Dog walker insurance: key facts
- Public liability is not a legal requirement for a sole-trader dog walker, but clients, booking platforms and some councils expect it.
- Public liability does not cover the dogs you walk. You need care, custody and control cover for vet bills or a lost dog.
- Employers' liability is a legal requirement once you employ anyone, with at least £5 million of cover.
- Basic cover for a sole trader often starts from roughly £60 to £150 a year.
- Many policies, and many councils, limit you to 4 to 6 dogs at once.
- Driving dogs needs business use on your car insurance.
- In England, dog walking alone needs no licence, but home boarding and day care do.
What does dog walker insurance cover?
"Dog walker insurance" isn't one single policy. It's a bundle of covers, and the bundle you need depends on how you work. The two core parts are public liability (injury or damage to other people) and care, custody and control (the dogs themselves).
| Cover | What it protects | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Claims from members of the public if a dog in your care injures someone or damages their property, for example knocking over a cyclist or scratching a parked car. | Every dog walker. This is the core of any policy. |
| Care, custody and control | The dogs themselves: vet bills if a dog is injured while with you, or the value of a dog that is lost or stolen. | Every dog walker. Without it, an injured or lost dog is usually not covered. |
| Key cover | The cost of replacing locks and keys if you lose a client's house key. | Anyone who holds clients' keys. |
| Employers' liability | Claims from your staff if they are injured or made ill at work. | A legal requirement as soon as you employ anyone, including part-time help. |
| Personal accident | A payment if you are injured and can't work, for example after a fall or a bad bite. | Sole traders with no sick pay to fall back on. |
| Equipment | Leads, harnesses, crates and other kit if they are lost, stolen or damaged. | Walkers with expensive kit or vehicle crates. |
| Professional indemnity | Claims that your advice caused a client a financial loss. | Walkers who also offer training or behaviour advice. |
| Business vehicle use | Using your car or van to collect and transport dogs. | Anyone driving dogs around. Arranged through your motor insurer, not the dog walker policy. |
Is dog walker insurance a legal requirement?
If you work alone, insurance isn't a legal requirement for dog walking. Once you take on staff, even one part-timer, employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement, with at least £5 million of cover.
In practice, you'll struggle to work without insurance:
- Clients ask for it. Owners are handing you their dog and often their house keys, and many will ask to see your certificate before booking.
- Booking platforms and some councils require it. Many dog walking apps, and some councils that issue permits for professional walkers in parks, ask for a minimum level of public liability cover.
- The law can make you responsible. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, the person in charge of a dog, not just the owner, can be liable if it is dangerously out of control. The Animals Act 1971 can also make keepers liable for damage caused by animals. A single claim could cost far more than years of premiums.
Employers without employers' liability insurance can be fined up to £2,500 for every day they're uninsured.
How much does dog walker insurance cost?
For a sole trader walking a handful of dogs, basic public liability plus care, custody and control cover often starts from roughly £60 to £150 a year. Insurance Premium Tax of 12% is added to the premium.
Your price depends on:
- How many dogs you walk at once. More dogs means more risk. Many policies set a maximum, often 4 to 6.
- Your level of public liability cover. £1 million, £2 million and £5 million are common. Some platforms and councils insist on a minimum.
- The value you put on each dog under care, custody and control cover, and the vet fee limit.
- Extras, such as key cover, personal accident and employer's liability.
- Other services, such as pet sitting, home boarding or day care, which carry different risks and may need their own cover.
- Your claims history and experience.
These are rough guide figures only. A broker can give you an actual price once they know how you work.
What to check before you buy
Two dog walker policies at the same price can cover very different things. Check these points in the policy wording before you buy.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Maximum dogs at once | Walking more dogs than the policy allows can leave you uninsured for the whole walk. |
| Care, custody and control limit per dog | A limit of a few hundred pounds may not cover a serious vet bill or a valuable dog. |
| Breed exclusions | Some policies exclude certain breeds or any dog with a history of aggression. |
| Off-lead conditions | Some only cover off-lead walking in enclosed areas or with the owner's written permission. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Vet fees for existing illnesses or injuries are usually excluded. |
| Lost and stolen dogs | Check whether lost and stolen dogs are covered, and whether advertising and reward costs are included. |
| Key cover limit | Replacing locks for several clients after losing a key ring can be expensive. |
| Other services | Make sure pet sitting, puppy visits, dog taxi or training are covered if you offer them. |
| Excess | The amount you pay towards each claim. |
Rules dog walkers should know about
- Limits on dogs per walker. A number of councils use Public Spaces Protection Orders to cap how many dogs one person can walk in parks and public spaces, often at 4 or 6. Check your council's rules. Breaking them can bring a fine and may affect your insurance.
