Pet Store Insurance in Tennessee

Common risks for pet stores

• Animal bites and scratches to customers
• Recalled pet food or products
• Animals that get sick or die in your care
• Slips in the store
• Equipment failure in aquariums or heated habitats

Coverages pet stores often consider

• Business owner’s policy (BOP) Bundles general liability with coverage for your business property, and often business income, for many smaller businesses.
• General liability Helps if your business is blamed for injuring someone or damaging their property, and usually pays for a legal defense.
• Products liability Covers injury or damage caused by products you make, sell, or distribute. Usually part of general liability.
• Animal bailee (care, custody, and control) If you house animals, ask about coverage for animals in your care.
• Equipment breakdown Covers sudden mechanical or electrical breakdown of things like coolers, compressors, and HVAC.
• 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 puppy at an adoption event in your Mt. Juliet store nips a child. The parents ask for medical costs. A claim like that may go to general liability, depending on the facts and 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.

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

Certificates of insurance

Landlords and event partners commonly ask pet stores for 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 stores

Shops on the squares in Franklin, Lebanon, and Gallatin, and stores in Nashville, Hendersonville, and Murfreesboro, all face holiday rushes, storms, and landlord insurance requirements. 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

• Retail Business Insurance in Tennessee
• All business types we can help
• Business insurance in Middle Tennessee
• General liability insurance
• Business owner’s policy (BOP) 101
• Certificates and additional insureds explained
• Business interruption insurance
• Small business insurance checklist (PDF)
• Certificate of insurance checklist (PDF)