Do you need insurance to be a dog walker?

If you’re a dog lover, walking them can be a rewarding way to make money. Dog walking gives you the chance to get your daily exercise while bonding with some fluffy and adorable pets. For some, this business might be a way to make money on the side, while others see it as their calling for a full-time career. 

However, like any business, dog walking comes with risks, which is why insurance is a worthwhile investment. This guide will cover:

• Why dog walkers need insurance
• What insurance is available for dog walkers
• How Countingup can help you as a dog walker

Since your business cares for animals, you want to give those pups the best possible time without worrying about what might happen. Additionally, dog owners trust you with their pet. They expect you to be careful and reliable. 

Taking out dog walking insurance shows clients that you’re serious about what you do and gives you peace of mind that you’re covered against a range of potential issues. Owners might even refuse to let you walk their dog if you don’t have insurance. 

When searching for the right insurance package, consider what service you plan to offer. Will you simply take dogs for a walk to the park, or will you offer pet sitting and grooming services as well? 

It is also worth considering the following:

• Are you collecting dogs from their homes?
• Do you have clients’ house keys? 
• Are you transporting dogs to parks in your car? 

The point is to make sure you’re completely covered in case anything happens. Insurance will provide peace of mind for you and your clients.

Below you’ll find a list of types of insurance covers that will be useful to most dog walkers.

This cover essentially protects the dogs you come into contact with and should be a major part of your insurance policy. As the name suggests, this insurance is useful if a dog in your care, custody, or control, gets injured, goes missing, or (in a worst-case scenario) dies.

Having this insurance in place means you’re covered against any veterinary bills that may occur as a result of the incident. However, this insurance only covers your potential negligence, meaning it doesn’t apply if the dog has previous medical conditions or disabilities.

Public liability insurance protects your business against any claims made if a member of the public is hurt or harmed while dealing with your business. As a dog walker, you’ll likely be out and about in public, meaning you’ll come into contact with a lot of people. 

Should a member of the public get injured because of a dog in your care, public liability insurance will cover any compensation or legal costs. Examples of such an incident could be if the dog attacks another person or runs in front of a car, causing it to veer off the road. 

Public liability insurance also covers any damage to property. So, if your or the dogs’ actions cause damage to a car or personal property, the legal defence costs are taken care of by your insurance.

Since public liability insurance doesn’t cover any injury to you, you might want to take out personal accident insurance as well. This policy means you and any loved ones you choose to include will be financially protected in case of an injury or even death. Personal accident cover means you’ll have money to pay your medical bills if needed.

As a business owner, especially one that’s out and about walking sometimes unpredictable dogs, there’s a strong argument for taking out personal accident insurance. Unless you work for a dog walking business, you don’t have an employer to fall back on if an accident forces you out of work.

Personal accident insurance also doesn’t require the accident to have happened at work for you to be covered. Therefore, it might be wise to take out this cover even if you don’t work in a high-risk environment. If you enjoy risky sports, like bungee jumping or rock climbing, personal accident insurance could give you extra peace of mind.

Most businesses need specialised equipment to run and carry out their jobs. While yours as a dog walker may be limited to collars, leads and little else, protecting the equipment you do use is important. 

Having cover in place in case any equipment you use for your dog walking business gets broken, lost or stolen, will put your mind at ease knowing you’ll be able to replace it.

Sometimes accidents happen that are beyond your control. Dogs in your care could get injured without you doing anything wrong, such as tripping or stepping on something sharp. 

Non-negligence insurance protects you in case a pup hurts itself, even though you did everything right, and you need to take it to the vet. This policy will cover any vet bills or other compensation you need to make to the dog’s owners.

Since veterinary costs can easily add up, the owners might feel that your business should pay if the accident happened on your watch. With non-negligence insurance, you can rest assured knowing you’re protected and don’t have to bankrupt yourself by paying expensive vet bills out of your own pocket.

Superscript has several insurance packages designed to suit varying types of businesses. 

Once you have your insurance cover in place and are ready to start your dog walking business, you’d be wise to open a business current account like Countingup. Having a professional business account helps you separate your personal and business transactions and keep your financial admin organised.

Bookkeeping and tax admin can be stressful, especially if you’re new to it.

Countingup makes it simple.

Countingup is the unique business current account with built-in accounting software that automates the time-consuming aspects of your financial admin, so that you can focus on getting your dog walking business up and running. You can create and send invoices to your clients in seconds and on-the-go. The best part? It can all be done in the palm of your hand with a simple app.

Find out more here and sign up free today.