Pet Boarding 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.

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.

Yes, you can add staff under Employers’ Liability cover.

In this case you might invalidate your insurance if you need to make a claim.

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.

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.

You are covered under our loss of keys cover, up to £10,000, which can cover replacement keys and locksmiths.

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.

We cannot cover if an animal was to damage your own property, we can cover if they damage a third party or their property.

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.

You are not obliged to keep specific records, but it could be useful in the event of claim against you.

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.

Yes, if you add new services, you need to amend your policy so these activities are listed. Our policy can cover 11 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

Immediately – you are covered as soon as you’ve paid for your policy and receive your documentation.

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.

• 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

No coverage for dangerous dogs as classified under Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 including:

• Pit Bull Terriers
• Japanese Tosas
• Dogo Argentinos
• Fila Brazilieros
• XL Bullys
• Any crossbreeds of these dogs
• No cover for horses or any animal that is not kept in a domesticated environment or for companionship.

• 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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

All of our public liability insurance policies are annual.

No, our policy will only cover you for working in the UK.

To be covered by our Pet Business Insurance policy you must be at least 18 years of age.

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.

You may board an animal for as long as the arrangement with the owner is in place and you are adhering to the requirements of your local authority.

Yes as standard, you are covered for the following business activities with our Pet Business Insurance policy:

• Dog and Cat Grooming
• Dog Hydrotherapy
• Dog Training
• Dog Walking (For walking up to six dogs)
• Pet Behaviourist
• Pet Boarding
• Pet Microchipping
• Pet Minding
• Pet Sitting
• Pet Taxi
• Pet Transportation

In your records, you must maintain a register containing:

• a description of all the animals the Insured kept
• the arrival and departure dates of the animals
• the name and address of the animal(s) owners

This would be covered up to the limits shown in the policy document under Public Liability.

We are unable to provide you with seasonal coverage, our policies are available on an annual basis only.

However, you may cancel at any time for a pro-rated refund for the unused portion of your policy, minus any applicable cancellation fees and providing no claims are in process. Please call or email us to discuss your specific situation and to process the cancellation should this be required.

Yes, providing the meet and greet sessions are for the purpose of the business activities we are covering you for.

This would be covered under 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.

No, we cannot provide cover for food and supplies as these would be considered stock and our Pet Boarding insurance does not provide cover for stock.

As standard, you are covered for the following business activities with our Pet Business Insurance policy:

• Dog and Cat Grooming
• Dog Hydrotherapy
• Dog Training
• Dog Walking (For walking up to six dogs)
• Pet Behaviourist
• Pet Boarding
• Pet Microchipping
• Pet Minding
• Pet Sitting
• Pet Taxi
• Pet Transportation

If an animal causes injury to another animal during your care, these incidents would be covered under our Care, Custody and Control of animals benefit.

Unfortunately, our Pet Boarding policy does not provide cover for forced business closure.

Our Pet Business insurance provides cover for both Pet Minding and Pet Home Boarding, however if it is a requirement of your local authority that you hold a valid Animal Boarding Establishment Licence then you would need to have this in place for the policy to be valid for boarding animals.

You would need to ensure that you have attended a training course demonstrating how to administer medication to pets. Perhaps through a local veterinary centre.

You will also need to make sure you have a signed document between you and the owner in place stating the following:

• The owner gives you permission to administer the medication
• You have been shown how to administer the medication by the owner (with a description of how to administer/time of day/with or without food)
• You know what medication to administer and how much (with a description/name/type of medication and the correct dosage level)

After the above has been obtained, we would be happy to cover you.

Please note, we cannot cover any pre-existing conditions. Whilst we would be happy to cover claims falling under the administering of medications, we cannot cover claims to do with the condition itself. For example, if a dog under your care had epilepsy, and it were to suffer from a seizure, we would not be able to cover any claim.

Yes, our pet business insurance provides cover for pet transportation as standard providing this is for the purpose of the business activities.

Care, Custody, and Control coverage protects you if an animal is lost, injured, becomes ill, or suffers a fatality while in your care resulting in veterinary bills.