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A Pet Sitter's Liability

© Barbara Lombardi

I know, you're asking yourselves, "Is she kidding, now I'm supposed to worry about liability insurance for my pets?" No, you don't have to worry about it, but your pet sitter should. Let's face it, we live in a litigious society and if you're going to entrust the welfare of your pets and the security of your home to someone, shouldn't you be protected? Understandably, no amount of money could replace the loss of your pet, but what about your other personal belongings? Say for example your sitter asks a few friends over to your house while you are away and your home is vandalized. Or he/she forgets to lock the doors and some of your priceless possessions are stolen, what do you do? If your pet sitter carried liability insurance, you, your pet, your belongings and the sitter would all be protected. A good commercial liability policy will cover the loss of pets and property as well as recover losses from damage to your property. Some policies even carry a lost key clause in the event your sitter loses your house key. The coverage usually will cover the cost of a locksmith to change or replace the locks on your home. So how do you know if your sitter has coverage? Simple, ask to see a copy of the policy or certification of the policy when you have your initial meeting. Additionally check to see if your sitter's employees are covered or any independent contractors he/she may use. If the independent contractors are not covered, they should each carry their own coverage with separate policies. Don't be afraid or uncomfortable to ask a lot of questions. The more informed you are, the more comfortable you will be. The last thing you want to do while on vacation is worry, so find out about your pet sitter's liability and protect yourself and your pets.

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