Taking care of other people's cats is a fulfilling and rewarding business. However, caring for these small pets comes with a great deal of responsibility, because the pet owners entrusted the care, custody, and control of their furry friends to you.
How do you cover veterinary medical bills if a cat gets injured or falls ill in your cattery? What employee benefits do you offer your staff members in case of work-related injuries or illnesses? What if a customer picking up their cat suffers an injury while on your property?
All these are risks that your business faces every day. To protect your cattery, consider purchasing cattery insurance. In this guide, you will learn what policies are included, how much to pay for premiums, and which companies provide comprehensive coverage.
Cattery insurance is an insurance package that’s made for communal catteries, semi-communal catteries, celled catteries, and breeding catteries. This consists of policies you’ll find in other insurance products such as pet boarding insurance. Policies you can avail from this are general liability, animal bailee, professional liability, workers' compensation, and more.
You need kennel and cattery insurance because:
Cats in your care can get injured-The tailored business insurance program for catteries can help cover the cost of vet services and even grant compensation to the owner in case the cat dies or gets totally lost
Cattery equipment isn’t cheap-You don’t want to continuously buy new pieces of equipment in case they get damaged. Cattery insurance will grant the money you can use to cover equipment repair or replacement costs
Protection against loss of income-Sometimes, a disaster can force you to halt your pet care operations and services; in that case, cattery insurance can cover any lost income and extra expenses due to the sudden business closure
Liability coverage is a common inclusion in the tailored insurance for catteries. You can choose between two types of cattery liability insurance-general liability and professional liability. Investing in cattery liability insurance protects your business from significant financial losses, demonstrates professionalism and responsibility, and offers peace of mind.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | Pet Care | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $500,000/$1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit | $100,000 | $100,000 | $5,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Included | Can be included | No |
| Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? | Yes | No | Excluded | Can be included | No |
| Equipment breakdown floater included? | No | Yes | Yes | Can be included | Yes |
| Can you get a certificate of insurance online? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
General liability insurance, which you can also find in pet sitting insurance programs, protects cattery owners from the financial implications of unintentional third-party injuries or property damages due to your business operations.
Also referred to as commercial general liability, this insurance covers legal expenses and any compensatory amounts that may arise from lawsuits. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best general liability insurance for catteries.
Examples of scenarios that general liability insurance would cover include:
If a cat accidentally escapes the cattery, runs into the road, and causes an accident
If a cat bites or scratches a client in the cattery
If a customer's cat gets injured while under your cattery's care
A pet trainer you hired gets injured by one of the cats under your care
Without general liability insurance, cattery owners may be held personally responsible for accidents and will have to pay for the damages out of their business accounts. That can lead to huge financial losses for the business.
On the flip side, if you've secured liability insurance, it will cover the following costs for settling third-party personal injury claims, injuries, and property damages:
Legal defense
Settlements
Court judgments
Reimbursement for property damage or compensation for the sustained bodily injuries
General liability insurance for catteries has a $1 million-$2 million per occurrence and aggregate limit. Nonetheless, it’s possible to find insurance companies that sell a general liability policy with as little as $300,000 limit or as much as $5 million limit.
Many owners prefer leaving their cats with an insured cattery owner, as the insurance demonstrates a facility's dedication to providing responsible and professional services, as well as the necessary measures to protect its customers and their pets.
| CoverWallet | NEXT | Thimble (Best) | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| License defense coverage included? | No | No | No | No |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 | $500 |
Also known as professional indemnity coverage or errors & omissions (E&O) insurance, this policy safeguards cattery owners from financial losses arising from lawsuits due to negligence, errors, mistakes, misconduct, or failure to deliver services as promised. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best professional liability insurance for catteries.
Professional liability insurance can help you sort things out if a client files a claim because:
The cat entrusted to you was claimed by someone else
The cat broke out of your cattery and got lost
Your employee hurt the cat while grooming it
Your employee was negligent in feeding the cat and it experienced allergies
No. Professional liability insurance doesn’t cover vet expenses. However, it can reimburse the financial losses that the claimant incurred after covering the medical treatment of his or her feline friend.