- Fouling and leads. Public Spaces Protection Orders can also require you to pick up after every dog and to use leads in certain areas.
- Collars and ID. The Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires dogs in public places to wear a collar with the owner's name and address. Dogs in England must also be microchipped.
- Licensing. In England, dog walking alone doesn't need a licence. Home boarding and dog day care do, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. Rules differ in Scotland and Wales. If you add these services, tell your insurer as well.
- Driving dogs. Most personal car policies don't cover business use. If you collect dogs in your own car, check that your motor policy includes it, or a claim could be refused.
Common claims for dog walkers
- A dog in your care bites another dog or a person in the park.
- A dog slips its collar, runs into the road and causes an accident.
- A dog is injured on a walk, for example a torn ligament or a cut paw, and needs vet treatment.
- A dog goes missing and is never found.
- You lose a client's keys and the locks have to be changed.
- A dog in your care damages a client's or neighbour's property.
Starting a dog walking business: checklist
- Register as self-employed with HMRC, or set up a limited company.
- Get insured: public liability, care, custody and control, key cover, and business use on your car.
- Check your council's rules on dog numbers, permits and leads.
- Use a written agreement with each client covering off-lead permission, vet consent, emergency contacts and key handling.
- Keep records of each dog's health, behaviour and vet details.
- Consider pet first aid training. It helps in an emergency and some insurers look on it favourably.
- Add employers' liability before you take on any help.
Why use a broker rather than buying online?
Off-the-shelf online policies suit some dog walkers well. A broker who knows pet businesses is useful when your work doesn't fit neatly in a box: you walk larger groups, you also board dogs, you employ staff, or you want the limits on care, custody and control cover explained before you buy. They can compare insurers for you and help if you ever need to claim.
For a wider guide to every type of business cover, see our small business insurance guide.
Dog walker insurance: frequently asked questions
Is dog walker insurance a legal requirement in the UK?
Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for a sole-trader dog walker, but most clients expect it and many councils, parks and booking platforms ask for proof of it. Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement as soon as you employ anyone, with at least £5 million of cover.
How much does dog walker insurance cost?
For a sole trader walking a small number of dogs, basic cover often starts from roughly £60 to £150 a year. The price rises with the number of dogs walked at once, the level of cover, staff, and extras such as key cover or business vehicle use. Insurance Premium Tax at 12% is added to the premium.
Does my insurance cover a dog that runs off or is injured while in my care?
Only if your policy includes care, custody and control cover. Standard public liability usually covers injury or damage to other people and their property, not the dogs you are looking after.
What level of public liability cover does a dog walker need?
£1 million is the minimum most policies offer, and £2 million or £5 million is common. Check what your clients, booking platforms and local council require, because some ask for a specific minimum before you can walk in their parks or take bookings.
Do I need a licence to be a dog walker?
In England, dog walking on its own does not need a licence. Home boarding and dog day care do need a licence from your local council. Some councils also limit how many dogs one person can walk at once in public spaces or require a permit for professional walkers.
How many dogs can I walk at once?
That depends on your insurance policy and your council. Many policies set a maximum, often 4 to 6 dogs, and many councils cap the number of dogs one person can walk in public spaces, often at 4 or 6. Walking more than your policy allows can leave you uninsured.
Am I covered if a dog I'm walking bites someone?
Public liability insurance normally covers claims if a dog in your care injures a member of the public or damages their property, as long as you followed the policy conditions. Some policies exclude certain breeds or dogs with a history of aggression, so tell your insurer about any dog with a known problem.
Does dog walker insurance cover pet sitting or home boarding?
Not always. Pet sitting, especially in clients' homes, and home boarding carry different risks and may need to be added to your policy. Home boarding and day care also need a council licence in England. Tell the broker about everything you do.
Am I insured when transporting dogs in my car?
Not through your dog walker policy. Driving dogs to and from walks is business use of your vehicle, so your motor insurance must include business use. Most social, domestic and pleasure car policies do not cover it.
Does dog walker insurance cover dogs off the lead?
Many policies cover off-lead walking, but some only cover it in safe, enclosed areas or exclude it for certain dogs. Check the policy wording, and get written permission from each owner before letting their dog off the lead.
What is care, custody and control insurance?
Care, custody and control insurance covers the animals in your care. It pays for things like vet fees if a dog is injured while with you, or the value of a dog that is lost or stolen, up to the limit per animal set out in the policy.
Do I need insurance if I only walk dogs occasionally for friends?
If you are paid, even occasionally, you are running a business and a home insurance policy is unlikely to cover you. Public liability and care, custody and control cover is worth having from your first paid walk.