An insurance checklist for mobile dog groomers

Mobile grooming spreads your risk across every driveway you park on, which is exactly why the cover needs to be arranged deliberately rather than assumed.

First, understand the split: motor insurance covers the vehicle on the road. It does not cover your grooming business, your treatment risk, or the dogs in your care.

Second, value the fit-out properly. Tables, baths, dryers, the generator and the water system add up quickly, and equipment should be insured for today's replacement cost.

Third, tell your insurer if equipment is left in the van overnight, and where it is parked. Undeclared overnight storage is a common reason a theft claim disappoints.

Fourth, remember third-party property damage. Driveways, gate posts and hallway walls are all things a mobile unit can catch.

Fifth, check care, custody and control — a dog escaping from a van on an unfamiliar street is a real risk that this section is designed for.

Finally, keep your records mobile too. Intake notes and consent forms in a phone app work as well as paper and are far harder to lose between appointments.

← All news and advice