Pet Business Insurance

small business owner protected by pet business insurance

Confidently Care for Furry Companions With Pet Business Insurance

Whether you're pet sitting, dog walking, training or grooming, your focus is on the well-being of the animals in your care. As a pet care professional, you deserve an insurance partner who will help protect your business. With pet care insurance, you can focus on what you do best: providing exceptional care to the pets you love.
 
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What Do I Need for Pet Business Insurance?

Many pet business owners start with a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) because of the peace of mind it provides. A BOP includes three essential types of coverage most business owners need:
 
  • General liability insurance to help protect your pet company from claims it caused bodily injury or property damage to others.
  • Commercial property insurance to help protect your owned or rented building, as well as tools, equipment, inventory or supplies that you use to operate your pet business.
  • Business income insurance to help replace your lost income if you can't operate your pet business because of covered property loss.
We know each pet business owner has unique needs. That’s why we've made it easy for you to add more coverage to your BOP for extra protection.
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Help protect your company with insurance solutions designed to meet the needs of pet businesses.
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How Much Is Insurance for Pet Businesses?

Insurance costs vary, but here are the average costs that The Hartford’s small business customers pay for common types of coverage:**
 
  • BOP: $1,687 a year, or about $141 a month
  • Standalone general liability insurance: $810 a year, or about $68 a month
  • Workers’ compensation insurance: $1,032 a year, or about $86 a month
It's important to remember that no two pet businesses are the same. Insurers also use different factors to determine rates, so your cost may be different than the average. The best way to find out how much pet care insurance costs is to get a quote.
business owner protected by Insurance for Pet Care Businesses

Proof of Insurance: Easy and Quick

We know how valuable your time is. That's why we've made it easy to get a certificate of insurance (COI) online. You can request one any day of the week at any time.

Taking Care of Your Team

Your employees are integral to the happiness and well-being of the pets in your care, but the nature of their work means they face unique risks every day. Having the right type of business insurance can give you and your employees confidence in case the unexpected happens.
In 2022, 11 of every 100 full-time veterinary service employees had a nonfatal injury or illness - nearly four times as high as the average incident rate.2
workers' compensation insurance for pet businesses

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

“My employee was holding a dog while giving it a haircut when it got scared and nipped her. Her hand started bleeding and she ended up needing to go to urgent care.”
 
Workers’ compensation insurance gives your employees benefits to help them recover from a work-related injury. It can help pay their medical bills, ongoing care costs or lost wages if they can't work.
animal bailee insurance for pet businesses

Animal Bailee

“I was training a dog to walk on a leash when I tripped and fell. I lost control of the lead, and the dog ran off.”
 
The Hartford's animal bailee coverage can help protect your business if an animal in your care gets accidentally injured or lost. It can help pay for advertising and reward costs to help you search for and recover a lost pet.

Covering Your Operations

From property damage to accidents, unforeseen issues can cause major interruptions to your pet business. If you can't work with your clients, it means you won't get paid. You may even have to pause your business operations for longer if the damage is severe. Pet business insurance can help get you back up and running in the event of a professional disruption.
Downtime costs a small business an average of $137 to $427 a minute.3
data breach insurance for pet businesses

Data Breach Insurance

“I logged into my client software and found out our account was hacked. The attackers stole our clients’ contact information and payment details.”
 
Data breach insurance can help your business respond to a breach if personally identifiable information (PII) gets lost or stolen. This coverage is also known as cyber insurance.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance for pet businesses

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)

“I had to end a contract with a vendor because we were constantly getting supply deliveries late. I was shocked when I found out the vendor sued my business for wrongful termination and harassment.”
 
Our employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) is included in a BOP and can help protect your business from employment-related claims, such as wrongful termination, discrimination or harassment. With The Hartford, our coverage can help cover claims made by customers or vendors.

