security work
Number of dogs – If you take out insurance and your policy states you cannot walk more than four dogs at a time, and you take out five, you could be uninsured for that walk.

How much does it cost?

The cost of your pet sitter insurance cover will depend on the type of business you operate, your location, and the level of care you offer. It can also be affected by the amount of cover you decide to take out and whether you want to add extras to your policy, such as commercial vehicle insurance or key cover. Your Park Insurance broker will be able to go through the costs with you and source competitively priced insurance tailored to your needs.

Is insurance legally required for pet sitters?

Not specifically, but if you offer boarding or daycare in your home, you may need a licence from your local authority, and they may require Public Liability insurance as well as Care, Custody & Control insurance. If you employ anyone, you must have Employer’s liability insurance.

ow many dogs can I walk at once? Does insurance specify limitations?

This will depend on your location. Many local authorities set their own limits on the number of dogs that may be walked at one time. Some limit it to six, while others in sensitive wildlife areas may reduce that to three. Your dog walker insurance policy may also specify a maximum number of dogs you can walk at any one time.

Keep your insurance on a tight leash with Park Insurance

For over 30 years, Park Insurance has specialised in sourcing competitively priced insurance for niche businesses, including dog walkers and pet sitters. Our experts are fully qualified and certified, so you know the advice they give you is professional, impartial, and up to date. Our position as preferred brokers to some of the UK’s largest insurance providers also means that we can create bespoke pet sitting and dog walking business insurance portfolios that suit both your budget and your needs.

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Park Insurance Services Ltd
323 Church Road
St George
Bristol
BS5 8AA

Tel: 0117 955 6835

Email: info@parkinsurance.co.uk

Park Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 998383. You may check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA website. Park Insurance Services Limited is registered in England and Wales (company number 13091532). Registered address: 323 Church Road, St. George, Bristol, England, BS5 8AA.