Pet grooming insurance — is it worth it?

“I’m a professional and responsible pet groomer and I’m skilled at what I do — if pet grooming insurance really necessary?”

How many times have you asked this question? If you’re still unsure about the answer or you’re wondering if you made the right decision, keep on reading.

Do I really need pet grooming insurance?

Certainly, for some businesses, particularly small ones, taking out pet grooming insurance can seem like an expensive (and maybe unnecessary) outlay.

However, it doesn’t matter how well trained or skilled you are at what you do, mistakes and accidents can happen. What’s more, often, the things that do go wrong are the things you never would have thought about in a million years.

I once heard a story about a pet groomer who had a large dog on her grooming table. As the owner left, the dog suddenly became agitated and when the dog saw the owner’s car pass by the window he got so upset he actually jumped through the window!

Imagine that! Indeed, the dog should have been appropriately secured to avoid such an incident, but sometimes things happen so quickly there’s nothing you can do in time.

Another pet groomer was trimming the hair around the eyes of a very wrinkly-skinned Shih Tzu. Unfortunately, she didn’t pull the dog’s skin taut enough and ended up cutting the eyelid.

Pet grooming is an industry full of possibilities, but there’s also the potential for accidents and injuries. Whether or not you decide to take out pet grooming insurance, it should definitely be something you give ample consideration to.

What does pet grooming insurance cover?

The type of insurance you might need depends on the set up of your business. For example, whether you operate a mobile pet grooming business or you run a salon.

In general, pet groomers should consider:

• Professional indemnity insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Business insurance
• Personal accident insurance

Here’s a lowdown on each type of insurance.

Professional indemnity insurance

Working with pets is very different from working with other humans. What’s more, there are sharp tools, chemicals, water and electricity involved. Including professional indemnity as part of your pet grooming insurance offers peace of mind against potential court costs and compensation claims.

Consider what might happen if you accidentally injured a pet while performing grooming services. The owner may decide to take legal action against you — even if it was an accident.

Whether the claim is valid or not, professional indemnity insurance means you’ll be protected against court and compensation costs that could financially put you out of business.

Public liability insurance

As a mobile pet groomer, you are on the road and visiting clients at their homes, which brings with it a degree of risk. You might be in a place that you are unfamiliar with and restraining pets could be an issue.

Likewise, if you own a pet grooming salon, what happens if a client trips and falls in your salon? These are the types of scenarios that pet grooming insurance covers.

Public liability insurance protects you and your business against the financial risk of being liable for causing injury, damage, loss or death to a third party. It will also cover your legal and defence costs.

Business insurance

Including business insurance as part of your pet grooming insurance means you can relax knowing your equipment and premises are protected against damage, loss or theft.

As an example, what would happen if you own a grooming salon and there is a loss of power? This could severely interrupt your business and cause significant financial loss. Having the right insurance can help offer protection against the unexpected, such as a power outage or burst water pipe.

Personal accident insurance

Your ability to earn an income is one of your biggest assets, and an unexpected injury or major illness that prevented you from earning money for a lengthy period could seriously impact your financial future and business.

As a pet groomer, consider what would happen if you broke your leg and couldn’t stand at your grooming table, let alone drive a mobile van. What if you severely injured your dominant hand? Could you still groom animals?

Personal accident insurance will replace most of your lost income. This might allow you enough time to recover and prevent your business from going under.

Choosing a policy

When it comes to taking out pet grooming insurance, it’s important to find the right policy. Here are four steps to help you select the right insurance.

1. Write down an overview that details the type of business you run and your activities.
2. Think about anything and everything that could possibly go wrong and jot down the potential risks.
3. Consider the extent of any potential damage and the financial impact it could have on your business.
4. Compare quotes (what’s covered, what’s included, what’s the excess and what are the limitations to the policy?).