Professional liability insurance will protect your business and its employees. Its coverage doesn’t apply to independent contractors. This is why it’s important to ask the pet trainers to get their own pet training insurance with a $1 million-$2 million professional liability policy.
Professional liability insurance can help, provided that it comes with a license defense coverage. License defense coverage is an endorsement of professional liability insurance that grants $25,000-$50,000 you can use to cover investigations and lawsuits filed by licensing boards.
Your cattery may supply products, such as cat food and toys. The food items you sell can cause allergies and other health complications to the cat. A pet owner can file a claim and seek compensation for the damages caused by your products. Product liability insurance covers the legal fees and settlements arising from these claims.
Product liability insurance may cover reimbursements and product recall costs in such a case because the cat in question is considered a product of your business. However, if licensing boards decide to conduct an inquiry against your business, then know that this falls out of the scope of product liability insurance.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $15,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Included |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/$10,000 | Included |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Included |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Included |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Excluded |
Building a cattery is expensive and this will require you to invest a lot of money from your personal account or request a huge loan from the bank. This is why it’s important to get commercial property insurance. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best commercial property insurance for catteries.
Commercial property insurance for catteries is underwritten as an all-risk policy that will reimburse the value of your cattery if it gets damaged or destroyed because of:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Riot
Civil commotion
Sinkhole collapse
Volcanic action
Lightning
Weather
Falling objects
Impact
Aircraft
Vehicle
Sprinkler leakage
Burst pipes
Yes. Commercial property insurance will reimburse the value of crates, cat supplies, cat cages, grooming equipment, and other valuables that get damaged or destroyed by the covered perils we mentioned.
No. Animal damage is excluded in the terms of commercial property insurance. Therefore, the policy won’t reimburse financial losses in such a case.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Hiscox | Thimble | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $500,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Commercial property coverage limit | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000/$500,000 |
| Optional policies can be added? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
You can save money on cattery liability insurance by purchasing it as part of a business owner's policy (BOP) instead of buying it independently.
A BOP combines several policies (such as general liability, commercial property, business interruption coverage, etc.) in a single insurance package sold at a lower price than buying the individual policies separately.
Therefore, it provides comprehensive coverage at an affordable rate. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best business owner’s policy for catteries.
| NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Pet Care | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate limit | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | $50,000 | $15,000/$25,000 |
| Covers hired and borrowed equipment? | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | $50,000 | No |
| Miscellaneous equipment also covered? | $5,000/$10,000 | No | Yes | Yes |
| Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
Tools and equipment insurance further protects your cattery’s cages, electronics, and other valuable equipment against fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils. You can purchase this as a stand-alone policy or as an endorsement to general liability insurance. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best tools and equipment insurance for catteries.
Workers' compensation insurance is important considering that you can’t run a cattery effectively by yourself.
The part-time and full-time employees of your cattery can slip and fall because of unwept urine on the floor, get scratched or bitten by a cat, or sustain an illness after getting exposed to a cat that’s in a poor condition.
Workers' compensation insurance allows you to cover costs if an employee sustains a work-related injury or disease.
Particularly, this provides the money you can use to pay the employee’s medical treatment, hospitalization, medication, rehabilitation, retraining, and lost wages. The policy also covers death benefits if your employee succumbs to his injury or disease.
General liability, professional liability, workers' compensation, tools and equipment, and commercial property insurance aren’t the only policies included in a cattery insurance package. Depending on your unique needs, these might also be available:
Animal bailee insurance-Sometimes, pet owners bring their cats to your cattery for care and custody during your business hours. Animal bailee insurance is designed to protect your clients' pets. It will protect your business in case a cat gets injured, sick, or suffers health complications because of the food you provide.
Inland marine insurance-Providing your clients with the best cattery experience may also involve transporting pet cats from one location to the other. Inland marine insurance covers the value of these cats while they’re being transported to and from clients' homes or veterinary care facilities.
