Dog walker insurance
One application, multiple quotes.
All in one place.
Essential Protection
From
$20.75
/month*
Could help cover claims against your business for property damage and injuries to others.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $100K to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
Essential Protection
From
$20.75
/month*
Could help cover claims against your business for property damage and injuries to others.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $100K to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
Would you rather pick and choose your coverage? Explore all options
Over 1 million customers worldwide.
Buy instantly online.
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Why Does a Dog Walker Need Business Insurance?
While every dog walking business is different, there are some risks that are unique (and, unfortunately, common) to the dog walking industry. From property damage to dog bites, it’s important for a professional dog walker to protect themselves with comprehensive insurance coverage.
Your dog walking business is your passion. That’s why you should consider protecting it with dog walker insurance from Simply Business.
Policies Available for Dog Walker Insurance:
- General liability insurance
- Workers compensation insurance
Benefits:
- It can protect your business from certain claims.
- It can help cover damages caused by your negligence.
- Proof of insurance can help clients feel good about your work.
- Business insurance may be required where you’re located.
What Type of Dog Walking Business Insurance Do I Need?
General Liability
A foundational insurance coverage to help handle costs from third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.
From
$20.75
/month*
From
$25.83
/month*
Workers’ Comp
Coverage to help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Most states require this coverage for small businesses with full- or part-time employees. It also can benefit business owners who don’t have employees.
From
$38.91
/mon*
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
General liability, property insurance, and more all in one convenient package.
From
$33.75
/mon*
Equipment and Business Property
Also known as inland marine insurance, this coverage can financially protect equipment and inventory that’s in transport or stored offsite.
From
$20.83
/month‡
Business insurance —
a quick explainer
Learn more about policies for small businesses, what they cover, why you might need them, and how we can help – all in just 60 seconds.
Business insurance is often made up of different types of policies to cover different things, similar to how your health insurance can be made up of medical dental and vision coverage. Here are some of the ones small business owners need. General liability is kind of the Swiss army knife of insurance. It can do a lot, like help handle costs from third party accidents, property damage, bodily injury, and more. Nobody’s perfect, right? That’s what professional liability is for. It could come in handy in the event of honest mistakes or claims of negligence. Workers’ comp can protect your business and help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Small businesses are big targets for cyber criminals. Cyber Insurance can help cover costs associated with stolen customer data, cyber attacks, breaches, and fraud. BOP or a business owners policy combines different types of coverages like general liability and commercial property insurance. Putting them together for you is where we come in. You tell us a bit about your business online or on the phone, and we customize the coverage options for what you do and what you need. It’s your business, it should be your insurance as well. That’s why we’re here.
Need more detail? Read our FAQs:
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
Why Should I Get Dog Walker Insurance For My Business?
Understandably, life coach insurance may feel like a considerable expense, especially if you’re Whether you’re just starting out with your dog walking business or you’ve been at it for a while, you may not be 100% convinced that you need dog walking business insurance.
After all, you’ve been careful so far. Why pay for something you’re not even sure you need?
The thing is, though, you probably do need it. Business insurance is a lot like having auto insurance — it’s not something you think about all the time, but you’ll be glad to have coverage if a pricey accident does happen.
Think that a claim won’t happen? Think again: A study found that there’s a 40% likelihood that your business will experience a property or liability loss within the next ten years.
And unless you have dog walker insurance, the cost of those losses may come directly out of your bank account.
Plus, you never know when one of your clients might decide to sue your business. Even if you did nothing wrong, you’d still have to pay for a lawyer to defend you, and that could cost a large chunk of money.
Fortunately, business insurance covers many of the above costs (including attorney’s fees). And with several policies carrying a $0 deductible, you may not have to pay a single penny to deal with a claim or lawsuit that’s within your policy limits.
If you need a little more convincing, dog walker insurance also can:
Meet any legal requirements in your city, county, or state Help clients feel confident that their dog is in good hands Help you rent a workspace, if you decide you need an office Help you get a small business loan, if proof of insurance is required
There are so many advantages to having business insurance. And it doesn’t cost much to protect your business.
What Does Dog Walker Insurance Cost
Try our insurance calculator.
Get a quick estimate in just 3 steps.
Dog Walker Insurance FAQs
The state or city (or both!) where you operate your dog walking business may require you to have proof of insurance, especially if you have employees.
However, even if you’re not required to have any type of business insurance policy, it’s still a good idea to get coverage. Here’s why:
- It helps ensure you don’t have to use your business or personal finances to pay for any claims.
- It can cover legal costs (like hiring a lawyer) if you’re sued by a client.
- It may make it easier to get dog walking clients, as it shows you take their (and their pooch’s!) protection seriously.
- It can help you get any licenses or leases that may require proof of coverage.
In general, you can deduct your insurance premiums when filing your business’s taxes. But we’re not tax experts, so it’s a good idea to talk to a tax professional or an accountant if you have additional questions.
The amount of insurance coverage you may need will depend on a number of factors, including:
- Your location
- How long you’ve been in business
- Your experience in the industry
- Your payroll (aka the number of employees you have)
- Your annual revenue
- And more
Those bits of information are helpful for creating a customized insurance package that helps cover all of your needs!
If you’re thinking of buying business insurance, it’s helpful to have the following information on hand when requesting a quote:
- Annual revenue estimates
- Payroll estimates
- Information on any previous claims
Having this information at hand can make it easier to get a quote from one of our insurers in under 10 minutes.
Your business insurance coverage can be customized to cover you against the most common risks you face as a dog walker.
For example, a bundled plan that includes general liability insurance and workers compensation (if you have employees) can cover:
- Bodily injury
- Accidents and damages
- Employee injuries
- Unintentional mistakes
- And more
So whether you need a bundled plan or you just want general liability coverage, Simply Business can help you find the coverage you need, at the price you can afford.
There’s no one set insurance cost for dog walkers, as policies are customized to your specific risks and needs. Your insurance premium is usually determined by:
- Your payroll
- Where you’re located
- The dog walking services you provide
- Annual revenue estimates
- And more
Want to see how much your business insurance coverage may cost? Answer a few questions about your business, and in just a few minutes, you could see policy options from the nation’s top insurers!
Why Small Businesses Choose Simply Business
Small business insurance is what we do. Whether it’s covering you for accidents and errors, meeting workers’ comp requirements, or financially protecting your business from the unexpected, we can help find the coverage you need for your business.
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I went online, looked around, and found Simply Business. The process was so seamless. I got my certificate within minutes. It was just phenomenal.
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Owner of Room to Breathe Professional Organizing
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*The displayed price for each product is a monthly estimate calculated from the 10th percentile of relevant policies sold by Simply Business (e.g., General Liability data is used for General Liability estimates). This estimate uses data from relevant policy sales between July–December 2025. Final price and payment terms, which may include an initial down payment, are subject to change based on your state, selected insurance provider, and specific business details.
† Limits may vary by state and nature of your business.
‡ Displayed price is based on the lowest available coverage limit for Equipment and Small Tools policies.
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