Do dog walkers need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed dog walker actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
Quick answer
No law requires it, though some councils require a licence and proof of insurance to walk multiple dogs in their parks. What matters more is the cover mix: care, custody and control is the one most dog walkers miss, and employers' liability becomes a hard legal requirement of at least £5m the moment you employ anyone. Roughly £60-£160 a year for public liability with care, custody and control included; more if you walk large groups or offer boarding.
Insurance for a dog walker: what you need
| Cover | Status | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Essential | £1m-£5m. Covers injury and damage caused by a dog in your control. |
| Care, custody and control | Essential | Covers the dogs themselves being injured, lost or killed while in your care. Plain public liability excludes them. |
| Key cover | Strongly recommended | You hold keys to multiple homes; the cost of a lost keyring is re-keying every one. |
| Vet fees cover | Recommended | Covers emergency treatment for a dog injured on your watch before liability is settled. |
| Employers' liability | Legally required if you employ | £5m minimum by law if you take on a second walker as staff. |
Step-by-step
- 1
Know the legal position first
No law requires it, though some councils require a licence and proof of insurance to walk multiple dogs in their parks. It is worth being precise about this, because the trade forums are full of people who believe public liability is compulsory for everyone and people who believe it is never needed. Neither is right. The only insurance that is compulsory across the board is employers' liability, which becomes a legal requirement the moment you employ anyone.
- 2
Understand what actually goes wrong for a dog walker
You take control of other people's animals in public. A dog that escapes and causes a road accident, bites a passer-by, or is injured in your care produces a claim against you — and dogs in your custody are excluded from plain public liability.
- 3
Get the cover mix right, not just the headline policy
The table above is the important part. Buying 'public liability' and assuming you are covered is how most claims get declined in this trade — the specific extensions are what respond to the things that actually happen. Read what your policy names, and check the exclusions rather than the marketing.
- 4
Employers' liability the moment you take on any help
This is the one genuine legal obligation. Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires at least £5m of cover from the day you employ anyone — full-time, part-time, casual, family, paid in cash, it makes no difference. The penalty is up to £2,500 for every day you are uninsured, and a further fine for not displaying the certificate. If you use subcontractors, check whether your insurer treats them as employees; many do when you direct their work.
- 5
Tell your other insurers what you're doing
Two policies are routinely invalidated by not mentioning the business. If you work from home, your home insurer needs to know — undisclosed business use can void your buildings and contents cover entirely, including for unrelated claims. If you drive to jobs, your motor policy needs business use added; social, domestic and pleasure does not cover travelling between clients. Both changes are usually cheap. Not making them is not.
- 6
Put your cover on your website and quotes
Being insured is a selling point and most dog walkers waste it. A line on your site stating your cover level, alongside any qualifications and checks you hold, answers a question customers are already asking silently and separates you from whoever quoted before you. Commercial clients will ask for the certificate anyway — make it easy to find.
Tips & best practices
- ▸Dogs in your care are not covered by public liability. Care, custody and control is the essential extension and the one most commonly missing.
- ▸Many councils cap how many dogs you may walk at once in public parks and require a licence above a certain number. Exceeding the cap can invalidate cover as well as breach the by-law.
- ▸Home boarding and overnight care are separate activities requiring a council animal licence and usually separate cover. They are not included in a walking policy by default.
- ▸Check your policy's exclusions before you check its price — the cheapest cover is usually cheap because of what it leaves out.
- ▸Buying through a trade association or professional body is very often cheaper than buying direct, and the membership frequently pays for itself.
Common questions
Does public liability cover the dogs I walk?
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No. Public liability covers harm the dog causes to other people and their property. If the dog itself is injured, lost or killed while in your care, that is a 'care, custody and control' claim and needs that specific extension. Buying walking insurance without it leaves the animals you are actually responsible for uninsured.
How many dogs can I walk at once?
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It depends on your council and on your insurer, and the two limits may differ. Many councils set a maximum for public spaces — commonly four to six — and require a licence to exceed it. Your policy will also state a maximum; walking more than it allows can void cover entirely.
Do I need a licence to be a dog walker?
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Dog walking itself is usually unlicensed, but many councils license walking above a certain number of dogs in public parks. Home boarding, day care and breeding all require an animal activity licence under the 2018 regulations. Check with your council for the specific services you offer.
How much does dog walker insurance cost?
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Roughly £60-£160 a year for public liability with care, custody and control included; more if you walk large groups or offer boarding. Price varies with your cover limit, your claims history and exactly what work you declare, so compare on what is actually covered rather than on the headline figure.
Is any insurance legally required if I'm self-employed?
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Only employers' liability, and only once you employ someone. That is a hard legal requirement — a minimum of £5m from the first day, with penalties of up to £2,500 for each day you are uninsured. Everything else, including public liability, is a commercial decision rather than a legal one, though in practice clients and contracts often make it unavoidable.
Do I need insurance if I only work part-time or as a side business?
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Yes. Liability attaches to the work, not to how much of it you do or what you earn from it. A part-time trader who causes an injury faces exactly the same claim as a full-time one, and 'it was only a weekend job' is not a defence. Part-time cover is often cheaper, so tell your insurer your actual turnover.