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Should You Buy Temporary Insurance for a Dog Walker?

As exciting as your dog walking job may be, there is a fair amount of risk that comes along with it.

Even if you are just walking dogs part time or even occasionally, you need temporary dog walker’s insurance in case things go awry, and for peace of mind.

Why Buy Temporary Insurance for a Dog Walker?

All dogs are lovable beings, but are also unpredictable, and accidents that do happen as a result can leave you in a serious financial bind.

You may be walking a calm dog on a bright sunny day, and it runs loose, gets hit by a car, and is injured. Another scenario is if the dog in your care runs away and bites a third party.

In both these situations, you will be liable to pay for any damages, with includes cost of legal claims, and medical bills.

Accidents can happen even when you are not out and about such as if the dog soils an expensive rug or you knock over a treasured piece of artwork at your client’s home.

Daily pet sitting insurance is geared towards protecting you in the event these accidents occur, and covers the cost of damages and injury.

What Does Temporary Dog Walker’s Insurance Cover?

The cost of temporary dog walking insurance will depend on a few factors such as your coverage limit, zip code, and size of your team.

Most insurance companies reward you with discounted premiums if they are paid annually.

So, if you are serious about your job, and want to do this for the long-term, then paying your premiums annually could be a great way to save some cash, especially if you are just starting out.

What Does Temporary Dog Walker Insurance Cover?

Even though both coverage and prices for temporary dog walker insurance varies across insurance companies, the following are generally covered under all policies.

Bodily injury – if you are walking your client’s dog, and someone walks and pets it even when you have asked them not to, and the dog bites their hand, resulting in a deep cut and couple scratches, your temporary dog walker insurance will cover third party medical costs.

3rd party property damage - similarly, if the dog under your care slips off the leash, and damages third party properly such as a TV, even if it is in your client’s home, they can sue you for damages.

Medical coverage – if your client’s dog gets sick a week or so after you walk it, the client can claim the costs of vet bills by saying that the dog ate something and fell sick while in your care.

Errors and omissions – sometimes referred to as professional liability insurance, errors and omissions protects you against any claims of negligence resulting from your temporary dog walking services.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are walking a dog short term or long term, accidents can happen. Even if the job doesn’t pay all that well, the costs of claims can leave you with major financial troubles, which is a big reason why you should buy some type of dog walker insurance.

We all know that dogs are unpredictable, which is one of the charming traits, but this may get you in big trouble as a dog walker.

Temporary dog walker’s insurance offers you the peace of mind knowing that you are covered in the event the dog in your care harms a third party—whether person or property.

Most policies even cover you against costs of injury to the dog itself, and vet bills are not cheap, where a simple visit costly upwards of $200.