Protecting Your Property

As a small business owner, one of the largest risks you face is damage to your property. From your computers and files to your leashes and treats, the tools and equipment you use to operate are vital to your business. Pet business insurance coverage can help protect you if that property gets lost or stolen.
Recent studies show 40% of small businesses close after a disaster.4
commercial property insurance for pet businesses

Animal Damage to Buildings

“One of my clients’ dogs is especially anxious. One day after getting dropped off, she scratched a hole through the drywall of my doggy daycare. I had to hire a contractor to repair the damage.”
 
Our Animal Damage to Buildings coverage helps pay for damage to buildings or business property caused by animals in your care.
commercial auto insurance for pet busineses

Commercial Auto Insurance

“We offer a mobile grooming service to give our customers flexibility in scheduling. When one of my groomers was leaving a client's house, they accidentally backed into their mailbox.”
 
Commercial auto insurance helps keep you and your employees safe on the road when driving a business-owned vehicle for work. It can help cover claims of property damage or bodily injury from an accident involving a business vehicle.

Safeguard Your Pet Business With The Hartford

With more than 200 years of experience, The Hartford understands the unique risks faced by businesses like yours. Our specialists can work with you to make sure you get the right type of pet business insurance specially tailored to your needs. Whether you have questions about coverage and insurance policies, or need help with filing a claim, we're here for you.
 
Learn more about other related professions we can help protect:
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Business Insurance

Working with animals every day has its perks. And although you aim to run your pet business perfectly, things can happen. Without insurance coverage, your business and finances could be at risk. Pet business insurance, which consists of different types of insurance coverage, can give you peace of mind, so you can focus on your clients and customers.
Your pet insurance may be considered a business expense and tax deductible if it's ordinary and necessary. That means it's a common, accepted and appropriate expense in your industry. Be sure to ask your tax professional if the premiums you pay for pet business insurance are truly an expense.
Our customers pay an average of $1,248 a year for a BOP, and about $1,260 a year for workers' compensation insurance.5
On average, The Hartford's pet grooming customers pay:6
 
  • BOP: $1,193, or about $99 a month
  • Standalone general liability insurance: $922 a year, or about $77 a month
  • Workers' compensation insurance: $1,800 a year, or about $150 a month
small business owner happy after getting a pet business insurance quote from The Hartford

Pet Business Insurance You Can Trust

Get a quote for pet business insurance and see how The Hartford can protect your livelihood.
 
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Last Updated: April 10, 2025
** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Incidence Rates of Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses by Industry and Case Types"
 
3 Pingdom, "Average Cost of Downtime Per Industry"
 
4 Business.com, "From COVID-19 to Hurricane Season: Disaster Preparedness for Small Business"
This page outlines in general terms the coverages that may be afforded under a policy from The Hartford. All policies must be examined carefully to determine suitability for your needs and to identify any exclusions, limitations or any other terms and conditions that may specifically affect coverage. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of the policy prevail.
 
All Hartford coverages and services described on this page may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. In Arizona, California, New Hampshire, Texas, and Washington by Hartford Fire Insurance Company, Hartford Casualty Insurance Company, Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company, Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company, Twin City Fire Insurance Company, Pacific Insurance Company, Limited, Sentinel Insurance Company, LTD (CA license #8701), Hartford Lloyd's Insurance Company, Hartford Insurance Company of Illinois, Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest, Trumbull Insurance Company, Hartford Insurance Company of the Southeast, and Property & Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford and its property and casualty insurance company affiliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155.
 
Additional disclosures below.
The Hartford shall not be liable for any damages in connection with the use of any information provided on this page. Please consult with your insurance agent/broker or insurance company to determine specific coverage needs as this information is intended to be educational in nature.
 
The information contained on this page should not be construed as specific legal, HR, financial, or insurance advice and is not a guarantee of coverage. In the event of a loss or claim, coverage determinations will be subject to the policy language, and any potential claim payment will be determined following a claim investigation.
 
Certain coverages vary by state and may not be available to all businesses. All Hartford coverages and services described on this page may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. listed in the Legal Notice.
 
The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, CT. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s Legal Notice.
 
* Customer reviews are collected and tabulated by The Hartford and not representative of all customers.
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