Once you decide to become a pet sitter, you’re about to do something fun and exciting, but you will provide a service as well. Successful pet sitters suggest that pet sitters, regardless of their experiences and goals, must treat pet sitting as a business. Therefore, you must get prepared before starting your very first job as a pet sitter in your city. As part of your preparation, you should devote time to reading up on how to get pet-sitting insurance and bond.
1. Why Do You Need Insurance as a Pet Sitter?
Pet sitters are responsible for the well-being of the pets in their care. Thus, it’s important to think about – and mitigate – the risks that the pet(s) and you are exposed to. In other words: What happens if something goes wrong while you are pet-sitting outside or inside the house? Pets may swallow something not edible or dangerous, a piece of furniture gets damaged because of your negligence, etc.
If you have thought about how to get pet-sitting insurance and bond and eventually become insured and bonded, you don’t have to worry so much. Also, having insurance shows that you take your job seriously and aim at offering professional service to clients. Additionally, marketing yourself as a fully insured pet sitter will for sure make you stand out from competitors; it will help you get yourself a pet-sitting job faster.
2. What Does It Mean to Be Insured and Bonded As a Pet Sitter?
Professional pet sitters purchase bonded insurance but you must know the difference between insurance and bond. Below we described insurance that covers accidents and pays for certain costs related to them. Compensation is possible with bonds if pet sitters or employees working for a pet-sitting business steal something from the client’s home. Even if you would never break the law, a bond could provide peace of mind for both you and your clients. Many sole proprietors/sole traders are bonded.
3. What Does Pet-Sitting Insurance Usually Cover?
Insurance for pet sitters usually provides coverage for:
1. Care
This includes coverage for injury or loss of a customer’s pet, including emergency vet care, death, runaway recovery expenses, animals in transit while in your care, and even rewards for the safe return of the animal.
2. Liability
This includes general and professional liability as well as coverage if the damage is caused to a customer’s home or belongings while you are pet-sitting.
3. Property
This includes coverage for lost keys, bonding, equipment breakdown, and business contents. This type of coverage will give you tranquility and backup in case something unforeseen occurs.
On AppJobs, the Pet Sitting/Walking category presents (almost) all the app- or Internet-based platforms that connect pet parents and pet sitters in a particular city. Rover, Wag!, PetBacker, PetSitter.com, and other sites wait for people like you, seriously thinking about starting pet-sitting, to join their communities.
Platforms that offer insurance with limited coverage:
1. Rover
The Rover Guarantee pays for the expenses if a pet care provider causes damage or injuries and he or she can’t or has no intention to pay. It covers vet care for Rover dogs and the sitter’s pets, the damage to the owner’s personal property, injuries caused by Rover dogs. The amount of reimbursement to be paid are limited. Find out how much it pays in your country. Don’t forget to learn about what their insurance does not cover.
2. Wag!
With Wag!, each walk of yours is insured and bonded. However, it only protects the pets.
3. PetBacker
PetBacker offers something called Premium Protection for its users for free. It includes coverage if the pet gets injured or causes damage to third parties. In case of an accident or emergency situation, the pets are also covered. PetBacker’s insurance pays costs affiliated with vet care services, accidental injuries to the dog, and it also provides protection for pet sitters against third party claims. Read more about it here.
PetSitter.com does not offer insurance for pet sitters or pet owners but encourages them to look for the right type of coverage. This platform only facilitates contact between sitters and owners.
4. How to Get Pet-Sitting Insurance and Bond?
While you could rely on the insurance of some online platforms, you should also purchase a plan independent of those sites. A plan that is suitable for pet sitters offering services such as dog walking, dog boarding, doggy day care, dog training, pet grooming, pet taxi, etc. It is highly recommended to choose one with an annual pet insurance deductible and not one that has per-item limitations. You’ll get reimbursed more this way. In addition to that, it won’t matter if the visits take place because of unrelated issues.
• Canadians & US Americans can find some help here.
• Others can download some tips here.
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