Pet Business Insurance

What insurance does a pet business need?

Pet care businesses carry two kinds of risk at once. First, you work in public and in clients' homes, so people and property can be hurt or damaged. Second, the animals themselves can be injured, get sick, run away or die while you're responsible for them.

General liability covers the first risk: a dog you're walking jumps on a passerby, or you accidentally break something in a client's home. But general liability usually excludes damage to property in your care, custody or control, and in most places pets are legally treated as property. That's why pet businesses add care, custody and control coverage, also called animal bailee coverage. It helps pay vet bills or the value of an animal hurt or lost while in your care, up to the policy limit.

Many pet sitters and walkers also buy a bond. A bond isn't insurance for you; it reassures clients that they can be compensated if an employee steals from their home. Learn more in our guide to surety bonds.

Services and their risks

How much does pet business insurance cost?

According to Insureon's 2026 data from 100,000 small-business customers, the median cost of general liability is $45 a month ($538 a year). A business owner's policy has a median of $83 a month, and workers' compensation $54 a month. These are medians across all small businesses, not pet-only figures, so use them as a starting point.

Your price will depend on:

• Services offered. Boarding and grooming usually cost more to insure than solo dog walking.
• Number of animals you handle at once and whether you take aggressive breeds.
• Animal bailee limits and deductibles.
• Employees, location and claims history.

Example claims (illustrative)

• Example: While on a group walk, one client's dog bites another dog. The injured dog's vet bills could be paid by animal bailee coverage.
• Example: A dog slips its leash and knocks over a cyclist, who breaks an arm. General liability can help pay medical bills and legal costs.
• Example: A groomer accidentally nicks a dog's ear, and the owner demands payment for stitches. Animal bailee or grooming coverage may respond.
• Example: A pet sitter's employee is accused of taking jewelry from a client's home. A fidelity-style bond can reimburse the client if theft is proven.

Is insurance required for a pet business?

State law rarely requires general liability for a solo pet sitter or walker, but many practical rules do:

• Clients and apps often expect proof of insurance and bonding before they hand over keys.
• Local licenses or kennel permits for boarding and daycare may include insurance conditions; check with your city or county.
• Leases for grooming salons or daycare spaces usually require liability coverage.
• Employees trigger workers' comp in most states once you hit the state threshold. See workers' comp requirements by state.

How to lower your premium

• Keep written service agreements with vaccination and behavior questions.
• Limit group walk sizes and use secure leashes and harnesses.
• Keep detailed records of feeding, medication and incidents.
• Screen and train staff, and bond employees who enter homes.
• Pick a sensible deductible on animal bailee coverage.

Grooming salons vs. mobile pet businesses

A grooming salon or daycare facility usually needs a business owner's policy to protect the building contents, tubs, dryers and kennels, plus higher animal bailee limits. Mobile groomers and walkers usually need tools and equipment coverage and commercial auto instead. Use the business insurance cost calculator to see which fits your setup.

Pet sitters vs. groomers vs. dog walkers vs. trainers

Each pet business has a different risk profile, so the same policy isn't always the right fit:

• Pet sitters spend time alone in clients' homes. Their biggest exposures are damage to the home, lost keys, a pet becoming ill or escaping, and accusations of theft. General liability, animal bailee coverage and a bond are the core package.
• Dog walkers work in public with several dogs at once. Dog-on-dog fights, bites to passersby and dogs slipping their leash are the main risks. Ask about animal bailee limits per animal and per incident, since group walks can involve more than one injured dog.
• Groomers handle sharp tools, hot dryers and anxious animals. Cuts, burns and injuries from slipping on tables are the most common claims, and salons also need property coverage for tubs, tables and dryers.
• Trainers often work with reactive or aggressive dogs in classes or clients' homes. Bites to people and other dogs are the key concern, along with claims that training advice caused a problem.

Bonding for pet businesses

A bond is different from insurance. If a pet sitter or walker is accused of stealing from a client's home and the claim is proven, a bond can reimburse the client, and the bonded business then repays the bond company. Many clients look for "insured and bonded" before handing over keys, so a bond can help you win work. Read our guide to surety bonds for how bonds work.