Pet Boarders Insurance
Business coverage built for at-home pet boarders and boarding facilities, plus the pets they watch over
- Includes Pet Protection Coverage for pets in your care
- Built-in vet reimbursement and lost key coverage
- Flexible protection that grows with your business
- Proof of insurance in minutes
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What Is Pet Boarding Insurance?
Pet boarding insurance is business coverage for overnight pet care. It helps protect your business when something goes wrong during a stay, like pets getting injured, escaping, or damaging other people’s property. Every PCI pet boarder policy includes these key coverages:
$2,000,000 General Liability Aggregate Limit
Covers property damage and harm to people
Pet Protection Coverage (Animal Bailee) (+ options for increasing limits)
Pays for accidents and injuries to pets in your care
Veterinarian Reimbursement
Gets pets the help they need (and gets you a refund)
Lost Key Liability Coverage
Handles rekeying costs when you’re locked out
You care enough about pets to do things right. Get professional coverage made for multi-pet boarding from meet-and-greet to pickup and beyond.
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Downloadable Certificate of Insurance at Checkout
Employee Dishonesty Coverage
(Similar to Bonding)
Trusted by Over 15,000+
Pet Care Businesses
Even Good Pets Have Bad Days
Every pet brings different needs into your home, and most days, you’re ready for it. But even after screening for fit and carefully considering capacity, pets can still be unpredictable. That’s where coverage makes a difference. Here’s how PCI has supported pet boarders when a stay didn’t go as planned.
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Insurance for Dog Boarding Explained
Is Pet Boarding Insurance Right for Your Business?
You likely need pet boarding insurance if you:
- Board pets in your home or facility overnight
- Care for multiple pets at once
- Board pets occasionally, part-time, or full-time
- Book boarding jobs via a pet care platform like Rover
- Are a solo pet boarder
- Run an independent boarding business with staff
Do you run a kennel or pet daycare? We also offer pet kennel insurance (ideal if you specialize in extended boarding) and dog daycare insurance (ideal if you focus on short-term, daytime pet care).
What Does Dog Boarding Insurance Cover?
Pet boarding insurance covers your business and the pets in your care during overnight boarding stays. It’s designed specifically for what can go wrong when animals are living and playing in a shared space, whether you’re hosting pets in your home or running a boarding facility.
Coverage includes:
is designed to cover injuries to people or damage to someone else’s property. It can also help with pet-on-pet injuries, advertising mistakes, and fire damage to boarding spaces that your business rents.
“During pickup, a client slipped in my entryway and injured their ankle. They’re asking me to cover their medical bills.”
Pet Protection Coverage (Animal Bailee):
helps pay expenses if a pet is injured, gets sick, escapes, or even dies while in your care, custody, or control.
“Rocky escaped through a loosely latched gate during drop-off and ran into traffic. Now his owner is suing me.”
can reimburse you for emergency vet bills if a pet gets sick or injured during their stay.
“Ginger got into my pantry and ate some plastic-wrapped snacks. I took her to the vet right away.”
can pay back locksmith costs if you lose a client’s key or get locked out while caring for their pet.
“A client gave me their key for an early-morning pickup, but I couldn’t find it again when they needed it back. They’re rekeying their condo for security, and they expect me to pay.”
Even the most careful pet boarder can’t control everything. Think of these coverages as your second pet gate, the backup barrier that protects your business from expensive claims when other systems fail. If a claim or complaint escalates, dog boarding business insurance can also cover your legal costs, including defense, settlements, and damages.
What Pet Boarding Insurance Doesn’t Cover
Pet boarding insurance is designed for your biggest risks, but it can’t cover everything. Don’t worry — we won’t leave you out in the cold. Knowing what isn’t covered helps you plan ahead for protection from every angle. Here’s what your pet boarder insurance policy doesn’t cover, and how to find a good fit for you.
| What pet sitting insurance can cover | How to cover it |
|---|---|
|
Pets you own |
Pet Health Insurance through our partner Trupanion |
|
Caring for 6 or more pets at once |
Kennel Insurance through our partner CNA |
|
Overnight care for more than 30 days in a row |
Kennel Insurance through our partner CNA |
|
Damage to your home or facility |
Property Insurance like a BOP or Commercial Property Coverage |
|
Damage to your pet business equipment |
Add PCI’s Equipment and Materials Insurance to your policy |
For a full list of what’s not covered, read our exclusions page. Questions? Our team of licensed customer service agents is ready to help.
