Insurance for Dog Trainers in Connecticut

Why Is Insurance for Dog Trainers Important?

Being a dog trainer can be a rewarding career. As with any industry, though, operating a dog training business can come with its own set of risks and exposures. Even well trained dogs can be unpredictable at times – a dog may bite someone, get off-leash, etc. – and as such there is risk that a dog may injure itself or cause bodily injury or property damage to you, your staff, your customers or other third-parties. In this article you can find information about why insurance for Connecticut dog trainers is important, some of the typical coverages to consider, and how much insurance may cost.

Insurance Pricing and Quotes for Dog Trainers

How much a business pays for insurance depends on a variety of factors. First, as mentioned previously, the dog training profession presents an array of risks that will be taken into consideration when determining insurance costs. Some other factors may include what policies you choose, where your business is located, how many dogs you train per day, what services you provide, and how many employees you have.

To get a picture of what it could cost to insure your business, you can request a quote from us. We work with many different insurance carriers, from local companies based out of New England to nationally recognized names. If you prefer to call someone to start the quoting process, you can find a list of phone numbers to all of our offices here.

Common Coverages for Dog Trainers

Dog trainers, dog groomers, and other related businesses typically have some common insurance coverages that you may want to consider. The following are some of these coverages and a look into why your Connecticut business may want to consider them.

Animal Bailee Coverage 

As a dog trainer, you are responsible for a client’s dog while it is in your care. As well intentioned as you may be, accidents sometimes happen. Animal bailee coverage can help pay for certain costs and expenses, such as veterinary bills and the like, if a pet is lost or injured while in your care.

Workers’ Compensation

If your business has at least one employee, then workers’ compensation insurance is legally required under Connecticut law. Beyond being legally required, though, workers’ compensation is a valuable and important coverage for any business with employees. Worker’s Comp can help cover medical bills for employees who are injured or become ill because of work related events. It can also help cover a portion of lost wages.

Professional Liability

Professional liability, also known as “Errors and Omissions” (E&O Insurance), can help protect you if a customer believes a mistake you made caused them financial loss and decides to sue you. For example, if your customer claims that you gave them bad training advice that caused the dog injury, or perhaps led to the dog injuring someone, this coverage can help. E&O insurance can help to pay for settlements, judgments, and legal costs that you incur as a result of covered claims.

Commercial General Liability

Commercial general liability insurance can help with third-party injuries and property damage caused by the negligence of you, your company or your employees in connection with your business. For instance, this type of policy might help in the event that a customer slips and falls on a wet floor in your lobby area.

Commercial Auto for Dog Trainers

Automobile accidents are all too common and are always a risk to your business if you or your employees use vehicles for business needs. Cross Insurance can help provide coverage for many types of vehicles used for commercial purposes.

Commercial Property

Commercial property insurance can help protect your business against certain types of physical damage to your building and the contents within. Whether you own the building or lease the space, commercial property insurance is highly recommended. The following are some of the assets commercial property can help insure:

• Your building
• The equipment and tools inside your building such as collars, leashes, animal crates, fencing, and more
• Outdoor signage, banners, and other materials
• Certain landscaping components

BOP for Dog Trainers

A business owners policy (BOP) combines common coverages that many businesses have, these being general liability and commercial property. As an added bonus, typically a BOP will be cheaper than purchasing the coverages separately. Talk to your local insurance agent to see what coverage options are available for your business.

Recap

In order to protect the investment you have in your business, you need to be sure you have appropriate insurance coverages. Some common coverages for Connecticut dog trainers include general liability, animal bailee coverage, workers’ comp, professional liability, commercial general liability, commercial auto, and commercial property. You should connect with a local insurance agent to discuss the unique features of your business and to request a quote today.

 

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.