Why do dog walkers need insurance?
Dog walkers need insurance for several reasons, primarily to protect themselves and the dogs they care for.
Compensation demands for a lost dog
Dogs can get lost or stolen during a walk. Your client may hold you responsible and demand the cost of recovery or replacement from you.
Blame for an injury or illness
If a dog under your care gets injured or becomes ill while on a walk, the owner may blame you and ask that you pay all the vet bills.
Accusations of causing an injury to another person or dog
While walking multiple dogs in public spaces, there is always a risk of accidents, such as a dog biting another person or injuring another dog. A claim could be filed against you, the dog walker.
Property damage claims
Dogs can sometimes damage property or belongings while on a walk. For example, a dog might chew on a client's fence or destroy a neighbour's garden.
Allegations of dog mishandling
An owner may blame you for behavioural issues of their dog. They may claim mishandled their dog and demand compensation.
Dog walking liability insurance
Dog walking liability insurance is designed to protect individuals or businesses that offer professional dog walking services. This insurance provides coverage for liability claims that may arise in the course of dog walking activities. These are the key components and features of dog walking liability insurance:
- Purpose: The primary purpose of dog walking liability insurance is to cover the costs associated with legal claims against you.
- Coverage: Cover includes legal expenses, settlements, or judgments if a claim is made against you, the dog walker for incidents that occur while walking the dogs.
- Policy triggers: The cover under your dog walking liability insurance will be triggered if someone tries to legally claim compensation from you for a bodily injury or property damage.
- Legal defence: If your claim is accepted, you will be provided with legal representation and all the costs will be covered by your insurance company.
Public liability insurance for dog walking
If you’re accused that your activities of dog walking led to an accident that resulted in an injury or property damage, you could be sued for compensation.
As a dog walker, you’re always in public space with one or more dogs in your care. Often those dogs will be off their leash running freely around a park.
A lot can happen in this situation. One of the dogs can jump in front of a cyclist and cause a serious accident. Another dog can pick a fight with another canine or bite a person.
The list of examples is endless and you should never undertake dog walking for other dogs owners without a public liability insurance.
What does public liability for dog walkers cover?
Public liability claims rarely result in substantial compensation claims, but when combined with legal defence costs, a lawsuit can quickly add up.
Cover includes:
- accidental injury or death
- accidental property damage
For example a dog in your care:
- Has bitten another dog or a person
- Caused a cycling or car accident
- Caused damage to someone’s front garden
Professional indemnity insurance for dog walkers
Most dogs walkers only public liability insurance to cover them against unfortunate accidents. However, dog walkers can be also accused of wrongdoing, negligence or failing their duty of care which is why they need professional indemnity insurance as part of their dog walker liability insurance.
What does professional indemnity insurance for dog walkers cover?
An accident is something that you have no control over
Cover responds to client accusations of:
- Breach of your duties
- Acting negligently
- Failing your duty of care
For example, a client may accuse you of:
- Mistreating a dog
- Forgetting to lock the front door which resulted in a burglary
- An error of judgement leading a dog’s injury or death
- Negligence that led of a loss of a dog
What about dog insurance for dog walkers?
As a dog walker you should always check with the owner whether a dog is insured and at which veterinary practice the dog is registered. This information ensures that in the unfortunate event of an accident, you are well-prepared to take immediate action and provide necessary care for the dog.
While certain dog walking insurance policies offer coverage for veterinary expenses incurred if a dog is injured while in your care, it's important to remember that an injury or illness isn't necessarily a direct result of your actions. In many cases, such incidents occur unpredictably, and it is primarily the responsibility of the dog's owner to manage any associated vet bills.
Opting to make a claim on your own insurance may seem like a viable solution, but it comes with potential drawbacks. Firstly, the dog owner may be less inclined to reimburse you for the vet bills, which can be substantial. Moreover, filing a claim can impact your insurance history and potentially make it more challenging to secure insurance coverage in the future. It's important to carefully consider these factors before making a decision.
Shopping for dog walking insurance
Not many insurers offer dog walking insurance and even fewer offer on a flexible basis which allows you to make changes or cancellations without additional cost.
Dog walking insurance cost
Some providers offer rock-bottom prices, but after-sales service could be lacklustre. Check how easy it is to get in contact with your insurance provider. At Suited, we offer several options and answer quickly.
The reputation of the insurer is important
It is often tempting to purchase the cheapest deal on the market. However, double-check who you are buying from and the insurers underwriting your policy. This information should be made very clear to you before purchase.
Many providers charge fees to change or cancel
Occasionally, updates to your personal or business details are needed. Ensure you understand whether amendments have associated costs; this also goes for cancellations. Will you have to pay a fee, and will you have to give 30 days' notice rather than just be able to cancel immediately?
Some policy wordings are restrictive or have a high excess
Some providers will offer attractive prices, but it is at the expense of cover given. Suited professional indemnity and public liability have £0 excess.