Do I Need Insurance If I Board Through Apps Like Rover or Wag?
Yes. If you use a pet care platform like Rover or Wag to book boarding jobs, don’t assume you’re covered.
These platforms often offer limited protection programs (like the Rover Guarantee), not insurance. Coverage is primarily designed to support the client and their pets, so it applies to you in limited situations. Want a deeper breakdown? See how coverage works for Rover professionals.
Pet boarding insurance is designed to protect your business, not just individual bookings. It can cover gaps in your platform’s safety net and give you consistent protection.
How Much Does Insurance for Dog Boarding Cost?
Cat and dog boarding insurance costs as little as $26.10/month or $292/year from PCI. Your exact price will depend on:
- Your yearly income (the more stays you book, the more you have to protect)
- Your past claims (have you had accidents or problems before?)
- Extra coverage and limits you add (do you need more coverage to fit your business?)
Just like many boarders offer add-ons to customize a pet’s stay, optional coverages keep your business insurance flexible and tailored to you. Not every pet pro needs every coverage, so PCI lets you add just what you need to protect your team, your gear, or your other pet services. Start with what fits you now, and add more later as your business grows or changes.
| Optional Coverage for Pet Boarders | Good For | Cost |
|---|---|---|
|
Workers Compensation Insurance Helps cover medical expenses and lost wages if an employee is hurt while working |
Pet boarding companies or facilities with employees |
Custom quote |
|
Equipment and Inventory Coverage Can help with repair or replacement costs if your business gear gets damaged or stolen |
Protecting your investment in crates, gates, work phones, and pet-proofing equipment |
Three options, starting at $4.08/month |
|
Additional Pet Protection |
Growing or high-volume pet boarding services |
Three options, starting at $29.43 |
|
Additional Veterinarian Reimbursement |
Growing or high-volume pet boarding services |
$5.25/month |
|
Protects your business if client info gets stolen or ransomed during a data breach or cyberattack |
Pet boarders who transport pets or offer a pickup/dropoff service |
Two options, starting at $6.58/month |
|
Helps cover accidents and vehicle damage when you or your employees are driving for work |
Pet boarders who transport pets or offer a pickup/dropoff service |
free quote |
|
Employee Dishonesty Coverage (similar to bonding) Can help pay for losses if an employee steals from a client |
Building trust if your employees interact with clients’ homes or stuff |
$4.92/month |
|
Broadened Property Damage Coverage Designed to cover damage to clients’ personal belongings |
Pet pros who store clients’ stuff during boarding (pet accessories, crates) or also offer pet sitting in clients’ homes |
$5.67/month |
|
Employee Coverage Protects your business against lawsuits and claims because of your employees’ actions |
Growing pet businesses that hire support staff |
$7.08/month |
|
Independent Contractor Coverage Extends coverage to contractors your business hires |
Growing businesses that use contractors |
$7.08/month |
Pet Boarding Insurance Coverage Limits
Click on the icons or visit our coverage details page to see how your dog boarding insurance keeps you and pets safe.
Limits of Insurance
General Liability Coverage
The most your policy will pay in a 12 month policy period for bodily injury and property damage claims that you become legally obligated to pay due to your business services.
Limit per Incident: $1,000,000
Limit per Year: $2,000,000
Professional Liability Insurance
The most your policy will pay in a year for financial losses arising from errors, omissions, mistakes, or negligence in your professional grooming services
Included in General Liability limits
Animal Liability Limit
The most your policy will pay in a year for bodily injuries and property damage to others because of an animal in your care
Limit per Incident: $100,000
Limit per Year: $200,000
Products-Completed Operations Aggregate Limit
The maximum amount your policy will pay in a 12-month period for bodily injury and property damage claims that result from the products you use to perform your services.
