As a business that cares for animals, you want to give those pets the best possible experience and enjoyment without the worry of what might happen.
Protecting your livelihood and the animals in your care are essential so finding the right insurance package for your business is important and may be a requirement from your customers. Public liability is essential to protect you from claims from the public for injury or damage that you or the dogs cause.
If you employ staff, then employer’s liability is a legal requirement. There is also a range of other insurance covers that could benefit your business. We have explored what dedicated insurance is available for dog walkers below.
The table below gives a quick comparison of the top UK providers for dog walking insurance.
Company | Minimum cover | Maximum cover |
---|---|---|
Direct Line for Business | £1 million | £10 million |
Protectivity Insurance | £1 million | £10 million |
Pet Plan Sanctuary | Not stated | Not stated |
Tradesman Saver | £1 million | £10 million |
Cover4Dogwalkers | Not stated | £10 million |
Ripe Insurance | £1 million | £10 million |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another.
Topics
1. Direct Line for Business
Some of the features and benefits of Direct Line for Business’ dog walking insurance.
- Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters’ Insurance
- Flexible policy
- Choice of cover
- Public liability cover
- Employer’s liability insurance
- Buildings cover
- Contents and stock
- Business interruption
- Legal expenses
- Cyber cover
Direct Line for Business has an extensive range of business insurance products that are tailored policies to meet the requirements of different professions and trades. They have a wide range of business insurance packages which includes Dog Walkers and Pet Sitter’s Insurance.
Direct Line for Business’ Dog Walkers and Pet Sitter’s Insurance is designed to cover a wide variety of pets. Their cover is flexible and allows you to select what cover you want. You can choose between public liability cover from £1 to £10 million, employer’s liability, buildings cover, contents and stock cover, business interruption, legal expenses and cyber cover.
Direct Line for Business website
2. Protectivity Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Protectivity Insurance’s dog walking insurance.
- Specialist insurance for dog walking businesses
- Tailored cover
- Covers dog walking and 13 other different pet care activities
- Public liability insurance
- Care, custody and control cover
- Lost key cover
- Equipment cover
- Optional cover
- Personal accident
- Professional indemnity insurance
Protectivity Insurance is a specialist niche insurance provider offering a range of tailored insurance products designed for pet businesses, sports businesses and events. Their pet business insurance includes dog walkers, dog groomers and pet sitters with 14 pet business activities covered.
Protectivity Insurance’s Dog Walking Insurance includes £1 million to £10 million of public liability protection against injury or damage to property and £50,000 of care, custody and control cover for animals in your care for loss, injury, illness or death. £10,000 non-negligent cover, £10,000 loss of key cover, £250 equipment cover with the option to increase to £30,000. Optional cover includes personal accident and professional indemnity.
Protectivity Insurance website
3. Pet Plan Sanctuary
Some of the features and benefits of Pet Plan Sanctuary’s dog walking insurance.
- Specialist Dog Walkers Insurance
- A tailored policy with a choice of cover
- Public liability
- Employer’s liability
- Professional indemnity
- Care, custody and control of animals
- Custodial responsibility
- Property damage
- Money and goods in transit
- Loss of keys
Pet Plan Sanctuary is a specialist insurance provider who offers a range of pet insurance products which includes dog walkers, pet sitters, home boarding, pet groomers, dog hydrotherapists and dog clubs.
Pet Plan Sanctuary’s Dog Walkers Insurance offers a choice of cover from liability cover, care of animals cover and buildings and property cover. Their liability includes public liability, employer’s liability and professional indemnity insurance. Care of animals cover includes care, custody and control of animals cover and custodial responsibility cover. Buildings and property cover includes property damage, money cover, goods in transit, loss or theft of keys, computer and business equipment cover and specified all risks.
4. Tradesman Saver
Some of the features and benefits of Tradesman Saver’s dog walking insurance.
- Dedicated Dog Walking Insurance
- Tailored cover
- Public liability
- Products liability
- Financial loss
- Legal expenses
- Accidental death cover
- Offers a range of optional extras
- Employer’s liability
- Tools and equipment cover
Tradesman Saver is an insurance provider offering a range of tailored insurance products designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of trades and professions. Their range of packaged insurance products includes Dog Walking Insurance which offers a range of automatic and optional extra covers.
Tradesman Saver’s Dog Walking Insurance is a tailored policy that offers flexible cover. Their automatic cover includes public liability cover of £1 million which can be extended to £2 or 5 million, products liability, financial loss, legal expenses and accidental death cover. Their optional cover includes employer’s liability of £10 million, tools and equipment cover, business contents, personal accident and short-term income protection.
5. Cover4Dogwalkers
Some of the features and benefits of Cover4Dogwalkers’ dog walking insurance.
- Specialist Dog Walker Insurance
- Tailored cover
- Public liability
- Professional liability
- Non-negligent emergency vet fees
- Pet sitting, boarding and taxi cover
- Money cover
- Loss of keys
- Legal expenses
- Option to include employer’s liability
Cover4Dogwalkers is one of several trading names of Weald Insurance who offer a range of specialist niche insurance cover for pet and sports businesses. They offer specific insurance for dog walkers with a variety of insurance cover to protect the business from losses, damage and claims.
Cover4Dogwalkers’ insurance covers a wide variety of cover as standard which includes public liability, professional indemnity, non-negligent emergency vet fees cover up to £2,000, pet sitting, pet boarding, pet taxi cover, money cover, loss of keys, advertising and reward of lost pets, and legal expenses. They also offer optional £10 million of employer’s liability insurance for businesses with employees.
6. Ripe Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Ripe Insurance’s dog walking insurance.
- Dedicated Dog Walking and Dog Grooming Insurance
- Also covers pet sitting
- Tailored policy
- Flexible cover options
- Choice of public liability cover
- Employer’s liability
- Accidental death cover
- Covers any damage caused by the dogs in your care
- Part of their small business insurance product range
- Rated excellent on Trustpilot
Ripe Insurance is a specialist insurance provider that offers a range of niche products that cater for smaller businesses in sports and leisure, personal insurance and business insurance. Their business package insurance products include Dog Walker and Dog Grooming Insurance.
Ripe Insurance’s Dog Walker and Dog Grooming Insurance is a tailored policy that includes cover for pet sitting and it offers flexible cover with a variety of cover options. Their cover can include public liability insurance with the option of £1, 2 or £5 million of protection and £10 million of employer’s liability cover. They also include accidental death cover of £10,000 free with the insurance policy.
Financial Disclosure: We may be paid a fee if you purchase insurance via the Simply Business link at the top of this page.