A pet groomer is someone who takes care of the hygiene and physical appearance of an animal, typically cats and dogs, but sometimes other animals. Many times, pets can be difficult to take care of, and their owners rely on professionals with skills and a reputation for excellent grooming work. Grooming often includes bathing, cutting and trimming fur, trimming nails, cleaning out ears, and other optional services. This is a rewarding career for someone with a passion for taking care of animals, but as with most professions, it comes with its own risks. Aside from the general business risks possible lawsuits, there is also a heightened risk of bodily injury caused by some pets during the grooming process. These risks should be protected by commercial pet groomers insurance.
Types of Pet Groomers Insurance
Covering potential risks of a being a pet groomer, there are several types of insurance for pet groomers available. Pet groomers should be aware of each policy, what it covers, and how it can protect them. Here’s what you should know:
Pet Groomers General Liability Insurance
The most basic type of insurance for pet groomers is general liability insurance. This covers a variety of risk exposures, such as property damage or bodily injury as a result of the grooming process, along with risks that can happen inside your groomer building. For example, if you have a visitor in your grooming building that is bringing in their dog and another client’s dog bites them, they can sue you for bodily injury. General liability insurance will cover the legal costs of such a lawsuit. General liability may also cover other risks, including those associated with your operations or products.
Pet Groomers Crime Insurance
Crimes can happen at any time and are not always possible to prevent. If a crime has occurred in your pet grooming shop, you may be liable for the damages. For example, if an employee has embezzled money or if there has been theft or vandalism in your grooming shop, you are losing possibly thousands of dollars. Crime insurance will help cover these costs and replace the money that was stolen. This also applies to forged checks used by clients to pay for grooming services.
Pet Groomers Workers Compensation
If you have at least one employee working for your pet groomer business, you are required by law to obtain worker’s compensation insurance. Worker’s compensation insurance covers injuries or illnesses suffered by your employees during their normal business operations. To illustrate, if an employee is scratched by a cat while grooming her and the scratch becomes infected, she may need medical treatment. In this case, the worker’s compensation insurance policy pays for the medical treatment, medications, and doctor’s appointments, along with any lost wages.
Pet Groomers Commercial Auto Insurance
Many pet groomers provide mobile grooming service in which they drive a grooming van to the client’s home in order to groom their pet. If you are a mobile pet groomer, you will benefit from business auto insurance. Any type of accident you are involved in while driving your grooming vehicle will typically be covered by business auto insurance, including vehicle damage and bodily injury. Many business auto insurance policies also cover theft and vandalism.
Being a pet groomer means that you are responsible for the care and appearance of your client’s pets. While you are an experienced groomer with a passion for your job, you should also consider the legal ramifications if something should go wrong and obtain proper business pet groomers insurance.
