Dog Walking Insurance
Specialist insurance for dog walkers & dog walking businesses from just £5.41* per month.
- Protecting over 26,000 pet care professionals.**
- Flexible payment plans at 0% APR
- Public Liability up to £10 million
- Care, Custody and Control of animals
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From £5.41* per month
What does dog walker insurance cover?
If you’re a dog walker, our insurance has you covered against everyday risks. We include public liability as a standard feature, and you can pick the level of cover that works for the service you offer.
Specialist extras such as equipment cover, care, custody, and control and personal accident are available and can be tailored to your needs. Whether you operate an ad hoc dog walking service, a regular day-to-day business or additional pet care services our customer support team is here to help you select the right cover and answer any queries.
It’s also worth checking up on the latest laws for dog walkers.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for the activities you offer and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Loss of Keys
Care, Custody & Control
Equipment
Close Family Extension
Public Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims by a third-party who sustains injuries or has their property damaged, whereby you or your business is responsible.
Loss of Keys
- Key Cover up to £10,000.
- Cover includes new keys and locks, the cost of re-setting intruder alarms and associated call-out costs if you were to lose them.
Care, Custody & Control of Animals
- Cover up to £100,000 – £25,000 limit for any one Animal.
- If an animal in your care (or your staff) is: Accidentally lost; Suffers an injury; Becomes ill; Suffers a fatality.
Equipment
- £250 of equipment included.
- Add up to £30,000 of equipment cover.
- Grooming, training and other business tools covered.
- Protection against theft, loss and accidental damage, allowing you to replace items to the value you select.
Non-Negligent Cover
- Similar to the Care, Custody and Control protection If an animal suffers during the course of service delivery through no fault of your business:
- Accidental loss, Injury & Illness, Death of an animal in your care.
Close Family Extension
- Close family members are covered within the Public Liability, to assist you with your business. This includes your husband, wife, son, daughter or other close family.
- You don’t need to take out Employers’ Liability with this extension.
Loss of Money
- Cover for losses up to £1,000 or £5,000 of physical money (coins or notes) obtained through your insured activities. This money is covered while at your business premises, your home, or the home of any partner, director, or authorised employee, as well as when in transit for business trips.
- Up to £1,000 of cover for losses due to dishonest acts by any employee. Claims must be made within 14 days of discovering the loss, and you should take all reasonable steps to prevent such losses.
Travel Expense Reimbursement
- If a pet in your care is accidentally killed, stolen, or goes missing for more than 48 hours, we’ll cover the owner’s extra travel expenses. So, if the owner has to cut their holiday short because of their pet’s death, for example, we’ll reimburse up to £1,000 of their extra costs.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims against employee incidents if someone suffers a work-related injury and brings a claim against you.
Legal Expenses
- Up to £100,000 indemnity for legal defence and tax protection.
- Access to 24-hour helpline, for legal, tax, or counselling, to support you in running your business.
Professional Indemnity
- Up to £1 million of cover.
- This protects you from damages caused by your mistakes, errors, or negligence in your professional work, including those made by your employees.
Personal Accident
- Up to £25,000, subject to those insured being under eighty (80) years of age.
- This policy covers specified individuals for any accidents that may occur while conducting the insured business activities. It is a benefit policy that provides fixed amounts based on the type of injury sustained, including coverage for accidental death, loss of sight or limbs, and temporary total disablement.
- Dog walkers are limited to walk a maximum of 6 dogs at one time.
- Dogs or crossbreeds of dogs classified under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. Refer to government websites for updates in the law.
- Pre-existing medical conditions in animals.
- Injuries to animals you own can occur during incidents that happen while caring for other animals or during your personal time.
- Caring for non-domestic animals.
- Your business operating without a licence when a licence is a mandatory requirement e.g. animal boarding.
For further information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do you need dog walking business insurance?
Walking your clients’ dogs is a fantastic service, but it does come with its own set of risks. Even if the dog owners have insurance, you’re responsible while the dog is in your care. Any incidents could lead to expensive claims against you.
Here are some examples highlighting the situations why insurance is required for professional dog walking:
Protect against claims if a member of the public gets injured.
Dogs can be unpredictable, with risks of injury to themselves, other dogs or people which could occur under your responsibility. For example, if a dog you’re walking causes an injury to a member of the public, or a dog gets loose and causes damage to someone’s property. A claim might be made against you.
Having public liability cover can help protect you from claims if these incidents occur.
Financial protection from vet expenses.
