Under the APDT liability policy , care , custody , or control coverage is mandated via an endorsement titled “ Property Damage Coverage Extension and Veterinary Expense Coverage .” This endorsement covers both the pets in your care , and the client ’ s personal property in your care , custody or control up to the limit you choose ($ 10,000 - $ 200,000 ) when you take out the policy . In addition , the endorsement also covers vet medical expenses regardless of fault up to the limit you choose .
coverage for care , custody or control , insurance companies add additional endorsements ( policy forms ) to specifically cover pets and personal property and limit the amount they will pay . Under the APDT liability policy , care , custody or control coverage is mandated via an endorsement titled “ Property Damage Coverage Extension and Veterinary Expense Coverage .” This endorsement covers both the pets in your care , and the client ’ s personal property in your care , custody or control up to the limit you choose ($ 10,000 - $ 200,000 ) when you take out the policy . In addition , the endorsement also covers vet medical expenses regardless of fault up to the limit you choose .
Now let ’ s dive a little deeper with some claims examples to show what is covered , first in terms of injuries to dogs , and then in terms of property damage to the client ’ s contents in your care if you perform any training in client ’ s homes or any pet sitting / dog walking at your client ’ s homes .
• Dog escaped during training class and was hit by a car . Total paid : $ 15,004 .
• At a training facility , two dogs got into a confrontation , and both required vet medical treatment . Total paid : $ 2,370 .
• Dog ingested a ball during a training class , required surgery . Total paid : $ 8,143
• While being transported from a training session back home , the dog fell and broke leg . Total paid : $ 8,906 .
• Dog suffered a left arm fracture while running during a training class . Total paid : $ 7,525 .
• During a training class , a larger breed dog attacked a smaller dog in the class . Total paid : $ 10,000 .
• While on walk , a dog got into a fight with another dog , and suffered a punctured lung and other injuries . Total paid : $ 32,018
• Trainer was using client ’ s equipment while training at the client ’ s home . The trainer failed to lock up / secure the equipment before they left and the equipment was stolen . Total paid : $ 3,413 .
• After in-home training while the client was at work , trainer neglected to properly latch puppy crate . Puppy got out of crate and chewed up client ’ s mattress . Total paid : $ 8,107 .
• While pet sitting for a client , trainer caused damage to client ’ s coffee table . Total paid : $ 2,760 .
As you can see from these claims , injuries to client ’ s dog ( s ) and personal property while in your care , custody or control can be expensive , especially with the increased cost of vet medical care over the last few years . Although APDT liability policies mandate a minimum of $ 10,000 in CCC , this amount , and sometimes not even $ 25,000 , is enough to adequately cover care , custody or control claims anymore . Unfortunately , too many trainers fail to fully comprehend this mandated coverage until a claim occurs . In a few instances we have even had insured trainers indicate to the insurance company claims adjuster they purchased $ 1,000,000 liability limit to cover their claim for an injured dog in their care . And even worse , in a couple cases they had already authorized vet care and vet bills which were more than the $ 10,000 CCC limit they chose when taking out their policy .
Therefore , this is the reason it is so important to understand this optional limit of coverage , and purchase an adequate limit whether you take out the APDT liability policy or a policy with another insurer . Often other insurance companies will label this coverage as animal bailee or an animal floater . If you do choose to go with another company , please be aware that most companies may quote your business a $ 10,000 or $ 25,000 animal bailee limit , but often when you read the fine print of the coverage form , they will limit you to $ 1,000 , $ 2,500 , or $ 5,000 per animal for vet medical expenses . As you can see from some of the claims examples , this may not be enough to cover your claim if injuries are severe .
Yes , it is a little more expensive to purchase a higher CCC limit , but when it comes to being insured properly , the cheapest insurance products on the market are not what ’ s best for your business . Please note it is not my intention to scare you into purchasing more coverage , but rather to educate you on the types of care , custody or control claims we are seeing , so that you can learn from your fellow trainers ’ experiences and make the best decision for your business . The fact is the cost of pet injury / vet medical claims are on the rise , just as medical costs continue to rise for people , and vet medical expenses can differ based on where you live . For example , an ACL injury may be $ 2,500- $ 3,500 in some parts of the country , but we have seen the same injury cost as much as $ 12,000- $ 14,000 in larger cities across the country . So be sure to choose a CCC limit for your business that will adequately cover you when a claim does occur .
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Spring 2022 27