When you started pet sitting you were probably advised to invest in an insurance policy (or just knew you need to!) to cover yourself if the worst happens – the clients pets are injured or lost, or the client’s home is damaged. You may have shopped around for the right coverage – or perhaps you went with the coverage offered by the one of the pet sitting associations.
Since you purchased your insurance have you started to offer other add on services, or hired employees or contract sitters? Have you re-assessed your insurance needs and checked that the insurance you have covers all liability in your current business?
To be safe make sure you can answer these questions about your policy:
1. Are your coverage limits high enough to cover the loss of pets and property of your current clients?
2. Does your insurance cover your sitting contractors and employees?
3. If you hold any events such as open houses, play days, or yappy hour does your insurance cover you if a pet or person is injured at the event?
4. Does your insurance cover you for walking multiple dogs or doing group doggie hikes or other excursions?
5. Are you covered if one of your clients pets injures another pet or person whilst out walking or at a dog park?
6. Does your policy cover you if you are caring for pets in your own home, or the homes of your employees or contractors?
7. Does your insurance premium increase with the more you earn in your business? If so, is the insurance that you currently purchase the lowest price available to you?
8. Is your insurance dependent on you remaining a member of a pet sitting association? What happens if you choose not to renew your membership or you lose your membership?
Make sure you check up on your insurance coverage by checking with your agent and asking questions.
There are now many insurance options for pet sitters including Mourer-Foster’s Kennel Pro program and Pet Sitters Associates LLC. Do some shopping around to make sure you have the right coverage and that you are not paying too much!
For those of you who are members of the Assocation of Pet Sitting Excellence - you can now ask Dennis Stowers of Mourer-Foster your insurance questions on our forums. Dennis will be joining us regularly to answer member questions.
I am brand new to the business. I totally see the logic in having to pay insurance, training etc. But I find it frustrating because I want to get started right away and I have no money. How can I make money if there are so many financial road blocks for me to get started? I have only just started researching this business and I find my hands are literally tied before I can even start. And here we are, summer, the busiest time to carry on this kind of business. But it is thousands of dollars to pay for insurance, training, forms, pet association fees, etc. etc. It is never ending. The only other thing I can do is roll the dice and take my chances. The money just isn’t there for me.
On the other hand, your tips are very good. This is a very nice website. You are obviously an expert.