If a dog has an accident during a walk with you or if a dog you’re walking causes an injury to another dog in your care requiring treatment, you might be responsible for some large vet bills.
Care, Custody, and Control cover protects you if an animal is lost, injured, becomes ill, or suffers a fatality while in your care.
Protect against a clients’ lost key.
Whilst juggling tasks you lose your clients’ key and need to replace it. Loss of a key means you need to call out a locksmith to gain entry to the property.
Cover the costs of a simple mistake with loss of key cover, covering new keys and locks, the cost of re-setting intruder alarms and associated call-out costs if you were to lose them.
Cover a close family member if they help you out.
If your close family works for you, under our policy, close family members are included therefore, if you employ your husband, wife, son, daughter or other close family, you do not need to take out Employers’ Liability.
Any workers other than a family member would need to be covered under Employers’ Liability. If employees work for you, employers’ liability is a legal obligation with fines of £2500 per day for failing to comply.
Our experts explain why...
“Caring for an animal carries a risk and this is heightened further so when caring for another person’s animal, even if they are domestic. Our policy ensures that if that animal were to harm you, a person in your employment, a member of the public or themselves, that you can stay protected against potential financial losses related to reimbursing those that try to claim damages from you. Whether it be reimbursing the owner of the animal for vet bills arising from an injury when walking a dog or a claim costing thousands of pounds caused by a dog in your care, biting a member of the public, you can rest assure our claim experts will handle your claim with care and priority.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does dog walking insurance cost?
The cost of dog walking insurance can vary depending on the type of business you operate, the size and additional factors. For instance, if you employ staff, it is a legal requirement to include employers’ liability insurance. Adding this will increase the cost of your premium.
At Protectivity our cover starts at £5.41* per month, providing comprehensive cover for a small price.
Prices from
£5.41* a month
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£5.41* a month
Policy type
Dog Walking Insurance
Policy duration
Annual
Public Liability
£1,000,000
Care, Custody and Control
£100,000
Loss of Keys
£10,000
Equipment cover
£250
Close family cover
Included
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 1/10/2024. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your dog walking insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
My daughter helps out from time to time – do I need employers ‘liability insurance?
As a sole trader, if you employ direct members of your family, they can be covered under a close family extension cover. Close Family means a husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.
If you operate a limited company, you will need employers’ liability insurance. Please check policy documentation for what is applicable to your situation.
How does the policy work if I subcontract work to other pet professionals?
If you subcontract work the other pet professional will need their own insurance policy. We can only cover staff members you employ and have listed under employers’ liability cover.
Can I employ staff under my current policy?
Yes, you can add staff under Employers’ Liability cover.
What happens if I exceed the maximum number of pets I’m insured to handle?
In this case you might invalidate your insurance if you need to make a claim.
Do I need special insurance for puppy training classes?
No, if you have selected dog training as an activity this will include puppy training as well as other types of dog training, provided it is not listed as an exclusion. Please check policy documentation for all limitations.
What qualifications do I need to be insured?
It is not a legal requirement to have a qualification, so you can still get insurance provided you have complied with any policy limitations. In the case of home boarding, you are required to have a licence.
What happens if I lose a client’s house keys?
You are covered under our loss of keys cover, up to £10,000, which can cover replacement keys and locksmiths.
What happens if a pet is injured while under my care?
You are covered by our Care Custody and Control cover or non-negligent cover depending on what the situation of the injury is and provided you have complied with any endorsements.
What happens if a pet damages my own property?
We cannot cover if an animal was to damage your own property, we can cover if they damage a third party or their property.
Do I need different insurance if I work from home versus having a business premises?
Our policy can cover you if your home is your business premises or you rent a business premises. When working from home, do check with your home insurance that it can be used for business use.
Do I need to keep specific records for insurance purposes?
You are not obliged to keep specific records, but it could be useful in the event of claim against you.
Can I add or remove coverage options during my policy term?
Yes, if you need to change your liability limit or add employers’ liability this can be amended but it will affect the price of your policy. Furthermore, once added it cannot be removed until the end of your policy or you cancel the policy.
Do I need to inform you if I add new services to my pet business?
Yes, if you add new services, you need to amend your policy so these activities are listed. Our policy can cover 14 different pet care activities on one policy. (Although, you are automatically covered for the following activities as long as they are under the same business name):
- Dog Walking (For walking up to six dogs)
- Dog and Cat Grooming
- Dog Hydrotherapy
- Dog Training
- Pet Behaviourist
- Pet Boarding
- Pet Microchipping
- Pet Minding
- Pet Sitting
- Pet Taxi
- Pet Transportation
How quickly can I start working after taking out pet business insurance?
