Company insurance is intended to safeguard the financial assets of a business owner and is a vital investment for a dog training business.
This article will discuss the primary insurance coverage for dog training enterprises, general liability insurance, as well as additional products that are appropriate for this industry.
Dog Training Companies Need General Liability Insurance
Every firm, regardless of sector, has risks that should be insured. General liability insurance is the most frequent and comprehensive form of coverage that company owners purchase.
General liability insurance covers the following risks:
Physical harm
Damage to property
Medical expenses
Legal defence and decision
Personal and commercial harm
While general liability insurance is not legally needed for companies, operating without it is exceedingly dangerous. If your company is sued, you might face costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more). The only way to avoid this sort of catastrophe from destroying your organisation is to have an adequate general liability insurance coverage in place to assist pay for these losses.
GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE MAY COVER COMMON SITUATIONS FOR A DOG TRAINING BUSINESS
Example 1: During a training session at your place of business, a dog owner slips on some uneven terrain, falls and breaks her arm, and then demands that your company pay for her medical care. Her medical expenditures would be covered by general liability insurance.
Example 2: A rival sues your firm, saying you slandered her company in your previous marketing effort. Your legal defence expenses would be covered by general liability insurance.
Example 3: While doing dog training at a client’s house, you stroll into the living room, trip over his cat, and fall into his entertainment centre. The customer requests that you repair his faulty equipment. The expense of replacing the client’s damaged property would be covered by general liability insurance.
Of course, this is not an entire list of risks covered by a general liability insurance policy, and certain situations may result in a specific peril not being covered. To minimise coverage gaps, it’s always better to speak with your agent about the terms of your policy.
General Liability Insurance Cost
Dog training firms in America pay an average of $300 – $700 per year for $1 million in general liability insurance.
The cost of your coverage will be determined by a number of variables. Among them are your:
Location
Deductible
Employees’ number
Per-occurrence restriction
The overall aggregate limit
You may be able to get general liability insurance at a lower cost if you buy it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a separate policy. A business interruption policy (BOP) is a more complete option that covers numerous types of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
Other Types of Coverage Required by Dog Training Businesses
While general liability insurance is the most crucial, there are various different types of coverage to be aware of. Other forms of insurance that all dog training firms should have include:
Insurance for Professional Liability
While you work hard on behalf of your customers and their pets, there is always the possibility that someone would claim your professional services harmed them. If a consumer accuses you of making a mistake and sues you, professional liability insurance will pay your legal bills as well as any needed compensation.
Insurance for Commercial Vehicles
In the case of an accident, any car you use mainly for work needs commercial auto insurance to cover the vehicle, driver, and others on the road. Choose a policy that not only covers accident-related vehicle repair expenses and medical care for anybody harmed, but also provides enough coverage for any business documents you transport in your vehicle.
Coverage Options for Some Dog Training Businesses
In addition to the insurance listed above, your dog training company may need other forms of coverage based on particular elements of your activities. Some of them may not apply to you, so be sure to ask your agent whether policies are appropriate for your company.
Insurance for Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation insurance is required in most states for both part-time and full-time employees. This coverage covers your workers if they are hurt at work or get sick as a result of a workplace accident. It covers not just an employee’s medical expenditures and missed pay if they need time off to recuperate, but also any disability or death benefits resulting from a work-related accident.
Umbrella Insurance for Businesses
While most claims are covered by your general liability insurance policy, certain incidents or lawsuits may be so severe that they threaten to deplete the limits of your main coverage. Commercial umbrella insurance protects you from having to pay for legal expenses and awarded damages that exceed the limits of your main policy out of pocket.
Additional Security Measures for Your Company
Although investing in company insurance is simple (and necessary), it should not be your first line of defence. Yes, insurance will reimburse your company for cash losses incurred as a result of an occurrence, but it is much preferable to avoid losses altogether.
With this in mind, here are a few steps you can take to better secure your company:
Make use of legally binding contracts and other business agreements. (We provide free templates for several of the most often used legal forms.)
To safeguard your personal assets, form a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. (To discover how to incorporate an LLC or company in your state, see our step-by-step tutorials.)
Keep your company licences up to date.
Streamline the internal procedures of your company. This will eliminate unneeded variables from routine activities and establish a secure, consistent environment in which to do business.
If your company is an LLC, you should check into LLC insurance.