Base Policy
What Is a Base Policy?
Your base policy is the core insurance coverage you start with before adding optional protections and endorsements. It sets your basic coverages, limits, deductibles, conditions, and exclusions.
Think of it as a scoop of plain vanilla. Adding sprinkles and toppings customizes it to your exact tastes, but every ice cream sundae (or pup cup) starts with the same base.
That foundation is your base insurance policy. Add-ons and endorsements are protections not every pet pro needs (or wants), but some would. They let you tailor your base policy to fit how you work, so you’re protected in the ways that matter most.
Your base policy is your starting point, but not necessarily your finish line. Here’s why you need to know what’s included in your insurance (and what isn’t):
- Generic business insurance rarely covers pet-specific risks. Always review your documents so you don’t assume something’s covered when it’s not. Policies for pet care pros (like PCI) are designed to avoid those surprises.
- Some services need extra coverage. If your work involves caring for pets on-site, driving animals, taking online payments, hiring employees, or using expensive gear, you likely need add-ons for full coverage.
- Contracts may require add-ons. Many landlords, employers, events, and online platforms require certain coverages or wording in your certificate of insurance (COI). Adding an endorsement can make your COI match their needs.
- You can customize your limits. If you care for many pets or manage a team, higher limits help protect you from bigger losses.
- Add-ons are budget-friendly. Adding coverage to your existing policy usually costs far less than buying a separate one. Add-ons expand your coverage without breaking the bank.
What’s Included in a Base Pet Care Policy?
These coverages are included in every base insurance policy with Pet Care Insurance (PCI):
- General liability: Covers physical injuries or property damage to others, including harm a pet in your care might cause to another pet.
- Pet protection (animal bailee): Protects clients’ pets if they get hurt, lost, or sick while in your care — up to $5,000 per year. Some insurers may ask you to pay extra for this coverage as an add-on.
- Veterinarian reimbursement: Pays you back for emergency vet bills if a pet has an accident or gets sick while in your care — up to $2,500 per year is included with a $250 deductible.
- Products and completed operations: Covers harm to someone else or their pet due to your completed services (like a dog’s allergic reaction to your shampoo).
- Personal and advertising injury: Covers claims for personal and reputational damage to someone else (like accidental copyright infringement in an ad).
- Damage to premises rented to you: Covers most accidental damage to spaces you rent within the first seven days of your rental, and fire damage for longer-term rentals.
- Medical expense limit: Pays up to $5,000 for others’ medical bills related to your services, no matter who was at fault.
- Lost key liability: Covers the cost to rekey a client’s building if keys are lost or stolen (up to $2,000 per year with PCI).
Pro tip: The declarations page of your policy lists your exact coverages and limits. Check it anytime you’re not sure what’s included.
What’s Not Included: Common Add-Ons for Pet Pros
Your base policy covers the essentials, but every business is different. Here are a few popular optional coverages pet pros often add:
- Professional liability (errors and omissions): Covers mistakes in your services or advice. PCI includes this coverage for groomers automatically since they face risks other pet pros may not.
- Broadened property damage: Covers accidental damage to clients’ personal property (like decor or furniture) caused by you or a pet in your case. Recommended for pet pros who work in spaces they don’t own.
- Extra pet protection or vet reimbursement: Raises your annual coverage limits for pet injuries or vet expenses, which can be helpful for larger pet businesses.
- Workers compensation: Covers employee injuries on the job (required by law for employers in many states).
- Commercial auto: Covers vehicle-related property damage, injuries, and accidents while you or your employees drive for work. Essential for pet taxis and transport services.
- Equipment and inventory (inland marine): Covers tools, crates, dryers, and other work gear from theft or damage
- Cyber liability: Protects your business if a hacker steals your clients’ data. Consider this add-on if you collect or store clients’ personal info (like payment details) online.
- Employee dishonesty (similar to bonding): Protects you if an employee steals from a client. Popular with pet sitting, dog walking, and pet taxi services.
- Additional insureds: Extends your policy to cover another person or organization (like a landlord or partnering business) if they’re involved in a claim because of your mistake.
- Employee insurance: Covers your business if your employee accidentally injures an animal or damages a client’s property
- Independent contractor insurance: Covers your business if your contractor accidentally harms a pet, someone else, or their property
Pro tip: All insurance policies also have exclusions (things they won’t cover at all). Knowing what your policy excludes helps you avoid surprises later.
Big Takeaway
Your base policy doesn’t cover everything. And that’s actually a good thing.
If every possible coverage was baked into your policy, the price would skyrocket. Instead, PCI includes the essentials and lets you add on just what you need. That means protection designed for pet pros and customized to fit you, without paying for what you’ll never use.
Keep Sniffing Around
- Declarations Page
- Endorsement
- Exclusion
- General Liability
- Professional Liability
Kyle Jude | Program Manager
Kyle Jude is the Program Manager for PCI, where he helps design and maintain liability coverage specifically for pet professionals. With 10+ years of insurance industry experience, he works closely with carriers, underwriters, and compliance teams to ensure PCI coverage stays accurate, responsive, and relevant to real-world risks. At home, he puts that same expertise to use wrangling his four beloved dogs
Kyle Jude is the Program Manager for PCI, where he helps design and maintain liability coverage specifically for pet professionals. With 10+ years of insurance industry experience, he works closely with carriers, underwriters, and compliance teams to ensure PCI coverage stays accurate, responsive, and relevant to real-world risks. At home, he puts that same expertise to use wrangling his four beloved dogs