Immediately – you are covered as soon as you’ve paid for your policy and receive your documentation.
Are there any grooming activities that are restricted?
Cover is only provided for:
- Hand scissoring
- Clipping
- Wash & blow drying
- Hand stripping
- De-shedding
- Nail cutting
- Ear plucking & cleaning
- Anal gland expression
- Pet tooth brushing
Any grooming activities outside these specified services are excluded.
What are the exclusions under Care, Custody and Control cover?
- No cover for breeding activities or vaccinations
- No cover for theft/disappearance unless animal missing for more than 7 consecutive days
- No cover for the insured’s own animals
What type of animals are restricted on this policy?
No coverage for dangerous dogs as classified under Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 including:
- Pit Bull Terriers
- Japanese Tosas
- Dogo Argentinos
- Fila Brazilieros
- Any crossbreeds of these dogs
- No cover for horses or any animal that is not kept in a domesticated environment or for companionship.
What’s not covered under dog walking activities?
- Strict limit of maximum 6 dogs per handler at any one time
- This applies whether dogs are on or off lead
- Exceeding this limit may invalidate your insurance
What’s not covered under Animal boarding activities?
No cover if you don’t hold a valid Animal Boarding Establishment Licence when required by local authority.
You must comply with specific boarding conditions including:
- Suitable accommodation requirements
- Adequate food, drink and bedding provision
- Regular exercise requirements
- Emergency safeguarding procedures
- Infectious disease protection measures
What does close family extension cover?
If you employ any of the following members of your family, they too will be covered for Public Liability under your policy as standard. You do not need to take out Employers’ Liability to cover those family members either. If however, your business is a limited company and the family members are directors, the close family extension will not apply.
Family members included: Husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.
Will my pet business policy cover XL Bullies?
We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is due to their addition to the Dangerous Dogs Act.
How do I cancel my pet business insurance policy, and will I receive a refund?
You can cancel your pet business insurance policy at any time by contacting us directly via phone or email. If you cancel within 14 days of the policy start date, you may be eligible for a full refund. After 14 days, you may receive a pro-rated refund for the unused portion of your policy, minus any applicable cancellation fees. Please call us to discuss your specific situation and to process the cancellation.
Does my pet business insurance policy cover dog walking and pet sitting for banned breeds or dogs listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act?
Our policy does not cover any breeds listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act, including newly added breeds such as XL Bullys. It’s important that you check the latest government guidelines for a list of banned breeds to ensure compliance with your insurance coverage.
How long will your insurance cover me for?
All of our public liability insurance policies are annual.
Am I covered for working outside of the UK?
No, our policy will only cover you for working in the UK.
Is there a minimum age that I can take out this policy?
To be covered by our Pet Business Insurance policy you must be at least 18 years of age.
What activities are included?
The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities:
Dog Walking
Dog Training
Pet Behaviourist
Pet Minding
Pet Sitting
Pet Boarding
Pet Taxi
Pet Grooming
Pet Microchipping
Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.
What if a dog escapes from its harness or lead while I’m walking it?
You would be covered in this situation under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy.
Is coverage included for temporary or seasonal staff during busier times?
For cover to extend to temporary or seasonal staff you would require Employer’s Liability, unless they would fall under the close family extension of the policy. Employer’s Liability is a legal requirement for any business to hold if they employ any members of staff, regardless of whether they are paid or voluntary.
Am I covered if I need to take a client’s dog to the vet in an emergency?
Yes, under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy you would be covered for medical fees resulting from the injury, illness or death of a dog in your care.
Does my dog walking insurance include cover for dog grooming services?
Our Pet Business insurance policy provides cover for multiple business activities at no extra cost, including Dog Walking, Dog and Cat Grooming, Dog Hydrotherapy, Dog Training, Pet Behaviourist, Pet Boarding, Pet Microchipping, Pet Minding, Pet Sitting, Pet Taxi and Pet Transportation.
What if a dog I’m walking hurts another dog during a walk?
In the event of a dog in your care hurting another dog, you would be covered under the public liability section of our pet business policy.
Am I covered for walking dogs in parks that need special permits?
It is your responsibility to check if a park requires you to hold a special permit to carry out dog walking activities there. Our pet business insurance policy will not act as a permit, it will however provide evidence of your public liability cover when applying for the licence.
What if I can’t return a dog and need to provide overnight care?
In an emergency, you would be covered for an emergency overnight stay.
