Today’s Bite-Size Business Tips
🤯 The pet client preference that shook us
🔍 The real reasons pet parents want you to be insured
🌶️ Hot takes on pet care apps: do they protect pet pros?
🗞️ 3 ways to leverage insurance to grow your biz
Hey pet people! Tricia here with more industry insights to start your spring off right.
Some parts of pet care are glamorous. Scrolling top pet pros’ feeds might be enough to make your friends go “sign me up for this job yesterday.”
Just look at @thevillagedogwalker’s Instagram full of sweet moments with longtime doggy customers and tell me you don’t get an instant dopamine boost. (Take notes for your own socials!)
What your friends don’t register are the not-so-photogenic parts of the job — and we’re not just talking litter boxes and gland expression. We’re talking the toxic houseplant with a bite out of it. The pup that flinches under your clippers. The things that keep you up at night.
We crunch the numbers on this stuff all the time at PCI (hopefully so you don’t have to). In the style of peanut-butter-coated pills everywhere, today we’re detailing how being a risk-avoiding business can actually snag you new clients. Let’s dig into the numbers.
The 1-2-3s of Pet Biz Growth: Stats-Driven Strategies
🐶 1 Head-Tilting Statistic 🐶
80% of pet parents are more likely to hire a pet professional with liability insurance.
(Yep, you read that right. 8-0.)
PCI asked almost 500 pet parents from across the country if they really cared whether their pet caregivers were insured. The strength of the response surprised even us.
The overwhelming majority of pet owners of all animal types, for all pet services, and from all income brackets said they choose insured pet pros first.
But how often does a client actually ask whether you’re insured or bonded? Depending on your specialty, you might not field that question much. So what do they think your insurance does for them, and how can you make sure you’re their top pick for a safe pet pro?
Psst! Want to let the data drive your business growth in 2025? Hear from over 1,000 pet parents and pet pros about their must-haves, industry trends, and growing a pet biz in our ebook.
👀 2 Industry Insights 👀
1
The real reason pet parents want you to be insured? They aren’t.
Only 23% of the almost 500 pet owners we surveyed had pet insurance. That’s consistent with national Harris Poll findings, which estimate that 24% of all US pet owners have pet insurance.
Here’s what that means for you: less than a quarter of your clients are prepared financially to protect their pet if an accident happens. So, over three-fourths will place that burden on you while their pet is in your care. 😬 That’s a big reason why they care so much about your insurance, but it’s not the only one.
2
73% of pet parents list trustworthiness as their #1 struggle in finding pet care.
Pet parents want a professional — someone they can trust with their fur baby’s health and happiness. Insurance says to pet owners that this is your career, not your hobby.
Insurance makes you more qualified than your clients’ other options. Many of the pet pros we talk to at PCI are worried about amateur competitors with lower rates saturating the market. But when pet parents talk about who they’re looking for, they talk about someone they can rely on.
“What Are Your Biggest Challenges with Finding a Pet Care Provider?”
| Almost 500 Pet Parents Said... | ||
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
73% |
“Finding someone I can trust with my pet” |
|
2 |
56% |
“Finding one company or person with all the services I want”
|
|
3 |
43% |
“Getting regular, consistent updates or getting in touch” |
|
4 |
28% |
“Receiving high-quality care” |
|
5 |
21% |
“Finding a schedule and availability that matches mine” |
|
6 |
18% |
“High costs or unexpected fees” |
|
7 |
18% |
“Finding a care provider who’s compatible with me and my pet” |
|
8 |
14% |
“Finding providers with the right credentials, experience, or insurance” |
|
9 |
9% |
“Finding knowledgeable caregivers for my special needs pet” |
|
10 |
2% |
Other |
3 Growth Ideas
1. Advertise your pet business insurance on your website or pet app profile.
71% percent of the pet pros we asked said clients don’t ask about their insurance directly. But once they know you have it, 80% are more likely to book you. That means you have to do the work of telling clients you have insurance to get the full benefit of the reputation boost.
If you’re insured with PCI, add this sleek insurance badge to your site to instantly elevate your credibility. The linked page includes 8 ideas for subtle but impactful places to put it.
2. Pet care app users: are you actually protected by insurance? Check which protections your app offers to make sure you’re covered and ready to grow.
Most big pet care companies have a process to make things right with clients if an accident happens. Still, the overwhelming majority don’t have many (or any) protections for you. Consider these top companies:
- Rover: The Rover Guarantee is a reimbursement program (not insurance) designed primarily to protect pets. Rover recommends that contractors buy their own insurance. If you’re curious, we’ve got a whole page explaining the Rover Guarantee vs. insurance.
- Wag!: The Wag! Claims Policy offers limited protection to pet parents if damages or injury happens during a booking, but care providers have no coverage.
- PetBacker: PetBacker provides up to $1,000 in professional liability, $4,000 in general liability, and $1,000 in vet costs. Deductibles also apply. Is that enough? 58% of PCI’s pet care claims are above $1,000.
- Meowtel: The Meowtel Promise includes limited insurance for Meowtel-booked visits costing $20+ for indoor-only cats. Claims have a deductible, and some important situations aren’t covered, like vet costs resulting from “a cat’s misbehavior.”
3. Walk through doors of opportunity open only to pet pros with insurance.
Some certifications, memberships, jobs, and career development opportunities are only available for pet businesses with liability insurance. If you’re insured, why not get in where your coverage helps you? Here are some options for insured pros only:
- If you want to work for or run a franchise of a national pet care business, many (like Camp Bow Wow) require you to carry liability insurance.
- If you’re a trainer or groomer who’s into the dog show scene, the American Kennel Club and many others require liability insurance in case of accidents.
- Growing fast and need more space? If you lease a commercial storefront (say, a grooming salon or a doggy daycare), the landlord typically requires proof of insurance.
And let’s be real: every reputable pet care certification strongly recommends that you have liability insurance (See NAPPS, PSI, PUPS, IBPSA, and more.) What do they know that beginning pet pros don’t? Insurance matters if you want to grow.
Until next time, happy tails!
