Business insurance a
major topic for pet groomers. We've got helpful information for
you. Operating a pet grooming business without proper and adequate
is an uncalled for risk. You are caring for beloved animals, and
you are also responsible for persons entering your commercial
property including pet owners, vendors, employees and occasional
drop-in visitors.
Some grooming business
owners go to an "insurance agent" and are told they do
not offer commercial business insurance for groomers. What do they
do? First of all, an agent is not the complete source for grooming
business insurance. An "insurance broker" is more likely
going to be able to provide the coverage you desire.
So, now you are going to
search for an insurance broker. They may have never insured a pet
care business before. Describe your business clearly to them so
that they too can help to derive your insurance needs. You must
ensure all of your business property, including fire and theft.
You must insure your liability for people on your business
property. Now, what becomes more difficult is that you must insure
the valuable inventory of pets that you care for each day. This is
the tricky part, finding a company that provides adequate coverage
for the loss of a pet. Potentially, a pet could be worth thousands
of dollars in a lawsuit. In fact, it could be worth more including
damages when a pet is harmed, or death results, as a
result of negligence involving the pet care your business
provides. Yes, like doctors, attorneys and other professionals,
the pet grooming business owner faces "malpractice" and
finding "malpractice insurance" for a pet grooming
business is difficult without some good leads, and a competent
insurance broker.
Here's some assistance.
We have been advised that the following companies are insuring pet
grooming businesses. However, we do not guarantee that their
coverage includes all of the coverage you require, especially
malpractice insurance. Let your insurance broker know that these
businesses have at least in the past provided coverage.
We also suggest you look
to the assistance of professional pet grooming associations for
assistance. Explore "Associations" Category in the
PetGroomer.com Yellow Pages. Some offer group rate insurance plans for
various coverage options.
Warning: Read
your policy carefully. It may not be fun, but you can rest easier
when you know have the coverage you need. Are you certain you have
"malpractice coverage." Malpractice insurance is almost
never included in a standard policy.
It may take more than
one policy and insurance company to adequately cover your
business. Be sure you insurance adequately represents your chosen
company form. Your coverage must protect those who are responsible
for the liability of the business, and as we have seen above,
liability varies by company form. Your insurance broker will
assist you.
Insurance coverage is
not always a legal requirement, but it is vital to own adequate
insurance. Once you hire employees, you will need worker's
compensation insurance. Some states may require bonds too. Again,
ask your insurance professional for assistance.
As a pet grooming
business owner you face pet care liability issues. You are liable
for the services your provide. If you injure a pet, you are liable
for a potential lawsuit. For that reason alone, an examination of
every pet's condition before you accept it for grooming should be
the standard order of the day. Question the pet owner to see if
the pet suffers any physical ailment or is under a veterinarian's
care. If the pet is under veterinary care, you must know if the
condition could be worsened by grooming. If you have any doubt,
require a written release from the veterinarian providing the
care. Don't be embarrassed to ask for this clearance. You are
expressing sincere concern for the pet, and that is expected of
the professional pet groomer. You never need business so badly
that you accept risks either.
Pre-existing health
conditions, matted coats, allergies, aged pets, and disabled pets
all pose potential liability risks. In fact, skin ailments
aggravated by grooming or grooming products are not uncommon. You
must limit how much stress you will put a pet through to de-matt
its coat, and draw the line when necessary and advise the pet
owner that it is in the pet's interest to remove the coat instead
of requiring it to endure the discomfort and aggravation of
de-matting.
We highly-recommend that
you use a "Release and Hold Harmless Agreement" to
protect your interests when grooming a pet that poses some risk.
Of course, you may decide to refuse services entirely, and a
notice to that effect should be clearly posted in your business.
However, where it is reasonable in your judgment to groom a pet,
and even if you have a release from a veterinarian, it is a good
idea to ask the pet owner to sign the Release and Hold Harmless
Agreement.
We recommend two forms
that you use as a model. Notice that we say "as a
model." Take one or both of these models to your company
attorney for review. They can then modify it as needed for use in
your operation. We do not recommend using them as-is without your
attorney's review.
Refer to the "Groomers'
Release Form" posted on the Internet and copyrighted by
Kat Lyvers. You'll enjoy her web site too! There is another form
of Release and Hold Harmless Agreement in
From
Problems to Profits. In addition,
there are several other sample legal forms in From Problems to
Profits.
Remember, not all
ailments are evident. A "trick knee" may never show
itself until there is a problem with it. Interview your new
customers and record the results including health conditions on
your records for each client and their pet(s). As a general rule
of thumb, if you consider a pet to require your "special
care" you should have a signed release from its owner. If you
know the pet is under veterinary care, there is no room for
question, you should have a signed release form on file. Save all
signed release forms for future reference too.
Another warning. Some
pet groomers forget to ask regular clients, "Has there been
any health conditions with your pet since your last visit?"
The smart business owner asking this question minimizes their
exposure to legal recourse should a problem occur with the pet
while under their care. In 1998 there were legal cases where the
Judge in each case expected that a pet care business owner would
inquire about the CURRENT health condition of each pet before
providing services. TAKE HEED! This is one of the most commonly
overlooked procedures in all of the grooming industry. You are
taking money for providing services, and therefore, in consumer
law you are expected to be the knowledgeable professional and
therefore, know it is important to verify that since the last
grooming there has been no changes in the pet's health that might
be affected by grooming. You can't use the excuse that the pet
owner should have informed you, or you forgot. These excuses have
been demonstrated in Court to nil affect for the benefit of the
business who is expected to know better since he or she is
charging fees.
OSHA
Owners of one person
businesses are still subject to applicable Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (O.S.H.A.) regulations. This misunderstanding is
quite prevalent among pet grooming businesses where the owner and
manager is also the pet groomer. We suggest you contact the U.S.
Department of Labor, O.S.H.A. division, via their web site at http://www.osha.gov
now. It is a very complete site. Also, there is excellent O.S.H.A.
especially prepared for pet groomers at PawPrintz.
Two of the key
issues of OSHA affecting employee safety and well-being is
1) hazardous materials and 2) noise. Grooming involves both
to some degree. Groomers do store plenty of chemicals in the
form of various grooming supplies, and you must have
available for an inspector a list of ALL chemicals including
a label from the container of each one. Noise is certainly a
side effect of grooming. Dryers, more dryers, clippers and
dogs barking all add up to noise, and that affects employee
health and stress levels. Fortunately there are great
improvements in grooming machinery drastically reducing
noise levels, including shop vacuums that nearly whisper.
You will see more and more of these product improvements,
take a look at the next trade show you attend. Wonderful!
Even the dogs and cats you care for endure less stress in a
more quiet environment.