However, for anything longer than an emergency overnight stay we would require you to hold a valid Animal Boarding Establishment Licence if this is a requirement by your local authority for animal boarding. Our pet business insurance policy covers pet boarding as standard providing you are meeting the requirements of your local authority.
Am I covered if I accidentally damage a client’s property while picking up or dropping off their dog?
Yes, providing the damage has occurred within the business hours and while undertaking the business activity we are covering you for.
What happens if I get sick and need someone else to take over?
You will need to have employer’s liability for someone else to carry out your business activities and be covered under your dog walking policy, unless that person would be covered under the ‘close family extension’ section of our policy wording.
Close Family means a husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.
Can I still walk dogs in extreme weather and be covered?
You must take all practical steps to prevent and minimise accidents, loss, injury and damage. If dog walking in the current weather conditions could be deemed as dangerous then you should refrain from doing so.
Are meet and greets with new dogs covered?
Yes, providing the arranged meet and greet would be considered part of the business activities we are covering you for.
Does your dog walker’s insurance cover me if I have to give a dog emergency first aid?
Under our pet business insurance, we will cover you to do what is necessary to help a dog in your care in an emergency. This would be covered under the Care, Custody and Control section of the policy.
Do I need any qualifications to get dog walking insurance?
No, you do not need to hold any specific qualifications to purchase our dog walking insurance.
Does dog walking insurance cover me if I use my own vehicle to transport dogs?
Yes, we can insure you to transport dogs in your own vehicle. Should you get into an accident, we will cover any potential injuries or death to the dogs under your care. You will need to ensure that you have suitable car insurance in place as we cannot cover your vehicle or any passengers.
Do I need insurance if I only walk dogs for friends and family?
It’s still advisable, as you can still be held liable for accidents or injuries, even when walking dogs for people you know.
What other activities are included with dog walking insurance?
The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities: dog walking, dog training, pet behaviourist, pet minding, sitting and boarding, pet taxi and transporting (UK only), grooming and microchipping.
Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.
Is equipment like leads and harnesses covered by dog walking insurance?
Yes, equipment is covered up to the value of £250 as standard as part of our policy. You can choose to increase your equipment cover by paying an additional premium.
Does your dog walking insurance cover me if a dog is injured in my care?
Yes, this is covered as part of our Care, Custody and Control benefit. If a dog gets attacked by another dog, hit by a car or injures itself in your care, our dog walking insurance covers you for claims stemming from injury, illness or accidental death of the animals that are in your business’ care.
Up to £100,000 worth of cover is provided for animals in your care (limited to £25,000 per animal), should the business be blamed for the incident. This benefit does not cover any animals belonging to the business owner or members of staff.
Will I be covered if an animal in my care is stolen?
Yes, this will be covered under our Care, Custody and Control.
How many dogs can I walk?
Maximum of 6 dogs can be walked at any one time, this includes exercise off the lead. Should you employ any staff, they too can walk up to 6 dogs.
Are any other breeds excluded from your dog walking insurance?
We can offer cover for walking most breeds of dog, however dogs classified under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 or any subsequent legislation, or cross breeds involving such classified dogs are excluded from being eligible for insurance.
Will my policy cover XL Bullies?
We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is due to their addition to the Dangerous Dogs Act.
What does close family extension cover?
If you employ any of the following members of your family, they too will be covered for Public Liability under your policy as standard. You do not need to take out Employers’ Liability to cover those family members either. If, however, your business is a limited company and the family members are directors and/or employees/volunteers, the close family extension will not apply.
Close Family members defined as: Husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.
What activities are included?
The pet business insurance policy is valid anywhere in the UK and covers the following business activities: dog walking, dog training, pet behaviourist, pet minding, sitting and boarding, pet taxi and transporting (UK only), grooming and microchipping.
Included within the grooming activities are; hand scissoring, clipping, wash and blow drying, hand-stripping, de-shedding, nail cutting, ear plucking and cleaning, and anal gland expression.
How many dogs can I walk?
A maximum of 6 dogs can be walked at any one time, this includes exercise off the lead. Should you employ any staff, they too can walk up to 6 dogs.
Will my policy cover XL Bullies?
We are no longer able to cover XL Bullies under our Pet Business insurance for our customers at all as our policy product excludes the care of dog breeds on the Dangerous Dogs Act or any cross breeds of these dogs.
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This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website 01/10/2024. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 1st Oct ’23 to 30th Sep ’24
ˆ10% discount for policies bought online and applies only to the first-year of your policy premium. Protectivity reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time. Available to UK residents only.
¹Based on live Feefo data