Dog walkers' and pet sitters' insurance

Our business insurance for dog walkers

As a dog walker or pet sitter people trust you with their furry friends. This often comes with access to their home, too. These jobs carry a massive responsibility.

Getting insurance for your dog walking or pet sitting business is the best way to ensure protection and peace of mind – for you, and your customers. From dog walking, pet shops, pet grooming, and pet sitting, that’s where AXA comes in. We offer the insurance you need, tailored to your business.

But where to start? Public liability insurance will cover you in case of accidental injury, or property damage caused by your business. This cover is essential when you’re looking after other peoples’ beloved pets. And, of course, we’ll cover the most important content of all – the dogs! We’ll cover any accidental injuries that might happen in your care.  

There are other covers – such as employers’ liability or business equipment – that you might want to consider can help you protect your employees (if you have any), any equipment you need to do your job, and your clients.

Why do I need insurance for my dog walking business?

Life isn’t always a stroll in the park. Accidents happen, and if the worst does occur, you’ll be the one who has to pay out if you aren’t insured.

Legally, you only need to have insurance if you have any employees - this cover is called employers liability insurance.

However, there are several legislations that you need to be aware of, which could factor into a decision to get business insurance outside of that For example:

• The Animal Welfare Act 2006
  • Legislation that sets the minimum standard required in relation to the welfare of animals.
• Dangerous Dogs Act 1996
  
  • UK bans on specific breeds based on type rather than behaviour
• The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) 1997
  • An amendment giving courts discretion to consider if a dog poses a danger, allowing for "contingent destruction orders" such as registration and/or muzzling
• Dog Fouling – Cleaning Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005
  • A mandate requiring all dog owners clean up after their pets on public land
• Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • UK law that creates a framework for controlling pollution, managing waste, and handling statutory nuisances
• and more!

For full advice on responsibilities and legislation you might want to consider, check out this guide from the RSPCA: Professional Dog Walkers' Guidelines

With these legalisations and responsibilities in mind, it becomes clear how having business insurance could give you vital protection for your business.

It could protect you if:

• A client’s dog is injured, lost, or killed while in your care
• If one of the dogs you walk bites a member of the public
• You damage something in a customer’s home when you pick up their dog

If any of the above examples were to happen to you, public liability insurance could help cover some or all the legal costs you’d face if a claim was made against your business. 

How much does dog walking insurance or pet sitting insurance cost?

Our insurance for dog walkers offers a range of cover options, so the price depends on the ones you choose.

But don’t worry, getting the right protection isn’t as expensive as you'd think, simply get a quote online today to find out your price.

Not sure what covers are most suited to your business? Not to worry, our Business Insurance Wizard can help you find the right covers. Simply answer a few straightforward questions and we can show you the covers that are most applicable to your business in less than 5 minutes^**.

What does business insurance for dog walkers cover?

What your policy covers depends on the products that you choose. Since our policies are tailorable to suit your business, there are several options to choose from. Such as:

• Public liability insurance - which covers you from claims made by a third-party. It’s there to protect you if someone gets accidentally injured, or their property is damaged because of your business. Our cover starts at £1 million and can be increased up to a maximum of £10 million.
• Employer’s liability insurance - which is a legal requirement for any business with employees and covers you for claims made by employees who have gotten injured or become ill because of working for your business. £10 million cover is included as standard with AXA’s employers’ liability.

Though it is separate to your business insurance, you may also want to consider Van Insurance as you’ll want to make sure that when you’re transporting the pets in your care from A to B that you’re covered for anything that happens.

^*The guidance is provided on behalf of AXA by Arc Legal Assistance Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

**Based on the average time taken for customers to complete an AXA Business Insurance quote online. The average time taken is 4 minutes and 25 seconds.

^†In order to receive updates about new partner offers and discounts as they become available, you must be opted in to marketing when you buy your policy.