Commercial Property Insurance
What Is Commercial Property Insurance?
Commercial property insurance helps protect pet care buildings or facilities you own and the business personal property inside if they’re damaged, destroyed, or stolen.
Think of commercial property insurance as coverage for where you work and any work tools or supplies that stay there. It’s usually used by businesses with a brick-and-mortar location and expensive gear to protect.
- Your business gear adds up. Grooming tables, dryers, kennels, computers, and furniture are expensive to replace and often aren’t fully covered by a personal home or renters’ policy.
- Landlord insurance has limits. If you rent a grooming suite or daycare space, your landlord’s policy often covers the building, but not your business property inside.
- It supports recovery after major losses. If wiring causes a fire, a pipe bursts, or you experience a break-in, commercial property coverage can help pay to repair or replace damaged or stolen business items, up to your policy limits.
- It often comes with a BOP. A business owners policy (or BOP) may bundle commercial property insurance with business liability and business interruption coverage. This is a common choice for larger pet services that own facilities or inventory, but it’s probably coverage overkill for smaller pet caregivers.
What Commercial Property Covers (and Doesn’t)
There are often different ways to protect the same gear and locations depending on your situation. Here’s a handy cheat sheet for how to cover what you interact with most as a pet pro.
| What you want to protect | Type of coverage that helps |
|---|---|
|
Grooming tables, dryers, tubs |
Commercial property (in-building use only) |
|
Crates, kennels, play yards |
Commercial property (in-building use only) |
|
Computers, POS, tablets |
Commercial property (in-building use only) |
|
A building you own |
Commercial property |
|
A space you rent |
Commercial property (long-term rentals) |
|
A business vehicle you own |
|
|
Pets in your care |
Pet Protection Coverage (Animal Bailee) |
Pro Tip: Commercial property insurance generally does not cover pets, vehicles, or normal wear and tear on your gear. The policy details will tell you what any commercial property coverage includes and excludes.
Paws-on-the-Ground Examples: Commercial Property Insurance for Pet Pros
Scenario: Grooming Shop Fire
A small fire in your grooming shop damages dryers, clippers, tables, and parts of the walls.
- If you own the building, commercial property coverage can repair the space and replace damaged equipment.
- If you rent, it can cover the cost of damaged business property inside the space.
Scenario: Break-In at Dog Daycare
Someone breaks in overnight and steals your computers, a cash drawer, and several crates.
- Commercial property can replace your stolen business property, subject to limits and deductibles.
Do I Need Commercial Property Coverage as a Small Business?
Commercial property insurance isn’t always your best fit. It makes the most sense for pet businesses with a dedicated brick-and-mortar space, owned buildings, or a lot of business property that stays put.
Most solo pet pros, mobile pet care services, and smaller businesses just don’t need that much coverage. That’s why we don’t offer commercial property at Pet Care Insurance (PCI). These are some other options we offer to protect your space and your stuff:
- Equipment and Inventory Coverage (Inland Marine): This coverage protects your pet care gear and tools wherever you work, including in your shop, your van, and your clients’ homes.
- General Liability Insurance: Included in every PCI policy, this coverage has a sublimit called Damage to Premises Rented To You. It can pay for damage to spaces you rent for up to seven days after you move in. After that, it only covers fire damage. This makes it a budget-friendly option for short-term rentals (like event or workshop space).
Big Takeaway
Your grooming tables, dryers, kennels, and other gear are crucial to earn a living in pet care. Understanding commercial property coverage and other types of protection for your equipment and workspace helps protect your business from nose to tail.
Keep Sniffing Around
- Business Personal Property
- Equipment and Inventory Coverage
- General Liability Coverage
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
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