If you have a pet training business, insurance will be an important consideration. It’s not always easy to tell immediately whether risks specific to animal training are fully covered, so answering the question “Does pet insurance cover training?” is key to finding a suitable business insurance policy.
Why is it important to have pet business insurance?
No matter how careful you are as a pet business owner or trainer, things can go wrong, especially as animal behaviour can be unpredictable.
There’s a range of mishaps that could occur to a pet trainer: from a dog in your care being injured (or injuring someone) to the animal being stolen, or even a client suffering a loss due to bad advice you provided.
If you are deemed to be liable for the problem, you may well end up having to foot the bill to make things right, or even be ordered by a court to pay damages and compensation. If you can’t pay, your business and assets could be at risk, as well as your reputation.
Most pet owners want to know that the animal they are placing in the care of a third party is responsible and reliable. Having insurance in place is a clear indicator to a client that you can be trusted to be professional and care about both the services provided and the animal’s welfare.
What does pet business insurance cover?
Every pet business is different, and so are the insurance policies designed to protect them. There will be some types of cover that are included as standard, and optional products that the business owner can pay extra to have, usually because they may not always be required.
Essential cover
Your pet business insurance should always include public liability insurance. This covers a situation in which something your business does (or fails to do) results in an injury to someone or damage to their property.
If your business has clients’ pets in your care, custody, and control, and they are injured or involved in an accident, you could be held liable. Pet accidents and injury insurance can protect you against expensive claims from clients seeking recompense, regardless of whether or not you were at fault.
Other forms of cover you need will depend on your operational circumstances as an animal trainer. For example, if you need to attend dog shows in a professional capacity, to exhibit or provide demonstrations, event cover will allow you to attend or organise events for up to 150 people.
Optional insurance for dog trainers
Every business is different. While a pet business insurance policy can provide cover for a range of eventualities, not every type of insurance a business may need will be included as standard.
Fortunately, a reliable insurer will still provide selective add-on policies for trainers in need of situational protection where others in their field may not.
That’s not to say that ‘optional’ cover is not important. For example, employers’ liability insurance is an option required by law if your business has any employees. It protects against claims brought by employees for injuries incurred at work, if you are deemed to be negligent.
You may also want your business to be covered if you provide professional advice as part of your work. Professional indemnity insurance covers any costs resulting from a claim against you for the provision of advice which turns out to be negligent, resulting in a financial loss for the client.
Reliable pet trainer insurance providers
Professional pet trainers need reliable cover, for when it matters most. Therefore, finding an insurer you can trust, and who understands your specialism is an important factor.
For almost two decades, Pet Business Insurance has specialised in the provision of policies for a range of small- and medium-sized pet businesses including animal trainers and beviourists.
In addition to covering your liability for damage or injury caused to third parties, and claims arising from accidents or injuries to animals in your care, we also provide cover for risks specific to trainers, such as event cover if your work necessitates participation in or arranging of shows and events.
Optional cover is also available if needed, such as professional indemnity insurance if you provide professional advice to clients, for which you could be held liable if things go wrong.
To discuss your dog trainer and animal behaviorist insurance needs, get in touch with Pet Business Insurance today. Call 01284 736 874, or complete our online enquiry form.