Commercial auto insurance-If your cattery uses its own commercial vehicle that’s used to fetch and deliver cats, then your cattery insurance package will offer a commercial auto policy. Commercial auto insurance will cover the cost of accidents, vehicle repairs, and even cover the repair or replacement of the attachments to your cattery’s vehicle
Cyber liability insurance-Cyber liability insurance is a must if your cattery runs a website for marketing products and services. If the website gets breached and the sensitive information of customers and your business is exposed, cyber liability insurance will cover the cost of containing the breach, public relations, legal defense, credit and fraud monitoring, and others
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $25 | $300 | $0-$500 |
| Professional liability insurance | $50 | $600 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $30 | $360 | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Business owner's policy | $55 | $660 | $1,500 |
| Animal bailee insurance | $60 | $720 | $500 |
| Commercial auto insurance | $28 | $336 | $500 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $57 | $684 | $2,500 |
| Cyber liability insurance | $61 | $732 | $1,000 |
| Inland marine insurance | $29 | $348 | $500-$1,000 |
The average cattery insurance cost is $25 per month or $300 per year for a $1 million general liability policy. Compare cattery insurance quotes yourself to get a better idea of premiums. Start by clicking the “Get Quotes” button on this page.
While catteries each have their own unique risks, insurance companies determine premiums based on:
Business location
Number of staff members
The types of insurance policies required
Deductible level
Projected annual revenue
Policy limits
The insurance provider you choose
Here’s another table showing the cost of a $1 million general liability policy from companies that offer cheap cattery insurance quotes:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet Care | $11 | $132 | Cattery owners preferring personalized insurance services |
| NEXT | $15 | $180 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for catteries |
| CoverWallet | $17 | $204 | Comparing insurance quotes for catteries online |
| Tivly | $19 | $228 | Comparing insurance quotes for catteries over the phone |
| Thimble | $20 | $240 | On-demand coverage for catteries |
| Hiscox | $22 | $264 | Insurance for catteries that automatically renews every year |
| Travelers | $28 | $336 | Cattery owners searching for an inclusive coverage |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Your cattery business has unique needs totally different from other professionals, such as pet groomers or dog trainers. On the other hand, the insurance sector has many providers catering to various industries.
To ensure you get proper coverage for your cat boarding business, it's essential to partner with a carrier that can hand-pick the best policies for your business to provide tailor-made insurance. These are the best cattery insurance companies. The reviews below show their pros, cons, and cost of a $1 million general liability insurance.
Best overall
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Fastest general liability insurance for catteries
Great customer service and reputation
Excellent rates
Outstanding value for money
Get a 10% discount if you buy two or more policies
Couldn’t find any
If you're a tech-savvy cattery owner looking for business insurance, consider partnering with NEXT. Established in 2016, NEXT provides quick and easy online insurance products and services. Customers can sign up hassle-free and file their insurance applications within minutes.
NEXT boasts an extensive product portfolio to cater to the coverage needs of small businesses. This company covers catteries through its pet boarding insurance package that offers general liability, commercial property coverage, workers' compensation, commercial auto insurance, tools and equipment insurance, and professional liability. Besides, customers can opt to take out NEXT BOPs, which combine general liability and commercial property policies.
While you can choose to purchase insurance policies individually, NEXT provides cost-saving opportunities and gives customers a 10% discount when they bundle two or more policies. Once approved, business owners can access their insurance certificates online and even add additional insureds digitally. The carrier also has an online customer portal where insureds can file claims, although they can also report claims over the phone.
NEXT boasts of being AM Best-rated, which means it has the financial strength to handle its own insurance claims. That gives you the confidence that the company will expedite your claim settlement.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for catteries
Average cost: $15 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Compare insurance quotes for catteries online
Cancel your coverage anytime
Terrorism endorsement can be added to your general liability policy
Easy online policy management
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet covers your cattery through its pet boarding insurance package. Note that the policies you’ll get will be underwritten by CoverWallet’s partners. Here’s a quick summary of what you can avail from this company:
$1 million-$2 million general liability insurance
$50,000 commercial property insurance
$1 million professional liability insurance
Business owner’s policy
Workers compensation insurance
$1 million cyber liability insurance
Work with CoverWallet because it has an online insurance management platform that allows you to name additional insureds and pay premiums online. You can also use this to view the current limits of your existing coverages.