Personal and Advertising Injury Limit
The amount that your policy will pay for claims arising out of one or more of the following offenses:
- False arrest, detention or imprisonment
- Malicious prosecution
- Wrongful eviction or wrongful entry
- Oral or written publications that slander or libel a person or organization
- Oral or written publication or material that violates a person’s right of privacy
- The use of another’s advertising idea in your advertisement
Each Occurrence Limit
The maximum your policy will pay for a bodily injury or property damage claim that you become legally obligated to pay due to your business services.
$1,000,000
Damage to Premises Rented to You Limit
Applies to damage by fire to premises rented to the insured; also applies to damage regardless of cause to premises (including contents) occupied by the insured for 7 days or less.
Any One Premises: $100,000
Medical Expense Limit
A general liability coverage that reimburses others, without regard to the insured’s liability, for medical or funeral expenses incurred by such persons as a result of bodily injury or death sustained by accident under the conditions specified in the policy.
Any One Person: $5,000
Pet Protection (Animal Bailee) – Animals in Your Care, Custody, or Control
This provides your pet business with coverage in the event that you are legally liable for injuries or damages sustained by an animal in your care, custody, or control.
Limit per Incident: $2,500
Limit per Year: $5,000
Veterinarian Expense Reimbursement (Regardless of Fault)
This provides coverage for medical expenses—regardless of who is at fault—for a client’s pet in your care, custody, or control.
Limit per Incident: $1,000
Limit per Year: $2,500
Deductible: $250
Lost Key Liability Coverage
If you were to lose the keys to a client’s residence, this coverage could help you manage the cost of installing new locks or having the building rekeyed.
Limit per Year: $2,000
Please note these are brief definitions of coverage. Your policy may be more restrictive in its language. Refer to the actual policy for a complete description of coverages and exclusions.
Why PCI for Pet Boarding Insurance?
Too many pet boarders rely on coverage not designed for pet care. PCI wants to change that. Did you know general business insurance rarely covers lost or injured pets in your care? Did you know running a business in your house often voids your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance? Many pet boarders don’t, which can lead to an unpleasant surprise when something goes wrong.
For over a decade, PCI has specialized in designing pet business insurance to fit the real risks of pet care. With an A-rated carrier and U.S.-based, licensed customer support agents ready to help, this is nose-to-tail pet boarding coverage you can count on.
17,000+ Pet Businesses Trust PCI
Pet Boarding Insurance FAQs
What insurance does a pet boarding business need?
Most pet boarding businesses need a combination of coverages to protect their work, including:
- General liability insurance for injuries to people and damage to someone else’s property
- Pet protection (animal bailee) coverage for harm to pets in your care, custody, or control
- Veterinarian reimbursement for help covering emergency vet costs
Depending on your business, you may also want extra coverage like Workers Compensation Insurance for your employees, or Equipment and Inventory (Inland Marine) Coverage to protect your pet gear.
What’s the difference between pet boarding insurance and pet sitting insurance?
Pet boarding insurance is for overnight pet care in your own home or facility. Pet sitting insurance covers care you provide in a client’s home. Since pet boarders are more likely to care for multiple pets in the same space or for extended stays, their risks are different than pet sitters’.
Can I get coverage if I offer other pet care services, too?
You can file a claim for your dog boarding business insurance 24/7 online. Here’s how easy it is:
- Log in to your user dashboard
- Go to the “Manage Policies” section
- Click “File a Claim”
- Fill out the form and hit submit
It’s really that simple. A claims adjuster will get back to you within 24 to 48 hours to walk you through next steps. Questions? Contact our customer service team.
How do I file a claim if something happens during boarding?
You can file a claim for your dog boarding business insurance 24/7 online. Here’s how easy it is:
- Log in to your user dashboard
- Go to the “Manage Policies” section
- Click “File a Claim”
- Fill out the form and hit submit
It’s really that simple. A claims adjuster will get back to you within 24 to 48 hours to walk you through next steps. Questions? Contact our customer service team.
See What Else We Cover
Thinking about expanding your services? We also cover these types of professional pet care, and more.
