Dog Walking Insurance

As a sole trader, if you employ direct members of your family, they can be covered under a close family extension cover. Close Family means a husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

If you operate a limited company, you will need employers’ liability insurance. Please check policy documentation for what is applicable to your situation.

If you subcontract work the other pet professional will need their own insurance policy. We can only cover staff members you employ and have listed under employers’ liability cover.

Yes, you can add staff under Employers’ Liability cover.

In this case you might invalidate your insurance if you need to make a claim.

No, if you have selected dog training as an activity this will include puppy training as well as other types of dog training, provided it is not listed as an exclusion. Please check policy documentation for all limitations.

It is not a legal requirement to have a qualification, so you can still get insurance provided you have complied with any policy limitations. In the case of home boarding, you are required to have a licence.

You are covered under our loss of keys cover, up to £10,000, which can cover replacement keys and locksmiths.

You are covered by our Care Custody and Control cover or non-negligent cover depending on what the situation of the injury is and provided you have complied with any endorsements.

We cannot cover if an animal was to damage your own property, we can cover if they damage a third party or their property.

Our policy can cover you if your home is your business premises or you rent a business premises. When working from home, do check with your home insurance that it can be used for business use.

You are not obliged to keep specific records, but it could be useful in the event of claim against you.

Yes, if you need to change your liability limit or add employers’ liability this can be amended but it will affect the price of your policy.  Furthermore, once added it cannot be removed until the end of your policy or you cancel the policy.

Yes, if you add new services, you need to amend your policy so these activities are listed. Our policy can cover 14 different pet care activities on one policy. (Although, you are automatically covered for the following activities as long as they are under the same business name):

• Dog Walking (For walking up to six dogs)
• Dog and Cat Grooming
• Dog Hydrotherapy
• Dog Training
• Pet Behaviourist
• Pet Boarding
• Pet Microchipping
• Pet Minding
• Pet Sitting
• Pet Taxi
• Pet Transportation

Immediately – you are covered as soon as you’ve paid for your policy and receive your documentation.

Cover is only provided for:

• Hand scissoring
• Clipping
• Wash & blow drying
• Hand stripping
• De-shedding
• Nail cutting
• Ear plucking & cleaning
• Anal gland expression
• Pet tooth brushing

Any grooming activities outside these specified services are excluded.

• No cover for breeding activities or vaccinations
• No cover for theft/disappearance unless animal missing for more than 7 consecutive days
• No cover for the insured’s own animals

No coverage for dangerous dogs as classified under Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 including:

• Pit Bull Terriers
• Japanese Tosas
• Dogo Argentinos
• Fila Brazilieros
• Any crossbreeds of these dogs
• No cover for horses or any animal that is not kept in a domesticated environment or for companionship.

• Strict limit of maximum 6 dogs per handler at any one time
• This applies whether dogs are on or off lead
• Exceeding this limit may invalidate your insurance

No cover if you don’t hold a valid Animal Boarding Establishment Licence when required by local authority.

You must comply with specific boarding conditions including:

• Suitable accommodation requirements
• Adequate food, drink and bedding provision
• Regular exercise requirements
• Emergency safeguarding procedures
• Infectious disease protection measures

If you employ any of the following members of your family, they too will be covered for Public Liability under your policy as standard. You do not need to take out Employers’ Liability to cover those family members either. If however, your business is a limited company and the family members are directors, the close family extension will not apply.

Family members included: Husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is due to their addition to the Dangerous Dogs Act.

You can cancel your pet business insurance policy at any time by contacting us directly via phone or email. If you cancel within 14 days of the policy start date, you may be eligible for a full refund. After 14 days, you may receive a pro-rated refund for the unused portion of your policy, minus any applicable cancellation fees. Please call us to discuss your specific situation and to process the cancellation.

Our policy does not cover any breeds listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act, including newly added breeds such as XL Bullys. It’s important that you check the latest government guidelines for a list of banned breeds to ensure compliance with your insurance coverage.

All of our public liability insurance policies are annual.

No, our policy will only cover you for working in the UK.

To be covered by our Pet Business Insurance policy you must be at least 18 years of age.

The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities:

Dog Walking
Dog Training
Pet Behaviourist
Pet Minding
Pet Sitting
Pet Boarding
Pet Taxi
Pet Grooming
Pet Microchipping
Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.