Best for: Comparing insurance quotes for catteries online
Average cost: $17 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Responsive customer service
Compare quotes over the phone
A partner of many reputable insurance companies
Sells animal bailee insurance as a stand-alone coverage
You need to call to get a quote
Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET) doesn’t have a cattery insurance package. However, you can still get covered since Tivly can hook you up with a partner that might have a related coverage. That said, call a representative to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing insurance quotes for catteries over the phone
Average cost: $19 per month
Our rating: 10/10
On-demand coverage
Quick to issue an estimate of your rates
Numerous add-ons that are reasonably priced
Easy to get a certificate of insurance
You can’t reach customer service by calling
Catteries are covered through Thimble’s pet boarding insurance program. However, understand that this company might reject insurance if you’re running a breeding cattery. Policies you can avail and workers compensation, business owner’s policy, and general liability insurance that can be purchased as a short-term coverage.
Best for: On-demand coverage for catteries
Average cost: $20 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Worldwide coverage
Automatic policy renewal
Free and extensive risk management resources
Purchase a coverage online and through an agent
Workers compensation and commercial auto insurance is underwritten by a partner
You might get your cattery covered through Hiscox’s pet daycare, hotel, and motel insurance package. Policies that this offers are business owner’s policy and cyber liability insurance. Consider calling an agent to avail of other business insurance solutions over the phone.
Hiscox automatically renews the policy of your cattery every year. Moreover, you get free access to online risk management resources. Also, in case you need to use an insurance product, Hiscox allows you to file a claim online or over the phone.
Best for: Insurance for catteries that automatically renews every year
Average cost: $22 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Offers a wide range of policy options
Comprehensive tools and equipment coverage
Online quotes available
Add-ons are too expensive
Pet Care Insurance (PCI) is a company dedicated to providing the most robust coverage for pet boarding and pet care businesses. It partners with reputable pet care insurance companies, such as Veracity Insurance Solutions, Lloyd's, and CNA.
Due to its partnership with three of the most renowned insurers, PCI provides cattery owners with virtually every insurance policy they need for their businesses: general liability coverage, personal and advertising injury coverage, animal bailee insurance, veterinarian costs reimbursement, equipment and inventory coverage, lost key liability coverage, leased commercial property coverage, etc.
The company also works with a knowledgeable and seasoned team of pet insurance specialists who understand the industry and its risks and can custom-make your insurance policy to protect your cattery from all potential risks. Besides, PCI provides easy contact channels (phone and online chats), enabling customers to get answers to their queries directly.
Best for: Cattery owners preferring personalized insurance services
Average cost: $11 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Insurance underwriting backed by 165 years of experience
Internationally acclaimed insurance provider
Insurance is available in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico
Extensive and valuable library of risk mitigation resources
Offers an online portal for easy workers' comp claims monitoring
Doesn't provide online quotes
Travelers has been around since 1853 and has built a track record as one of the best kennel and cattery insurance companies. The insurer provides insurance products and services to a wide range of businesses in the pet industry, from pet groomers and pet boarders to pet daycare, vets, and pet sitters.
The company offers a comprehensive BOP that automatically includes pet grooming liability and boarding kennel liability coverages. The insurer offers Power Pac Premier ℠, a policy plan that features enhancements for catteries with complex coverage needs. That enables cattery owners to bolster their BOP based on their specific needs.
Additionally, Travelers BOP can include a range of policies to provide the most comprehensive coverage. These policies include commercial general liability, commercial property insurance, business income and extra expenses (BIEE)/business interruption coverage, employee dishonesty coverage, animal bailee insurance, medication spoilage coverage, and professional protection for vets.
Because Travelers is an internationally recognized insurance company, customers can only purchase insurance from brokers, which is beneficial since local insurance agents understand the local market and provide personalized services. Additionally, the company has an online portal that enables everyone involved in workers' compensation– employers, employees, and pet care providers–to track the claim. The only disadvantage is that you can't get insurance quotes online.
Best for: Cattery owners searching for an inclusive coverage
Average cost: $28 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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