Pet Groomer Insurance in Tennessee

Common risks for pet groomers

• Nicks and cuts to pets
• Dryer burns
• Bites to groomers
• Pets escaping
• Mobile van accidents

Coverages pet groomers often consider

• General liability Helps if your business is blamed for injuring someone or damaging their property, and usually pays for a legal defense.
• Animal bailee (care, custody, and control) Covers injury to or loss of pets in your care, which general liability often excludes.
• Tools and equipment (inland marine) Covers tools and gear that travel to job sites or customer locations, or sit in your truck.
• Commercial auto Covers vehicles used for the business. Personal car insurance policies often exclude or limit business use.
• Workers’ compensation Pays medical bills and lost wages if an employee is hurt on the job, and includes employer’s liability.

Not every business needs every coverage. The right mix depends on your work, your contracts, and your budget. All coverage is subject to underwriting and the terms of the policy.

What a claim could look like

For example, imagine a dog is cut during grooming at your mobile van in Spring Hill and needs stitches. Animal bailee coverage may help, subject to policy terms.

This is a hypothetical example for education only. Whether any claim is covered depends on the facts and your policy terms.

Tennessee rules to know

Workers’ comp. Most Tennessee employers outside construction and coal mining must carry workers’ compensation once they have five or more employees, full- or part-time, per the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Even below that number, many owners choose to carry it.

Commercial plates. In Tennessee, a vehicle with a commercial license plate must be covered under a commercial auto policy, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

We can review your requirements and help you shop workers’ compensation and the other coverages above with carriers that write pet groomers, subject to underwriting.

Certificates of insurance

Landlords and pet stores may require certificates.

A certificate of insurance shows your coverage on the day it’s issued. If a contract asks for additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, the policy usually needs an endorsement, not just a line on the certificate. Our certificate of insurance checklist walks through what to check.

What affects the cost

• The type of work you do and how it’s classified
• Annual revenue and payroll
• Number of employees and any subcontractors
• Where you work and the value of your equipment or property
• The limits and deductibles you choose
• Your claims history and years in business

We can’t promise a price ahead of time, but we can compare options and explain the trade-offs in plain English.

How Eric can help pet groomers

Pet pros in Nashville, Franklin, Hendersonville, and Mt. Juliet often work in clients’ homes, at parks, and from vans. As an independent agent affiliated with Hutsenpiller Insurance, Eric can review what you have, read your contract requirements with you, and help you shop options with more than one carrier. See how an independent agent works for you.

Related guides

• Pet Business Insurance in Tennessee
• All business types we can help
• Business insurance in Middle Tennessee
• General liability insurance
• Commercial auto insurance
• Certificates and additional insureds explained
• What drives commercial auto costs
• Small business insurance checklist (PDF)
• Certificate of insurance checklist (PDF)