Pet Business Insurance in San Diego, CA
Call H&M Today for Specialized Insurance Coverage For Pet Groomers, Sitters, Trainers, Pet Stores, Kennels and Veterinarians
If you own a pet or animal establishment in San Diego and need assistance with acquiring suitable insurance policy that will cover you from everyday business risks, turn to Herriott & Mijailovic insurance agency. As an owner of a business that deals with animals, you are most likely aware how unpredictable pets can be.
We have 50 years of combined experience in the San Diego market. We work with major national insurance providers like Travelers, Progressive, The Hartford, Safeco, and others to provide you with the perfect coverage for your small business needs. If you are in the pet industry and want to discover how our services can help you run a safe business, feel free to give us a call or fill out a quick contact form.
(619) 296-0005
You face numerous risks on a daily basis and in order to operate your business without delays or interruptions that can cause you to lose profit, you should obtain specialized pet business insurance. Whether you are a pet sitter, a dog walker, a cattery owner, or a pet store owner, you need to protect yourself from both liability and property risks. Getting proper business coverage will help protect you from accidents and disasters, including third-party bodily injury, property damage, product liability, and data breach while helping pay for expenses and legal fees in case you are sued by someone.
Why Choose H&M Insurance Company?
H&M insurance agents are experts at finding the best policy that will meet your specific requirements. Since we are not contracted to one provider, but instead we are licensed and authorized to sell products from major national carriers, we are able to provide you with comprehensive policies at most affordable rates. As a one-stop shop for a range of products, we can provide various policies and help you through different stages of your life. Some of the reasons to choose Herriott & Mijailovic agency:
- Proudly serving pet businesses for 5 decades
- Low prices & no obligation quotes
- Custom-tailored coverages for every small business
- San Diego market specialists
- Boutique-style independent insurance agency
- Licensed and authorized to sell major insurance suppliers
What Is Pet Business Insurance?
Pet business, as any other business needs specialized insurance coverage that will enable smooth operations without financial losses and delays and seamless growth without interruptions due to accidents.
Pet business insurance will protect your business from a wide range of unexpected accidents:
- Even the best trained pets can cause accidents. Your employee can get injured if a strong dog knocks him or her to the ground. Your client can get bitten at your boarding facility, needing stitches.
- One of your groomers can accidentally cut pet’s nails too short, resulting in an infection and a costly visit to the vet.
- Your client can slip and fall on slippery fall, needing to pay a visit to the hospital
- Your commercial property (and its assets) get damaged by accidental fire causing you to be at risk of losing substantial revenue and not being able to meet payroll obligations
Who Needs Pet Business Insurance
This type of coverage is designed for any business providing services or products in relation to domestic animals, including:
- Catteries
- Dog daycares
- Dog training centers
- Dog walkers
- Kennels
- Mobile pet groomers
- Pet boarding facilities
- Pet crematories and cemeteries
- Pet food manufacturing
- Pet grooming salons
- Pet accessory stores
- Pet food stores
- Pet food manufacturing
- Pet hospitals
- Pet supply stores
- Pet shops
- Pet sitters
- Pet trainer
- Veterinary clinics
Types Of Coverages For Pet Businesses
Pet care establishments can choose among a variety of insurance coverages to ensure complete protection of their animal care enterprise. Consider the following coverages that cover the most common risks:
General liability insurance
If you allow animals on your premises, there is always the risk of a pet injuring a person or other animal, even when they are with their owner. If a client slips and falls after a staff member mops up a dog’s accident, GL may cover it. If you sell pet toys and accessories and an animal gets hurt, you could be sued, just as the manufacturer of those products would be sued. If you sell pet food and an animal gets sick from eating contaminated food obtained at your store, you could also be held responsible. These are just some of the examples and reasons why you should obtain general liability insurance. Also referred to as ‘commercial general liability (CGL)’ or ‘small business liability insurance’, it covers basic, everyday risks that small businesses face. This is the most popular type of coverage that provides protection and financial aid from claims of third party physical bodily injuries, property damage, personal injury, product liability, and similar claims. It helps pay for legal fees and settlement costs if you are sued. Without this insurance you would have to take care of all the bills by yourself.
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
A Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) bundles two coverages together: general liability coverage and commercial property insurance. Many BOPs also include employee dishonesty coverage and employee theft. In general, this is the most affordable policy for pet establishments like pet stores. This type of coverage is ideal for covering customer injuries, business interruption damages, and stolen or damaged pet supplies.
