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Pet Business Insurance

Compare business insurance quotes with Savvy to find the best policy for your pet business 

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, updated on August 1st, 2023       

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We’ve partnered with BizCover to bring you a range of business insurance policies to help you compare them side by side.

A love of animals unites many people who work closely with our furry or feathered friends. What all pet businesses have in common is the need for good insurance to protect not only their furry companions, but also their business interests in case something goes wrong.   

You can compare quotes for all types of business insurance here with Savvy. Just answer a few simple questions about your business and the insurance you need, and within minutes you’ll have multiple quotes from a range of respected insurers to compare. Use our quick and easy comparison service to make sure you get the best-value insurance for your pet business today. 

What types of insurance should I buy for my pet business?

There are a wide variety of businesses and occupations that involve working with animals. For example, these include:

  • Pet shops
  • Dog walkers, trainers and breeders
  • Dog and cat groomers
  • Stable hands and grooms
  • Kennels and catteries
  • Farriers and jockeys

These types of businesses need two separate types of insurance:

  • Insurance that covers medical treatment for the animals themselves (which is commonly known as pet insurance)
  • Cover to protect the commercial aspects of their animal or pet business

This article details the insurance you should consider to protect the commercial aspects of your pet business.

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance is essential for anyone who has contact with the public or their property. It will protect you and your business against any third-party claims that your negligent business activity caused injury to someone, or damage to their property.

You can potentially be held personally liable for any biting incident, accident or injury caused by any animal in your care. For this reason, it’s vital to have public liability insurance to protect you against third-party claims alleging an animal you own caused injury. This type of business insurance offers between $5 million and $20 million worth of cover.

What it covers: 

  • Third-party personal injury claims
  • Damage to a third party’s property
  • Legal fees to defend yourself

Professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity insurance covers you against claims that the advice, recommendations or service you provided were either wrong or negligent. This type of insurance can offer you protection against many types of claims, including:

  • Allegations the care you provided to animals you were looking after was negligent or caused harm to them
  • Claims your dietary, grooming or training advice was misleading or contrary to expected professional standards
  • Claims your handling or care caused personal injury either to the animal or to clients and customers

Cover starts at $250,000 and goes up to $5 million or more.

What it covers

  • Payment of compensation if there’s a successful claim against you
  • Payment of court-awarded damages to the litigant
  • Cover for your legal defence costs
  • Cover for bodily harm, injury or illness it is alleged your professional services caused

General business insurance 

This type of insurance may be relevant if you have a retail shop or premises and have contents or stock you wish to insure. General small business insurance can offer cover in a variety of areas including:

Commercial vehicles aren’t included, so you may need separate commercial vehicle protection for your work vehicle.

What it covers:

  • Fire, storms, impacts and collision which cause damage to your business assets
  • Theft, vandalism and forced entry to your business premises
  • Cover for electronic and other portable equipment

What isn’t covered under my insurance for a pet business?

Some of the most common general exclusions include:

  • Injury to yourself or your employees
  • Flood damage
  • Glass breakage
  • Unlawful activity or criminal negligence
  • Reckless behaviour or intentional damage
  • Anything to do with asbestos
  • The effects of pollution caused by your business activity

How much will insurance cost for my pet business? 

There is no set cost for an insurance policy, as each applicant is different and faces unique risks. There are many factors that influence the cost of business insurance, including the following factors:   

  • The state you’re in  
  • Whether you live in a rural or urban area 
  • Whether you’re a sole trader, are in a partnership, or run a business 
  • Your business size and turnover  
  • If you have any employees 
  • Your insurance history 
  • Whether you’ve made an insurance claim in the past five years 

The main factor which will affect the cost of your insurance is the industry you’re in. All businesses in Australia are classified according to the risk their industry poses, and are allocated a risk ratio. These ratios are used by insurers to calculate the comparative risk of any one business compared to another.  

However, because your location also plays a part in the cost of insurance, how much you’ll pay will also depend on where you live. 

Why do I need insurance for my pet business?

You’ve no doubt put in a lot of effort and worked hard to get where you are now, so it makes sense to protect all that hard work in case things do go wrong.  Product liability insurance is there to protect you in case a client claims that the services you offered in your pet business fell below professional expected standards. For example, if you’re a dog breeder and claim to offer puppies free from hip dysplasia, you could be sued if one of your dogs did grow up and develop dysplasia. Similarly, if you run a dog walking business and the dog you’re exercising escapes its leash and bites a child, you could be accused of negligence.  

Most contractors and small businesses have some contingency funds put aside for rainy days, but these emergency funds are rarely sufficient to cover the cost of a major catastrophe. If this happens and you have adequate insurance to protect all the important aspects of your business, you’ll have a much better chance of getting back on your feet quickly.

Types of business insurance

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More of your frequently asked questions about insurance for pet businesses.

If I breed animals, is there any other type of pet insurance I should consider?

Yes, there is specialist pet breeder insurance available which offers free pet insurance for between six to eight weeks for any puppies or kittens you may send off to their new forever homes. This offers new pet owners cover for their young furry friend while it settles into the family. It covers the cost of veterinary fees, death from illness or injury and theft up to a set amount per animal.  

Can I bundle all my insurance needs into one package?

Yes, rather than have multiple insurance policies with different insurers, you can bundle all your insurance needs up into one business insurance package which contains elements of different types of insurance, customised to your specific needs. 

How often will I have to pay my insurance premiums? 

You’ll be able to choose how often you pay your insurance premiums. You can either pay upfront all in one go for the year, or in monthly instalments. Paying your insurance premium annually is usually between 5% and 10% cheaper than paying monthly, so if you’re in a position to do so, it could be worth paying for your policy in full upfront. 

What information will I need to make a claim?

The information you should have to hand when you contact your insurance company to make a claim will include: 

  • The name of the policyholder 
  • Your policy number and start date (which can be found on your Certificate of Currency) 
  • A detailed description of the incident (what happened to cause the damage or loss) 
  • Specific dates and times when the incident happened 
  • Contact details of any other parties involved (or witnesses to the event) 
  • Details of your police report number (if a crime took place) 
  • Details of the property lost or damaged (including its age and value) 
  • Your bank details for settling the claim 

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Disclaimer:

Savvy is partnered with BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975, AFSL 501769) to provide readers with a variety of business insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from BizCover each time a customer buys a business insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via BizCover.

Savvy does not compare all business insurance policies or providers currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.

For any further information on the variety of insurers compared by BizCover or how their business works, you can read their Financial Services Guide.

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