Insurance for Pet Clinics
Owning a pet clinic is a wonderful way to use your training and education to do something you love. Pet clinics may specialize in providing medical services to small animals only, such as dogs or cats, or they may focus on exotic animals or farm animals instead. Most pet clinics provide services to all types and sizes of pets however, and this means that you as the owner are kept quite busy. Having a lot of customers go in and out of your business puts you at risk for increased accidents and unexpected hazards however. Protect yourself and your customers by carrying small business insurance.
General Liability
General liability is business insurance for surprise accidents and unexpected events. This coverage provides you with a broad level of protection by covering you for problems that might not have been thought of before-hand. It also grows with your company so that when you add new products or services to your pet clinic, your general liability insurance will protect them from the start. Specific areas of coverage include:
General Liability Insurance Includes:
- Premises Liability – Premises liability is the part of your general liability coverage that protects you when customers have an accident at your pet clinic. If a customer hurts themselves by falling in an exam room for example, and they need medical attention or care, your premises liability coverage will pay their medical bills. If their personal property is damaged in some way, premises liability pays for those repairs as well.
- Products Liability – The products that you sell in your pet clinic may cause problems for your customers or their pets. If a pet shampoo causes a dog’s hair to fall out for example, the dog’s owner may sue your clinic. Products liability pays for injuries or damages, and can pay for your legal defense fees as well.
- Completed Operations – After you complete a specific service for one of your customers or their pets, problems may arise in the future. If physical harm or property damages arise due to the services you provided, your completed operations coverage can pay the damages.
Business Owners Policy
A business owners policy (BOP) includes general liability insurance while providing you with additional protection. BOP coverage protects you from losses of tangible and intangible business assets. You can custom tailor this protection based on the specific needs of your pet clinic. Examples of coverages includes:
- Buildings and Contents
- Business Income and Extra Expense
- Electronic Data
- Newly Acquired or Constructed Buildings
- Employee Dishonesty Coverage
- Animal Bailee – If you are a Veterinarian, you also have the option of adding Animal Bailee coverage to your insurance policy. This coverage is specifically designed to cover you in case you’re sued because animals in your care, custody, or control are accidentally killed or injured.
Business Auto
When you or one of your pet clinic employees is involved in an auto accident, your business auto insurance policy can protect you from the losses. If you transport pets for example, coverage can pay for the injuries or damages to those pets when accidents occur. This coverage also pays for property repairs, and medical bills of people involved.
Workers Compensation
Workers comp insurance protects your employees. If an employee is injured while performing his job duties, workers compensation will pay for any related medical and recovery bills.
Professional Liability
Professional liability insurance is also known as errors and omissions. A pet clinic provides professional medical services to their animal clients. If you or an employee makes a professional mistake that harms a patient, your professional liability business insurance can pay for the resulting medical bills and legal claims.