What to look for in boarding kennel insurance

As a kennel owner, there are lots of things that can happen that could seriously affect the success of your business; not to mention your stress levels! So, when considering protection, it pays to know what to look for in boarding kennel insurance.

In order to protect your business and your premises, you need insurance. However, to find the right boarding kennel insurance, you need to know what risks you face and what exactly it is you’re protecting. After all, having the wrong insurance or an inappropriate level of cover is almost as bad as having no insurance.

Why boarding kennel insurance is necessary

It’s really common for people to ask, “Do I REALLY need insurance?” After all, it’s a continuous outlay and sometimes you wonder what you’re getting in return—other than peace of mind!

Without a doubt, it’s important to think about all eventualities. Ask yourself, “What could possibly go wrong?” When it comes to boarding kennel insurance, consider potential injuries that you might incur, injuries to staff, as well as the risks to customers and pets in your care. If a dog that is boarding with you gets ill or injured and needs immediate veterinary treatment could you meet the costs?

There is also your business premises and property to think about. What would happen in the event of theft, fire or flood? How would an unforeseen event, such as COVID-19, impact your business? Considering all these things is essential to help you work out what level of boarding kennel insurance cover you might need.

It may be useful to prioritise your risk by considering:

• The likelihood of the risk occurring
• The extent of the damage the risk could cause
• What financial impact it would have on your business

If the impact of the risk occurring is high, regardless of the likelihood of it occurring you may want to insure against it. For example, you feel that the probability of a client taking legal action against you for injuring a pet while it is boarding with you is relatively low. Nonetheless, the financial implications could be devastating for your business, as you are up for legal and defence costs as well as compensation to your client if you were found to be negligent.

Different insurance policies to consider

Your boarding kennel insurance can merge different types of cover to ensure you are fully protected. Insurance you may wish to consider includes:

Public liability

Public liability protects you and your business against the financial risk of being liable for causing injury, damage, loss or death to a third party. For example, what happens if a dog boarding with you escapes and injures another person, damages a neighbour’s property or causes an accident or injury to another dog in your care?

If any of these events occur you could be held liable for any compensation costs or medical bills. Public liability insurance offers protection and will also cover legal and defence costs.

Professional indemnity

Professional indemnity should also be considered when thinking about boarding kennel insurance. This type of insurance can protect your kennel against financial losses for any legal action taken against you for services or advice you provide. For example, if a dog is hurt or lost while in your care and the owner takes you to court, you’ll be seriously glad you have professional indemnity insurance.

Business insurance

This policy is intended to protect your business and contents from financial damage. It provides financial cover if your premises, stock, contents or equipment are damaged or stolen.

If may also provide financial assistance as a result of business interruption. As such, protecting your business as part of your boarding kennel insurance could form an essential part of your overall risk management plan.

Thinking about business insurance and comparing plans is really important. Aside from offering you protection, it can be the push you need to manage or exclude risky activities. This, in itself, can benefit you and your business in the long term.

Image source: Unsplash.com