Owning a dog grooming and boarding business is a labor of love, but it also comes with its share of risks. From potential injuries to pets and employees to unexpected property damage, the challenges can be diverse and daunting. That's why having the right insurance coverage is crucial for protecting your business and ensuring peace of mind. Here are 10 essential insurance coverages every owner of a dog grooming and boarding business should consider:
1. General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance is the backbone of your business's insurance portfolio. It protects you against claims of bodily injury, property damage, or advertising injury. Whether a customer slips and falls in your salon, is bitten by an animal while visiting, or another business claims you are using their design in your branding, general liability insurance provides coverage for legal defense costs and settlements.
2. Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance, safeguards your business against claims of negligence or mistakes in your grooming services. If a grooming procedure goes wrong or a client alleges inadequate care for their pet or that you cost them their ability to show their dog, professional liability insurance covers legal defense costs and damages.
3. Workers Compensation
Workers compensation insurance is essential for businesses with employees. It provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees who are injured or become ill on the job. It is also essential to protecting employees against bite injuries sustained while handling pets.
4. Building Property Coverage for Owned Buildings
It is vital to protect your shop if you own the building. Building property coverage is available to cover your physical location. Coverage is available on a reconstruction cost or actual cash value basis (typically market value -land). Work with your agent to determine what you would do if your shop was damaged. Would you want it re-built or would you want to move to another location. Your agent can help estimate the cost of reconstruction to the building, however, it is important to note that these are estimates only, and you are the final say in how much the building should be insured for.
5. Business Personal Property Coverage
Business personal property coverage extends protection to movable assets such as grooming tools, kennels, and office furniture. In case of theft, damage, or loss, this insurance helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your business property. Business Personal Property coverage is also typically used to insure tenant improvements and betterments for a leased location (such as an interior build-out including flooring, drywall, and permanently attached equipment to the main structure.
6. Products Liability Coverage
If your business sells grooming products or pet accessories, products liability coverage is crucial. It shields your business against claims of injury or property damage caused by products you sell or distribute. Whether it's an allergic reaction or injury from a grooming product, or collars, toys or beds that injure animals or humans, this insurance provides coverage for legal defense costs and settlements.
7. Animal Floater Coverage
Animal floater coverage, is a type of bailees coverage for animals in your care custody or control that protects against escape, death, damage, theft, or accidental injury to animals. As a dog grooming and boarding business, ensuring the safety and well-being of the pets entrusted to you is paramount. Professional liability can cover injuries arising out of services you actively perform, but just as much of a concern is injury or death one animal may cause to another. This Animal floater is a great option to cover animals from a broad range of hazards.
8. Commercial Auto Insurance
For businesses with mobile grooming operations or company vehicles, commercial auto insurance is not only a must, but often a legal obligation. Auto accidents may also be one of the largest sources of risk to a business as driving is an inherently risky activity. Commercial auto is essential if the vehicles are titled to the business. However employees running errands using personal vehicles, can also open up claims of vicarious liability to the business. Hired and or Non-owned auto coverage can extend liability coverage to protect the business from the use of vehicles it does not own.
9. Business Income and Extra Expense Insurance
Business income and extra expense insurance, or business interruption insurance, offers coverage for lost income and additional expenses incurred after a property loss. Whether it's a fire, vandalism or natural disaster or loss to your building or business personal property, this insurance ensures your business can continue operating and covering expenses during downtime.
10. Commercial Umbrella Insurance
Commercial umbrella insurance provides an extra layer of liability protection beyond the limits of your primary insurance policies. It kicks in when the limits of your underlying policies are exhausted, offering additional coverage for catastrophic events or large liability claims.
Protect Your Passion.
As a business owner, safeguarding your livelihood is essential. Having the right dog grooming and boarding insurance ensures you can worry less and focus on your furry clients. Consult with a licensed independent insurance agent to tailor an insurance package that meets your specific needs.
If you would like to work with one of our agents at Aspire Insurance Agency,
please give us a call!
(913) 904-1020