Pet Sitter Insurance Guide

The bottom line before anything else: The moment you accept payment for pet care you are operating a business and you are personally liable if something goes wrong. A single dog bite claim or lost pet can cost thousands of dollars — far more than a year of insurance premiums. Get covered before your next paid booking.

The 4 types of coverage

What each one covers

1. General Liability Insurance Every sitter needs this

Covers you if something you do causes bodily injury or property damage to a third party.

Real examples: A dog you are walking bites a neighbor and they sue you. You accidentally flood a client's kitchen while house sitting. A visitor trips over your equipment at a client's home. General liability pays your legal defense and any settlement.

Cost: from $36/month · Thimble or Next Insurance

2. Animal Bailee Coverage The gap most sitters miss

Standard general liability policies have a Care, Custody and Control exclusion — they do not cover the animal in your care. Animal bailee coverage removes this exclusion.

Real examples: A cat escapes through a door you left open and is never found. A dog is attacked by another dog at a park while in your care. A bird dies unexpectedly during your watch. Without animal bailee coverage these claims would be denied.

Thimble includes this automatically · always confirm before purchasing any policy

3. Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)

Covers claims that your mistake or failure to perform caused financial harm to the client.

Real examples: You forget to give a diabetic dog its insulin and the dog is hospitalized. You miss scheduled visits and the client claims damages. Professional liability covers legal defense and settlement costs.

Cost: from $41/month · Next Insurance or The Hartford

4. Bonding (Dishonesty Bond)

Protects clients against theft by you or your employees. Different from insurance — covers intentional acts, not accidents.

Many clients specifically search for bonded and insured pet sitters before hiring. Being bonded is a trust signal as much as a financial product. Most insurers offer bonding as an add-on for a small additional cost.

Cost: $100–$300/year

Our recommended providers

Thimble vs Next Insurance

The links below are affiliate links — if you purchase through them PetSitterVault may receive a referral commission at no additional cost to you. This does not affect our recommendations.

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Thimble

Best for part-time sitters

✓Pay by the hour, day, or month
✓Animal bailee coverage included
✓Instant Certificate of Insurance by email
✓From $36/month — no long-term commitment
✓Cancel anytime

Get a free Thimble quote → (affiliate link)

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Next Insurance

Best for full-time sitters

✓Annual policy — better value for full-time sitters
✓General liability + professional liability options
✓Quick online quote — no phone call required
✓From $25/month for annual plan
✓Certificate of Insurance available immediately

Get a free Next Insurance quote → (affiliate link)

Which should you choose?

Choose Thimble if you:

Are just starting out or sit part-time
Want to pay only when actively working
Need a COI quickly for a new client
Want maximum flexibility with no commitment

Choose Next Insurance if you:

Sit full-time or have multiple clients weekly
Want a comprehensive annual policy
Need professional liability in addition to general liability
Are building a serious long-term business

Insurance questions

Common questions

No. Rover and Wag have their own protection programs but these are not insurance policies and are not designed to protect you from personal liability. If you work independently or accept clients outside those platforms you have no coverage at all. You need your own policy regardless of which platforms you use.

Most standard general liability policies exclude damage to property in your care, custody, or control. Since the pet you are watching is considered property in legal terms, a standard policy may not cover you if that pet is injured, lost, or dies. You need a policy that specifically removes this exclusion — like Thimble's pet business coverage does. This is the most common gap that pet sitters discover after a claim is already denied.

You need insurance. Bonding is optional but recommended. Insurance covers accidents and negligence. Bonding protects your clients specifically against theft. Many clients search for bonded and insured pet sitters as a trust signal and having both makes it easier to win new clients.

General liability with animal bailee coverage starts at around $36/month with Thimble for part-time sitters. If you only sit occasionally, Thimble's hourly or daily coverage can cost just a few dollars per job. A full annual policy with Next Insurance starts around $25/month. For most pet sitters, proper coverage costs less than one client visit per month.