Workers’ compensation insurance
Most states require you to have this coverage if you have employees. Your staff does a lot of heavy lifting at work. For instance, they might get injured while carrying a labrador or a tub or cat litter, and for this reason you should acquire worker’s compensation coverage. Moreover, it protects sole traders from costs of work injury that are otherwise not covered by health insurance. Choose this package to get maximum protection against employee medical expenses, hospital bills, disability benefits, and lawsuits in relation to employee injuries.
Commercial property insurance
If you run a brick-and-mortar establishment such as a store front, a grooming salon, or a training center, you should obtain coverage for the physical location of your business – commercial property insurance. It protects the property (building) and all its contents.
Commercial auto insurance
Most states require you to own a commercial auto insurance policy if you own a business vehicle. It covers accidents that involve vehicles such as mobile grooming van or a vehicle that a pet sitter uses to transport the animals to and from their home. It provides the best coverage in cases of damage inflicted to another vehicle, injuries to another person, vehicle vandalism, and vehicle theft.
Optional Coverages & Add-ons for Animal Business ns
There are also additional coverages and endorsements you can choose to better protect your pet care business. They include, but are not limited to:
- Animal bailee insurance – This type of coverage is intended for anyone who takes pets into their care. It provides financial aid in case an accident such as injury, damage, escape, or death happens to a pet while in your care.
- Commercial umbrella insurance – After your pet store’s or pet business’s policy limit is reached, commercial umbrella insurance will provide extra coverage. It boosts your protection beyond the limits of your other policies.
- Cyber liability – This coverage helps pet business owners recover quickly after cyber-attacks and data breaches. Since pet parents often submit their personal information to you, consider purchasing cyber liability insurance. It will shield you from unauthorized access, fraud, cyberextortion, and similar cybercrimes.
- Pet grooming liability endorsement – This endorsement is designed for grooming establishments, pet day cares, and other animal service businesses. It covers injuries suffered from providing (or failing to provide) grooming services.
- Boarding kennel liability endorsement – If you provide boarding services for pets, think of acquiring this add-on coverage since it covers injuries to cats, dogs and other domestic animals not resulting from your work.
- Business Income (Mobile Operations Vehicle Endorsement) – If you run a mobile grooming service or if you are a vet or a dog trainer who makes house calls, you will need insurance coverage that will cover income loss you sustain due to canceled appointments. In contrast, your mobile operation vehicle is being repaired. If, for instance, your van is damaged and put out of service by another vehicle, this insurance will cover the actual income loss.
- Professional protection for veterinarians – When you are a vet, even when your intentions are good, things can go wrong and late or missed diagnosis can be expensive. For this reason, consider reinforcing your protection by adding veterinarians professional liability coverage.
How Much Does Pet Business Insurance Cost in California?
The exact cost of insurance varies and is not the same for every business. A small pet shop will pay less than a large pet food manufacturer, for example. The amount of insurance premium you need to pay depends on several important factors, such as:
- Services and products offered
- Business type, size, and income
- Commercial property and equipment
- Types of insurance
- The amount of deductibles
- Claims history
Get Best Coverage For Animal Business Insurance in San Diego at H&M Insurance Agency
If you are not well prepared, pet-related accidents can put you out of business. For this reason, it is vital to protect yourself by obtaining a pet business insurance policy. Herriott & Mijailovic, one of top-rated insurance providers in the San Diego area, can customize protection plans customized to your needs and allow you to run your business stress and worry-free. With over 50 years of experience, you can rely on us and our expertise to shield you from everyday risks you are facing. Call us at (619)296-0005 to speak to a licensed insurance agent and to get a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pet sitting insurance protects your pet care, pet sitting, or dog walking business from claims related to accidents, damages, or injuries that happen while a client’s pet is in your care. With this coverage, professional sitters can rest assured knowing that they are covered from unforeseen events like dog bites, animal injuries, or theft.
Dog grooming facilities should start with basic Business Owner’s Policy (BOP), which combines general liability, commercial property, and business income coverage. Furthermore, you can add employee dishonesty coverage, animal bailee, worker’s compensation (if you have employees), professional liability, data breach protection, and pet damage to buildings.
This type of Errors & omissions insurance policy safeguards your pet care property and employees from claims of professional negligence or inadequate work practice.
Veterinary insurance is a comprehensive plan for veterinary medical establishments and professionals including animal hospitals, animal specialty veterinarians, veterinary therapists, veterinary disease testing centers, veterinary neurologists, veterinary acupuncturists, and livestock veterinaries.
This type of insurance protects you from events such as dog biting another dog or a person, dog ingesting something toxic while in your care, client property damages, or dog injuries.