You would be covered in this situation under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy.

For cover to extend to temporary or seasonal staff you would require Employer’s Liability, unless they would fall under the close family extension of the policy. Employer’s Liability is a legal requirement for any business to hold if they employ any members of staff, regardless of whether they are paid or voluntary.

Yes, under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy you would be covered for medical fees resulting from the injury, illness or death of a dog in your care.

Our Pet Business insurance policy provides cover for multiple business activities at no extra cost, including Dog Walking, Dog and Cat Grooming, Dog Hydrotherapy, Dog Training, Pet Behaviourist, Pet Boarding, Pet Microchipping, Pet Minding, Pet Sitting, Pet Taxi and Pet Transportation.

In the event of a dog in your care hurting another dog, you would be covered under the public liability section of our pet business policy.

It is your responsibility to check if a park requires you to hold a special permit to carry out dog walking activities there. Our pet business insurance policy will not act as a permit, it will however provide evidence of your public liability cover when applying for the licence.

In an emergency, you would be covered for an emergency overnight stay.

However, for anything longer than an emergency overnight stay we would require you to hold a valid Animal Boarding Establishment Licence if this is a requirement by your local authority for animal boarding. Our pet business insurance policy covers pet boarding as standard providing you are meeting the requirements of your local authority.

Yes, providing the damage has occurred within the business hours and while undertaking the business activity we are covering you for.

You will need to have employer’s liability for someone else to carry out your business activities and be covered under your dog walking policy, unless that person would be covered under the ‘close family extension’ section of our policy wording.

Close Family means a husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

You must take all practical steps to prevent and minimise accidents, loss, injury and damage. If dog walking in the current weather conditions could be deemed as dangerous then you should refrain from doing so.

Yes, providing the arranged meet and greet would be considered part of the business activities we are covering you for.

Under our pet business insurance, we will cover you to do what is necessary to help a dog in your care in an emergency. This would be covered under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy.

No, you do not need to hold any specific qualifications to purchase our dog walking insurance.

Yes, we can insure you to transport dogs in your own vehicle. Should you get into an accident, we will cover any potential injuries or death to the dogs under your care. You will need to ensure that you have suitable car insurance in place as we cannot cover your vehicle or any passengers.

It’s still advisable, as you can still be held liable for accidents or injuries, even when walking dogs for people you know.

The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities: dog walking, dog training, pet behaviourist, pet minding, sitting and boarding, pet taxi and transporting (UK only), grooming and microchipping.

Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.

Yes, equipment is covered up to the value of £250 as standard as part of our policy. You can choose to increase your equipment cover by paying an additional premium.

Yes, this is covered as part of our Care, Custody and Control benefit. If a dog gets attacked by another dog, hit by a car or injures itself in your care, our dog walking insurance covers you for claims stemming from injury, illness or accidental death of the animals that are in your business’ care.

Up to £100,000 worth of cover is provided for animals in your care (limited to £25,000 per animal), should the business be blamed for the incident. This benefit does not cover any animals belonging to the business owner or members of staff.

Yes, this will be covered under our Care, Custody and Control.

Maximum of 6 dogs can be walked at any one time, this includes exercise off the lead. Should you employ any staff, they too can walk up to 6 dogs.

We can offer cover for walking most breeds of dog, however dogs classified under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 or any subsequent legislation, or cross breeds involving such classified dogs are excluded from being eligible for insurance.

We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is due to their addition to the Dangerous Dogs Act.

If you employ any of the following members of your family, they too will be covered for Public Liability under your policy as standard. You do not need to take out Employers’ Liability to cover those family members either. If, however, your business is a limited company and the family members are directors and/or employees/volunteers, the close family extension will not apply.

Close Family members defined as: Husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities: dog walking, dog training, pet behaviourist, pet minding, sitting and boarding, pet taxi and transporting (UK only), grooming and microchipping.

Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.

A maximum of 6 dogs can be walked at any one time, this includes exercise off the lead. Should you employ any staff, they too can walk up to 6 dogs.

We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers at all as our policy product excludes the care of dog breeds on the Dangerous Dogs Act or any cross breeds of these dogs.