Some of the products on this page come from partners who may compensate us when you click on their links or take specific actions. This helps us keep our content free. That said, our opinions are our own and based on independent analysis.
A zoo is a facility where animals are hosted within enclosures. They are cared for and displayed to the public. In some cases, these animals are bred for conservation purposes. If you own a zoo, you understand the various risks it poses. This is why it is essential to get zoo insurance that protects you from possible lawsuits.
To enlighten you on the importance of business insurance for zoos, we will discuss it in detail and mention its cost. We will also highlight factors affecting its price and what it covers.
It provides protection against the exposures that zoos face. Such exposures may be lawsuits from the guests, unforeseen business closure, death of animals in captivity, equipment breakdown, and many more. In addition it consists of numerous policies that provide a solution to the exposures mentioned. These are:
Carriers often offer business insurance for zoos having a business owner’s policy. A business owner’s policy bundles general liability and commercial property into one insurance product with lower rates. It also allows the policyholder to add any other custom policies for more coverage without any significant increase in premiums.
When an employee sustains serious injuries when working in the zoo, they could file a claim against you. The lawsuit could be costly, especially if the employee sustains life-threatening injuries. With an employer’s liability insurance cover, you could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements. Thankfully, petting zoo insurance covers such costs. This will help keep your business stable.
Operating a mobile petting zoo presents unique challenges and risks that necessitate comprehensive insurance coverage. While general liability and specialized animal liability insurance are critical, commercial auto insurance is particularly vital for mobile petting zoos, as it addresses specific vehicle-related risks that can arise during operations.
Mobile petting zoos frequently transport animals, equipment, and staff to various locations. This mobility introduces risks that are not covered by standard petting zoo insurance policies. Commercial auto insurance is designed to protect businesses from:
Accidents: Coverage for damages resulting from vehicle accidents during transportation.
Liabilities: Protection against claims arising from injuries or property damage caused by the vehicles used in the business.
Vehicle Damage: Coverage for repairs or replacement of vehicles involved in accidents.
Considering these aspects, commercial auto insurance coverage is a must, particularly for mobile petting zoos. This will help the enterprise to cover any financial losses due to vehicles.
In the case of typical petting zoos, the insurance requirements include: general liability, property damage and, animal-related risks. However, while these are important coverages, they do not in any way handle the transportation risks of a mobile operation. Below is a comparison highlighting the differences:
Coverage Type | Mobile Petting Zoo | Non-Mobile Petting Zoo |
Commercial Auto Insurance | Essential for vehicle-related risks | Not required |
General Liability Insurance | Covers animal-related injuries and property damage | Covers similar risks but on-site only |
Animal Liability Insurance | Protects against claims related to animal interactions | Same coverage applies |
Property Insurance | Covers equipment and supplies during transport | Covers fixed assets like barns and enclosures |
Animals in captivity are dangerous, even the most docile ones. In the United States, animal attack incidents in zoos have happened.
In the past 26 years, there have been 256 reported zoo animal attacks that resulted in 33 fatalities. Such frequency means that zoo animal attacks are rare but do happen.
An animal that’s well documented in zoo attacks is big cats. And since 1990, it’s estimated that there have been at least 300 big cat incidents that have happened in zoos. Here are some incidents:
General liability insurance helps as it provides money to the policyholder to cover any lawsuits filed by an injured guest or volunteer. Also, it covers any damage to property too.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Aside from animal attacks, zoos also have to think about what might happen if animals escape from their cage. Here are some examples:
Escape incidents can lead to mass hysteria, leaving many of the guests and even the community in panic. Lawsuits can arise when escape incidents happen from concerned community members.
What can give protection is public liability insurance. Both general and public liability work the same way. The only difference is that general liability works for lawsuits made by a zoo’s guests while public liability works for lawsuits made by the public.
Zoos have a lot of assets that need to be maintained and replaced in case of damage. And so, it’s best to have insurance that will cover the cost of doing these things. In zoos, the most common assets commercial property insurance can cover are buildings, cages, enclosures, and worker safety equipment. It’s estimated that without insurance, zoos might need to spend more than $50,000 annually for repair and maintenance.
