What Types of Insurance Do I Need for My Dog Walking Business?

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance — also known as GL insurance, or commercial general liability insurance — can be essential coverage for dog walkers who want to protect their business finances from claims involving:

• Third-party accidents: If one of your client’s dogs gets loose from its leash and causes someone walking by to trip, fall, and break their ankle, your business could be liable for the medical bills associated with their injuries.

• Property damage: If a dog you’re walking relieves itself on a neighbor’s prized shrub — thereby killing it — your business could be liable for the costs of replacing that shrub.

• Medical expenses: If one of your client’s dogs bites someone while you’re taking it for a walk, your business would likely be responsible for paying that person’s medical bills, plus missed work, and any other related expenses.

• And more (we’ll talk about this in a bit)

Dog walking can definitely be risky, especially if one of the dogs gets out of your control and gets away from you. General liability insurance gives you back a little of that control by ensuring you don’t have to personally pay for the full amount of covered claims.

And that’s a good thing. With the average customer injury claim coming in at a whopping $30,000, dog walking liability insurance can help ensure that your business doesn’t lose money resulting from an unfortunate accident.

It’s not just your business that’s protected, either. Having dog walking liability insurance means you may not have to dip into your personal finances — or your family’s — if a claim comes up.

Let’s face it: We love our canine companions. But they’re still animals, which means you can’t always control what they’ll do 100% of the time or how they’ll react when you’re walking them.

That’s why it’s a good idea for your business to carry general liability insurance.

Here’s a quick overview of what your GL insurance may cover:

• Bodily injury to another person
• Third-party property damage
• Personal and advertising injury
• Medical expenses
• And more

Here’s what GL insurance typically doesn’t cover:

• Damage to your own property
• Professional services
• Workers compensation or injury to your employees
• Damage to your work
• Motor vehicles while in business use
• Intentional injury or damage
• And more

Don’t forget: You can combine your general liability insurance with tools and equipment coverage (also known as inland marine insurance). This policy option covers the costs to replace any equipment that may have been lost, damaged, or stolen while performing your work.

So if someone snatched your dog leashes, your policy would have you covered!

Workers Compensation Insurance

If your dog walking business has grown to include one or two employees — even if they’re just part-time — you may need to get workers compensation insurance, depending on your location.

Workers compensation is a type of insurance coverage that can cover an employee’s medical bills — including lost wages and rehabilitation costs — if they get sick or injured on the job.

For example, if one of your part-time walkers gets bitten by one of your client’s dogs, your workers compensation policy may cover the cost of the medical bills (up to your policy’s limits).

In most states, employers are required to carry workers compensation insurance, so it’s a good idea to have it.

Plus, when it comes to dogs, accidents can happen. For example, what if one of your client’s dogs gets too excited and snaps at your employee’s hand, or the dogs get their leashes twisted up and your employee trips and falls?

Either way, your workers compensation policy may have you covered.

To recap, workers compensation insurance for dog walkers can cover:

• Medical payments
• Lost wages
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Death benefits