What is Mobile Pet Grooming Insurance?
Mobile pet grooming insurance has saved countless business owners and mobile pet groomers from going out of business or financial ruin. You never think it’ll happen to you until it does. You’ve groomed hundreds of dogs, but you notice that the clippers must have nicked his ear! Don’t freak out because accidents happen and the dog won’t have lasting damage.
Not all groomers care about their client’s pets, like you! Recent research found that about 47 dogs died during a grooming procedure at one popular brand of pet store over the last 10 years!
As a business owner, you should have mobile pet grooming insurance to protect your business against any lawsuits. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about insuring your mobile pet grooming business.
The Most Popular Type of Mobile Pet Grooming Insurance is a Business Owners Policy (BOP)
This kind of policy covers protection for all major property and liability risks in one convenient place! Also, combining your coverages often costs less than getting individual policies. It’s like a one-stop-shop for all your business’ insurance needs!
Remember, the aim of insuring your mobile pet grooming business is to reduce the cost of the most common grooming accidents. If there is a criminal offense, your insurance policy won’t help you get out of trouble.
Types of Mobile Pet Grooming Insurance for a Business and Pet Groomers
There are several different aspects of mobile dog grooming insurance policies. These are examples of the kinds of coverages you should see in a comprehensive insurance policy built for pet groomers. Keep in mind that most companies allow you to change the amount of coverage or even refuse certain types of coverage to help stay within your budget.
General Liability
This section of the insurance policy covers things like a dog harness getting damaged or if someone gets bitten by another person’s dog. For the most part, third-party claims will fall under the general liability area of the insurance policy.
Commercial Auto
One section of insurance coverage that every mobile groomer needs is commercial auto coverage! Even if you never put the pet into your vehicle, it needs to have commercial auto insurance coverage. It’s like the regular auto insurance you have on your car. Commercial Auto insurance breaks down into collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, and liability coverage.
Workers Compensation
For those who have employees that work for the business (in any capacity), you also need Worker’s Compensation insurance. Not carrying this coverage could land you in federal trouble, so it’s best to make sure you’re covered!
Not only do injuries from the animals fall under this section, but any injury an employee may sustain while on duty. This kind of coverage helps an employee make up for lost wages and even medical costs if they became injured while they were on the clock.
To keep the cost of your Worker’s Compensation insurance low, teach your employees tricks to prevent injuries while at work.
Commercial Property
This coverage protects your business’ property from dangers like theft, natural disasters, and fire. Most businesses, including dog grooming businesses, carry commercial property insurance. It helps you keep the business afloat in the case of property loss.
Other Types of Mobile Pet Grooming Insurance Coverage to Think About
Those aren’t the only insurance coverage you should consider. Here are a few more kinds of insurance coverage a pet grooming business needs in a full-coverage insurance policy.
Professional Liability
This type of coverage is for protecting businesses like yours against liability incurred because of errors and accidents. For instance, if your client wanted a puppy cut and you gave them a full shave.
Business Income and Off-Premises Operations
When a business operates at an off-premises job-site, the risk of damaging any tools and/or equipment will increase. Business income insurance helps cover any loss of income when your equipment isn’t functional or gets damaged. You can also use this coverage to help with the costs of renting temporary equipment.
Animal Bailee
When you take over custody or control of the personal property (in this case an animal) of another person, you’re considered a bailee. That means you’re responsible for anything that happens to those pets while they’re in your custody!
This kind of insurance coverage is one of the most important for a groomer to have because it covers any injury or death of an animal in your possession. Everything from mild skin irritation to loss of a limb would fall under this area of the insurance coverage.
Why It’s Important to Get Coverage From an Agent Who Knows Mobile Pet Grooming Insurance
Any insurance agent would love to help you get your mobile pet grooming business insured. They may even be super helpful and kind. But, if your insurance agent doesn’t know much about pet grooming business insurance needs, you may not get the correct types of coverage.
The last thing you want is to get caught underinsured or to overpay for insurance coverage you don’t need! So, look for an experienced insurance agent who knows about dog groomer insurance and how to get you only the coverage you need.
Insuring Your Business Is Doggone Smart
Even a part-time grooming business owner needs to consider having mobile pet grooming insurance. While we can take steps to prevent them, there’s no way to guarantee that no injuries occur when you involve sharpened grooming tools.
Make sure to do your research and find an excellent company that can give you the coverage you need at a cost that fits within your budget.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a thing or two about mobile grooming insurance. If you want more information about pet business insurance or if you have any questions, contact us today!