Those working in zoos are at risk of injuries. The job is risky because of the likelihood of animal attacks. Here are some examples:
A workers comp insurance functions to pay for the hospitalization and lost income compensation for an employee who suffered from a work-related injury. In case of death, workers comp insurance also provides death benefits to the employee’s spouse and children.
This is a coverage that works when zoo animals are being transported from one location to the next. When zoo animals die in transit, animal in transit insurance helps by reimbursing the policyholder the partial or the full value of the dead cargo. Also, it covers any liability that might arise when zoo animals in transit escape and cause damage.
Zoos can sometimes close temporarily because of the following reasons:
Business interruption functions to provide money and prevents a zoo from losing any profits because of paying for costs while business operations are at a halt.
In addition, here’s a table showing how much the best companies charge customers for zoo insurance:
Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
CoverWallet | $39 | $468 | Zoo insurance quotes comparison online |
Prime Insurance | $45 | $540 | Zoological society insurance |
While the cost of a zoo insurance policy is easy to estimate, several factors determine its price. Here are some of those factors.
If your zoo is located in a busy city you could spend more on your insurance policy. Zoos with high traffic mean more people could sustain injuries in your zoo, increasing the risk of claims and vice versa. Ensure your employees also are entitled to zoo insurance.
The state your zoo business is located in also determines the cost of insurance. Some states have set limits on the kind of zoo insurance policy every zoo business should have. Furthermore, some states also need you to have specific insurance policies that could be costly. Therefore, it is essential to check the laws of your state before getting zoo insurance.
Employees play a vital role in the zoo. However The more employees you have, the more expensive your insurance policy will be. Insurance companies will ask how many employees you have before deciding the total cost.
Zoo insurance will cover their medical expenses in case an employee is attacked by a zoo animal and sustains serious injuries. This is why petting farm insurance will cost more if you have many employees.
The rate at which a claim is filed against your zoo business also determines the cost. If your business faces numerous lawsuits due to injuries or property damage, you will spend more on insurance.
As a zoo owner, you know the damage animals can cause during the operation of a zoo. For example, during the operation an animal breaks out and scares the visitor and one of the visitors or the employee is injured zoo insurance will cover the medical expenses. This is why insurance companies check the claim history before deciding the price.
How big is your zoo? If you have a large zoo with hundreds of animals, you need a higher insurance policy. This is necessary because the chances of claims or lawsuits are high. Besides, an established zoo attracts an increased number of visitors, meaning the risk of injury is high. When the zoo has many people, injuries could also be many when an animal breaks loose and causes chaos. On the other hand, you won’t need an expensive insurance cover if you have a start-up zoo with only a few animals.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Insuranks rating | 10/10 |
Best for | Zoo insurance quotes comparison online |
Average cost | $39 per month |
Year Founded | September 2015 and acquired by AON at 2020 |
CEO | Inaki Beringuer (former) |
Headquarters | 101 Avenue of the Americas 18th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States |
Customer Support | (646) 844-9933 |
AM Best Rating | A ( excellent) |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Number of Complaints | 158 |
Insuranks rating | 8/10 |
Best for | Zoological society insurance |
Average cost | $45 per month |
Year Founded | 1990 |
CEO | Rick J. Lindsey |
Headquarters | 8722 S. Harrison St. Sandy, UT 840701 S. Dearborn St. Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60603700 11th St. South Suite 201 Naples, FL 34102 690 Stockton Drive Suite 100 Exton, PA 19341 |
Customer Support | 801.304.5500 or info@primeis.com |
AM Best Rating | A ( excellent) |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Number of Complaints | 1 |
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
Best insurance ever
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
Fastest ever online insurance quote and purchase! Also, great rates and professional customer reps that helps with whatever you need, if you need. Nice company!
