Bonded & Insured Pet Sitting
Helping pet parents understand the importance of security and protection
What does "Bonded & Insured" mean?
What exactly does “bonded and insured” mean?
We’ll break down insurance coverage and what it means for you, your pet, and your home.
The best thing you can do for your pet and property is to find an insured and bonded pet sitter.
“I’ll just ask my friend/neighbor to watch my pet. What’s the worst that can happen?”
When it comes to pet emergencies, your friends or neighbors most likely are not skilled in these scenarios and do not carry any liability insurance.
Having an uninsured and inexperienced person in charge of your home and pet can be much worse than you realize. While it may seem like a convenience, it is a common and dangerous mistake that many pet owners make.
Care, Custody, & Control
One of the key components of pet sitter insurance is “Care, Custody, and Control” coverage.
Care, Custody, and Control Coverage provides coverage for your pet and personal property while in the pet sitter’s care, custody, and control. It covers damages to your home or property, as well as veterinary medical expenses. The insurance policy pays for claims, regardless of the fault or negligence for injuries to pets.
“Bonding” insurance protects you from acts of theft or from damage on the part of your pet sitter. Bonding also ensures that the job that you hired a pet sitter to perform is done, and that you are protected against losses, theft, or damage by a pet sitter.
Hiring a bonded and insured pet sitter will save you from legal troubles and financial loss. A reputable and legitimate pet sitter will ensure that their coverage more than covers accidents, injuries, and damages to your property and pet.
A pet sitter who knows Pet First Aid and is CPR Certified is also good to look for and will provide you with an additional layer of security and protection for your pet.
Insurance Scenarios
“If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur.”
The following scenarios are provided by Pet Sitters International and give you insight into how unexpected (and expensive) mishaps, injuries, and accidents to pets and people can be.
Pet sitter insurance claims:
A dog in a pet sitter’s care bit a pedestrian on the leg, back, and arm while on a walk.
Paid $65,096
While getting out of a pet sitter’s vehicle, a dog fell and broke its leg.
Paid $5,125
A pet sitter clogged the toilet in a client’s apartment causing damage to two apartments below.
Paid $20,217
A jogger attempted to pass a dog walker and was bitten on the leg by the client’s dog.
Paid $2,283
A pet sitter’s car was broken into and a ring of keys was stolen. The client’s locks were changed.
Paid $937
Do the right thing for You, Your Pet, & Your Home
Hire a licensed, bonded, and insured pet care professional that has experience with various breeds of animals.
We hope this helps pet parents to understand how bonding and pet sitter insurance works, and how vitally important it is to take that extra step to protect your pet and property.
