Pet care business insurance is something very few of us think about but really should. Whether you are a pet owner or pet care professional – making certain you are covered when something goes wrong is paramount.
Pet Care Insurance
I had the great fortune to have met the leader and pioneer in the pet business insurance industry. David Pearsall, CIC, CWCA is Vice President and Co-owner of Business Insurers of the Carolinas which is a multi-line commercial insurance agency specializing in insurance for pet service professionals since 1992. David has headed up Association Liability & Bonding Programs for the largest Pet Sitting and Dog Training Associations in the US, as well as many other national associations for over 20 years. He is a licensed insurance agent in all 50 states and has held the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Designation and the Certified Workers Compensation Advisor (CWCA) Designation since 2002.
Among many other sponsorships, Business Insurers of the Carolinas sponsors the Pet Sitter’s International (PSI) Pet Sitter of the Year Program, the industry’s highest award. I met David during my “crowning” as they say back in early 2010 and from that point forward he has always stood out as the go-to man for questions about insurance. What makes David so genuine and unique is you would never know he’s selling insurance. He actually spends most of his time educating pet professionals (trainers, pet sitters, dog walkers, day care owners etc.) about what they can do to avoid accidents, protect themselves, the animals in their care and their client’s property.
David works closely with the pet care educational associations to bring the greatest coverage possible to both pet owners and pet care professionals while also providing resources on how to prevent accidents from occurring.
While I was initially inspired to bring insurance to the forefront of pet first aid awareness I wanted to do so from the pet owner’s perspective. While there is still so much for pet care business owners to know about, my friend and pet business consultant Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting has covered some great topics on this type of insurance that cater to the pet care professional. As a pet owner though, what the heck does pet business insurance and bonding matter to me?
As a Pet Owner Why Does Pet Business Insurance and Bonding Matter to Me?
David and I jumped on a Skype call to discuss this very matter. Even having done research on what questions to ask and thinking I knew many of the answers – I did not. As a pet owner or owner of property in general, I learned some incredibly valuable tips to protecting me, my animals and my property. I certainly know the next time I have to call a roofer or when the water guys show up to work on my well system today – I am asking to see their insurance certificate! A good way to make an extra buck in our litigious society is to have an accident and sue, it’s sad sad fact.
Listen to This Valuable Conversation about Insurance
We covered a lot of topics pet owners and consequently – pet care providers should know about. We even covered pet insurance, not for the business but for the actual pet. It’s not anything David sells but he still recommends it as a tool to assist in coverage on certain things like diseases – which are not covered by general liability.
In our conversation David helps us understand concepts like animal bailee coverage, what being bonded is, the importance of worker’s compensation even if if a company only has 1 employee (the owner) and makes understanding insurance coverage easy. David makes talking about the topic fun – not something you would think possible about insurance!
Scroll down for the recording, you’re so close just a few more paragraphs!
Be Proactive Instead of Reactive
Education is the best way to prevent having to use insurance – continuing education helps keep people alert, thinking about the what if’s and preventing more accidents which lead to insurance claims. Obviously this is a natural connection to Petworks pet first aid and CPR courses but it’s a very valuable set of skills to have as a pet owner or pet care provider. By being proactive and knowing what is safe for your pets and people coming into your home, you will save yourself pain, time and stress on the back end.
Hiring a pet sitter – especially one with liability insurance and bonding obtained through an educational association – will offer you the best and most precise coverage for that pet care provider’s service. You can find hundreds of certified Pet Sitters throughout the United States, on Petworks.
Bottom line – if we can limit those accidents that are pure accidents we will all save money, insurance rates will go down, bottom lines improve and the pets, the people that care for them and your property stay safer. Its a sigh of relief knowing and understanding that the person caring for your pet(s) is educated and covered by the correct insurance coverage.
If you experience an issue that you believe should result in filing a claim, first seek medical help for any humans or animals involved, then contact the insurance agency. For any questions for pet owners hiring a pet care professional using Business Insurers of the Carolinas or for pet care professionals looking to make certain they have the correct coverage, contact David at 1-800-962-4611 Ext #214, or via email at [email protected]. He’s amazingly responsive, unbelievably knowledgeable, and a fantastic asset to making our pet industry safer.
Even with pet insurance the cost of veterinary care is no joke. Depending on your insurance coverage (if you have it), you may still have to pay a good portion of the bill. Pet insurance does not work the same as human coverage – you pay up front, submit the claim, then wait for reimbursement; with monthly premiums this can all add up.
It’s important to have the right tools in your toolbox; or in this case first aid kit. I hope you never have to use them but in my 30 + years of sharing my life with pets and working with them, I’ve used the skills and knowledge more than I would have liked.