Embroker sells a product that it doesn't honor. We purchased a combination D&O and EPLI policy. However, when it came to renewal, it told us that we only had D&O coverage even through our ACCORD certificate clearly mentions we have both. Basically they refused to honor the EPLI coverage and will leave you hanging with the bag. At time of renewal, they more than doubled our quote to get similar coverage. Basically BAIT & SWITCH. Unacceptable tactics. Easy to buy and pay but you may not be... Read More
Great platform. Terrible policy. There is no teeth behind it. No coverage. It's a fake policy that they sell. Sold us an EPLI policy that later we came to find out had no EPLI coverage. Amazing that they can get away with outright fraud. Check the positive reviews. They are all 'Anonymous' posted by Emroker staff. Stay away and find a real policy that will actually provide you coverage. We've been bitten by them and hope to find restitution via a lawsuit.
Paul Burns Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
It has been 70 days since I made a claim on the roof of my building. No one from the company will return calls. We are in hurricane season and located in Louisiana. My building is tarped to secure it.
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children,... Read More
Harshadray Patel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Extremely bad service, when you call , will make you wait on the phone for ever (over an Hour) and still no one to answer , so you end up hanging up. To cancel the policy, bounce you from one department to the other. They are supposed to refund from the date other insurance started and after sending the proof of other insurance policy, still they did not refund based on that actual date instead they use the date i managed to get hold of them. They charged me $7000.00 for a year's insurance on... Read More
Aaron Wensel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Guard Insurance is terrible. They were so bad I cancelled them because them couldn't figure out why I would never get a paper copy of the bill . Verified my address with them and still intermittent billing. I cancelled them in March through my local broker. Today 6/27 I get a letter in the mail from a collections company saying I owe 87.97. This was the first myself or my broker heard of owing this money. Here is some advice for this failure of a company send me a god damn bill and I will pay.... Read More
Michael Swink Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
My employer had to have workers compensation by law. He obtained a policy through this Berkshire Hathaway GUARD and they failed me. I fell from a ladder and fractured my spine in 7 different places, my clavicle in 4 places, and the base of my skull. Going to my Dr visits I was prescribed medication for pain and the insurance company placed a pre-authorization hold on me picking up the medication from Walgreens. The hold lasted 5 days! My weekly benefits have never been on time, right now... Read More
Liberty Mutual is one of the more simple companies to deal with. I had to file a claim for my business owner policy after I caught one of my employees stealing a large amount of products from my business. Liberty mutual paid the claim fast and with no efforts. I wish the legal process was as easy…
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
Very pleased with Hiscox - their small business insurance rates are very good and they specialize in small business which gives me a peace of mind as a small business owner. So far so good!
Their customer service is absolutely fantastic. Very patient, knowledgable and provided excellent explanation of the purchased policy. I would highly recommend this insurance company to anyone that's looking to protect their business from unexpected expense. Thank you Hiscox for doing a great job for my business!
STAY AWAY! I wouldn't recommend hiscox small business liability insurance to anyone. Better not waste both your money and your time. Hiscox customer service is extremely unpleasant, not organized and not professional. It is the worst company we have dealt with in almost 25 years in business!
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
Extremely fast and simple. Wasted a lot of time and money until I found these guys! I feel like my business is in good hands now.
Hiscox's the best! My business is insured with them for over 12 years and am not planning to switch!
Excellent experience with Hiscox BOP for my coffee shop. They provided all it needed.
My HI barbershop is well covered with their great BOP product for 5 years already! not planning to switch!
Best insurance ever
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
Great experience
Didn't relate to the concept much, but it makes sense if you need insurance to go
It doesn't really feel sustainable to me and doesn't offer business interruption, product liability and commercial property insurance. They have no local agents and despite their technology first approach you cannot file claims online. Additionally, product manufacturers are not covered by Thimble and they don't provide enterprise solutions.
As a contractor that works 3 times a week for a few hours, Thimble gets really handy for me and saves me money. I have no use for these massive business insurance coverages offered by traditional insurance companies.
Excellent concept which is useful to many small businesses!
Been waiting for this type of solution for a long time!
Love their business insurance solutions for freelancers! Great app!
Do you have U.S. insurance expertise/experience? Would you like to become a voice at Insuranks, help businesses and individuals, and showcase your authority online? Write us!