Business liability
Covers damage caused by dogs in your care, including minder's risk, and with a good policy also damage to the animals you look after.
Insurance broker / Business types / Farming and nature
Insurance for dog trainers, boarding kennels and pet sitters in Germany
You look after animals that are not yours, and that is what makes your work tricky in liability terms. If a guest dog bites a walker, or slips its lead and runs in front of a car, you are liable as the person in charge of the animal. This page shows which insurance picks that up and what it costs.
The question almost everyone asks first
Isn't the owner's dog liability policy enough if their dog bites someone while with me?
Not reliably. The owner is liable even without fault, but you are liable alongside them as the minder while the dog is in your care, and many dog liability insurers reclaim their costs from a professional minder. On top of that, no owner's policy pays for damage to the dog itself. You therefore need your own public liability policy with minder's risk and, if you board animals, with cover for damage to the animals in your care.
What goes wrong in this trade
- 01
A bite in group class
Two dogs go for each other, an owner reaches in and gets bitten. Compensation and medical bills quickly land with the dog school.
- 02
Loose and hit by a car
A guest dog slips its harness and runs into the road. Accidents with cars or cyclists quickly cost five figures.
- 03
Sick after boarding
Kennel cough, diarrhoea, a bite from another dog: after the holiday, owners ask you to pay the vet's bill.
- 04
Walking six dogs at once
With several dogs on the lead, you have little control when deer or joggers appear. Some insurers limit the number of dogs per walk.
- 05
Damage in the client's home
Pet sitters work in other people's homes. A lost key or a patio door left open can become expensive.
- 06
Bites and backs
You get bitten, strong dogs pull you on the lead and you are outside in all weathers. Being off work means no income straight away.
Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.
The insurance you need
Essential
Strongly advised
Dog and horse liability
For your own dogs that join classes or stay in the kennels; in Lower Saxony, Berlin and Hamburg it is compulsory for every dog.
Accident insurance
Pays out if a bite to the hand has lasting consequences, and this applies outside work too.
Depends on the business
Business contents
Replaces kennels, agility equipment, feed and fittings after fire, storm or burglary.
Occupational disability
Protects your income if your back or joints no longer allow you to work with large dogs.
Car insurance
If you collect and drop off dogs, tell your motor insurer, as business use can change the premium.
Business legal expenses
Helps with disputes with owners over vet bills, unpaid invoices or official conditions attached to your permit.
What it costs: example prices
Premiums are modest. What matters is whether you only train or also keep animals overnight, how many dogs you look after at the same time and whether damage to the animals in your care should be covered.
| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Business liability | Dog trainer with one to one and group sessions, no boarding | about 70 to 180 euros a year |
| Business liability | Dog sitter or dog walking service, up to five dogs a day, including damage to the dog in your care | about 100 to 200 euros a year |
| Business liability | Boarding kennels with up to 15 places and minder's risk | about 150 to 400 euros a year |
| Dog and horse liability | The owner's own dog | about 50 to 120 euros a year |
| Business contents | Kennels, equipment and fittings worth 30,000 euros | about 100 to 250 euros a year |
For comparison: Liability cover for a dog school costs roughly as much per year as two to three one to one training sessions.
Guide figures excluding German insurance premium tax, as of September 2026, based on publicly quoted tariff examples from specialist insurers and our own quoting experience. The limit for damage to animals in your care varies widely; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Sources of the price examples
Our suggestions: three packages
01
Start
For: dog trainer, dog walker or pet sitter without their own premises
- Business liability
- Dog and horse liability
Together about 120 to 300 euros a year
Request this package02
Kennels
For: boarding kennels or dog school with its own grounds
- Business liability
- Dog and horse liability
- Business contents
- Accident insurance
Together about 450 to 1,000 euros a year
Request this package03
All round
For: kennels with staff, a pick up service and regular classes
- Business liability
- Dog and horse liability
- Business contents
- Accident insurance
- Car insurance
- Business legal expenses
Together about 1,200 to 2,500 euros a year
Request this packageThe worst day at the kennels
Six things that really happen at dog schools and kennels, all on one single Monday. Tap through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€56,500
-
On a walk a guest dog pulls free and runs in front of a cyclist. A fall, a broken arm and a wrecked e-bike.
-
In group class a male dog goes for another dog. The owner reaches in and is bitten on the hand.
-
A boarding dog injures itself on the kennel bars. Vet clinic with anaesthetic and stitches.
-
A pet sitter loses a client's front door key. The locking system of the whole block of flats is replaced.
-
A big dog pulls the owner to the ground on the lead. Torn shoulder tendon, surgery, lasting impairment.
-
A short circuit in the feed room starts a fire. Fittings and stores are lost.
Which package would you have had?
Illustrative amounts before any excess. Whether and how much is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
- Make sure minder's risk under § 834 BGB is expressly named in the policy, for every species you look after.
- Include damage to animals in your care and check the limit per animal. Pedigree dogs and cats needing surgery quickly cost several thousand euros.
- State the number of dogs per walk correctly, otherwise some insurers will not pay in full.
- Include the loss of clients' keys if you care for animals in their homes.
- Ask every owner for proof of their dog liability insurance and keep it on file.
- Choose at least 5 million euros cover: a dog on the road can cause a serious traffic accident.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We compare the animal clauses
Minder's risk, damage to the guest dog, number of dogs: this is exactly where insurers differ. As a broker we set the differences out side by side for you.
We know claims handling from the inside
In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. We know how a claim needs to be reported so the insurer does not spend weeks checking a bite or an escape.
Your business and your animals together
Public liability, your own dog, the car for your pick up service and your private provision are looked after together, with one contact person.
Family owned since 1989
Our advice costs you nothing; the insurer pays our commission. And you always speak to the same people.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do I need a permit as a dog trainer in Germany?
Yes. Anyone who trains dogs for others or coaches owners on a commercial basis needs a permit under § 11 of the Animal Welfare Act from the local veterinary office (Veterinäramt). The same applies to boarding kennels.
Is the owner liable or am I, if a guest dog bites someone?
Often both. The owner is liable without fault, and you are liable as the minder unless you can prove you took proper care. That is why you need your own public liability policy with minder's risk.
Is a boarding dog covered if it gets injured?
Only if damage to animals in your care is included and you are liable for the injury. Many basic tariffs leave out exactly this part.
What does insurance for a dog school cost?
Liability cover for training without boarding starts at about 70 euros a year. With boarding and cover for guest animals you are usually between 150 and 400 euros.
Does my private dog liability policy also apply in class?
For your own dog, usually yes. For your clients' dogs, no: a private policy does not cover professional activity.
Are cats, small pets and horses covered too?
Only if they are named in the policy. If you look after cats or small pets as well as dogs, say so; it rarely costs much more.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Pet care
The recommended covers are already ticked. Change what does not fit; we obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. You can write in English.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
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