All About Pet Grooming Insurance
This article is about Pet Grooming Insurance and how insurance for dog groomers can save you from going out of business or incurring heavy financial losses.
Are you a pet groomer looking to cash in on this lucrative, rewarding, and growing industry? Before you begin sharpening your shears and growing your client list, you’ll need to take care of a few basics, first.
Pet grooming insurance is one of them. While it might not be the most glamorous item on your list as you plan your dream shop, it’s critical to protect yourself as a business owner.
Not sure where to start? That’s why we’re here.
Read on to learn all about dog groomers insurance and pet groomers insurance.
Who Needs Pet Groomers Insurance?
Not everyone who works in a pet grooming facility will require groomers insurance. Let’s take a look at the certain entities that do.
Pet Grooming Shops
If you own a standalone, brick-and-mortar grooming shop, insurance is a must.
In the same way that a homeowner’s policy protects your personal property, groomers insurance can protect your business from the inherent risk you assume when a client brings their cherished pet through your doors.
Mobile Pet Groomers
Even if you don’t report to a physical office every day, you still need coverage as a mobile groomer. In fact, your unique setup makes you even more vulnerable.
How?
In addition to the liabilities you face once you park and begin your grooming services, you’re also at risk every time you turn on your ignition.
The issue of road mobility adds an extra layer of complexity to your case, requiring comprehensive coverage that includes commercial automobile insurance as well as business income coverage, to protect you financially if your equipment is damaged or rendered inaccessible after an automobile accident.
Pet Shops with Pet Grooming Services
Due to their combination of time-sensitive inventory and owner-centric services, pet shops have varied requirements when it comes to insurance coverage requirements, with most requiring at least some form of the following:
- Technology equipment insurance
- Spoilage coverage
- Crime insurance
- Cyber liability coverage
- Employee benefits insurance
- Workers compensation insurance
While this might cover the retail side of operations, pet shops that offer grooming services will also require coverage that extends to those activities, as well.
Pet Grooming for Independent Contractors
Similar to a mobile pet groomer, an independent contractor has myriad insurance needs to consider, including Business Automobile Liability coverage. In addition, general liability insurance is a must-have to protect both you and your business.
It’s important to understand that independent contractors have the same legal obligations as larger pet grooming companies. They also have the same liabilities. Thus, it’s important to invest in groomers insurance to stay covered.
Insurance For Pet Groomers
What kinds of coverage should you pursue as a pet groomer? Let’s take a look at a few of the most common types of groomers insurance available.
General Liability
Business owners across myriad industries are required to carry general liability insurance.
In short, this coverage protects your business from lawsuits that could arise if physical damage or personal injury occurs as a result of your operations.
Note that as a groomer, this type of groomer’s insurance doesn’t cover any liabilities that might result from the professional pet services you provide. Rather, it protects you from being held responsible if non-related injuries occur that stem from your business.
For instance, a client might trip and fall while touring your grooming facility. Or, one of your employees could knock over an expensive vase while performing in-home pet grooming or training services. In either case, general liability insurance will protect you from having to foot the sky-high bill that could ensue.
Commercial Auto
Your personal auto insurance policy might not cover all of the ways you use your vehicle for commercial purposes. If you use your vehicle to perform any part of your grooming services, you’ll need the extra support that commercial auto insurance provides.
This might include:
- When Driving to client sites to perform grooming services
- Driving your car to transport pets
- Driving your car to purchase business supplies
If you or one of your employees are driving a covered vehicle and become involved in an accident, this coverage can help protect you.
Workers Compensation
Does your pet grooming business employ a team of workers? If so, most states will require that you carry worker’s compensation insurance. This type of coverage extends benefits to your employees in the event that they suffer a work-related illness or injury.
These benefits are most often used to cover the cost of medical care and to recover wages from time off work.
At the same time, this coverage can help cover your legal fees if the compromised worker’s family sues you over the damages incurred.
Property Insurance
As its name implies, commercial property insurance protects the actual property where your business resides. In addition to the physical building itself, the coverage also extends to the equipment within its walls, regardless of whether you own or lease it.
For a pet groomer, this might include:
- Grooming tables
- Crates
- Grooming tools
- Pet leashes
- Pet collars
- Kennels
Business Income
Bit by a dog? Business Income Insurance helps make sure you can continue making an income when you are unable to work.
Your pet grooming equipment is more valuable than you might think. If you have property insurance on an item and it becomes broken, inaccessible or unusable, you could be forced to close up shop for a period of time.
In this case, business income insurance can help cover your loss of income. Want more details? Contact one of our professional pet groomer insurance specialist today
Business Owners Policy (BOP)
Most pet groomers will invest in a Business Owners Policy, or BOP. This insurance combines three common types of coverage into one comprehensive plan, including:
- General Liability
- Commercial Property
- Business Income
In addition to being a cost-effective strategy, purchasing a BOP is an ideal way to make sure your pet grooming business is covered from all angles.
Pet Grooming Insurance has Specialized policies just for Pet Groomers
In addition to the basic types of business owner insurance policies listed above, there are other, optional types of coverage that might interest pet groomers. Let’s review a few.
Professional Liability Insurance
As a professional pet groomer, you’re legally obligated to perform tasks in accordance with industry standards, codes and regulations.
Yet, it’s all too easy to become distracted or anxious around rowdy animals. If you slip up and make a mistake, those errors could result in a costly lawsuit.
Professional liability insurance can help cover the cost of your defense as you fight to maintain your good name.
Mobile Grooming Equipment
Think about the resources that you rely on to get around as a mobile pet groomer, including your grooming van and tools. What would you do if someone broke into your vehicle and stole it or the equipment inside it? Or, how would you recoup the loss if your van was damaged in an automobile accident?
You can protect yourself with Mobile Pet Groomer’s Insurance, which will help you repair or replace equipment attached to your van during the time it was damaged or stolen.
Animal Bailee Insurance
It’s a groomer’s worst nightmare, but the reality is that an animal could suffer an injury or run away while receiving services at your facility. What would you do then?
Animal bailee insurance is designed to help you cover the bills that would result, including those for:
- Veterinary services for injuries
- Advertising costs to spread the word about a lost pet
- Reward costs to help encourage community involvement in finding a lost pet
Data Breach
It’s no secret that data breaches are on the rise, primarily in companies that rely on technology as a major asset. This includes pet groomers, many of whom utilize internet-based programs to schedule services, communicate with clients and advertise their business.
Say you store personal information about your clients or employees in an online database and a hacker manages to crack into it to obtain that data. Data breach insurance can both prevent and manage the fallout that could result from that compromise.
Business Income Extension for Off-Premises Operations
This type of coverage helps restore your income if you can’t provide pet grooming services due to damage that occurred to your equipment while off-site from your primary operating location. This is especially beneficial to mobile pet groomers, whose van or tools could become damaged while working at a client location.
Bundle Insurance for Pet Groomers, Training and Boarding Businesses
Does your pet business provide training and boarding services, in addition to grooming? In this case, bundled insurance can help make sure you’re covered in an economical way.
This plan is designed as an extension or “stretch” of your basic BOP coverage.
Getting A Pet Groomer Insurance Quote
As a busy pet groomer, you have enough to worry about. Figuring out how you’re going to cover a potential loss, injury or other liability shouldn’t be one of them.
Are you looking for reliable pet grooming insurance to help protect your growing business?
If so, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re a full-service independent insurance agency, dedicated to protecting individuals, families, and businesses, including yours. Request a quote today and let’s connect!