# 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.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-pet-care.php  
Updated: 2026-09-18

## 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.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No compulsory insurance for the business itself. Boarding and dog training do require a permit under § 11 of the German Animal Welfare Act, and in several federal states dog liability insurance is compulsory for your own dogs
- **Biggest risk:** Bites and accidents caused by other people's dogs in your care, for which you are liable as the animal's minder under § 834 of the German Civil Code (BGB)
- **Basic cover from:** about 70 euros a year for liability cover for a dog trainer without boarding
- **Statutory accident insurer:** usually the VBG, the Berufsgenossenschaft for service businesses, depending on your main activity; registration is compulsory once you have employees
- **Often forgotten:** Damage to the animal in your care: if a boarding dog is injured, many policies do not cover it or only up to a small amount

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **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.
- **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.
- **Sick after boarding:** Kennel cough, diarrhoea, a bite from another dog: after the holiday, owners ask you to pay the vet's bill.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.

**Risk radar** (Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.): Liability 4, Fire and water 2, Theft 1, Cyber 2, Downtime 3, Health 4

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): 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. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Dog and horse liability** (Strongly advised): For your own dogs that join classes or stay in the kennels; in Lower Saxony, Berlin and Hamburg it is compulsory for every dog. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-pet-liability.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Pays out if a bite to the hand has lasting consequences, and this applies outside work too. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Business contents** (Depends on the business): Replaces kennels, agility equipment, feed and fittings after fire, storm or burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Protects your income if your back or joints no longer allow you to work with large dogs. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Car insurance** (Depends on the business): If you collect and drop off dogs, tell your motor insurer, as business use can change the premium. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): Helps with disputes with owners over vet bills, unpaid invoices or official conditions attached to your permit. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## 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._

- [Uelzener: Haftpflicht für Hundeschulen, Tierpensionen und Hundeausbilder](https://www.tierversicherung-uelzener.de/hof-beruf-gewerbe/haftpflicht-fuer-hundeschulen-tierpensionen-hundeausbilder)
- [Uelzener: Betriebshaftpflicht Hund](https://uelzener.de/betrieb/betriebshaftpflicht-hund/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (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
- **Kennels** (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
- **All round** (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

## The 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.

- 07:45: 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. (€9,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 10:00: In group class a male dog goes for another dog. The owner reaches in and is bitten on the hand. (€6,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:30: A boarding dog injures itself on the kennel bars. Vet clinic with anaesthetic and stitches. (€1,800, Paid by: Business liability)
- 15:10: A pet sitter loses a client's front door key. The locking system of the whole block of flats is replaced. (€3,200, Paid by: Business liability)
- 17:20: A big dog pulls the owner to the ground on the lead. Torn shoulder tendon, surgery, lasting impairment. (€20,000, Paid by: Accident insurance)
- 21:30: A short circuit in the feed room starts a fire. Fittings and stores are lost. (€16,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €56,500

## 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.

## FAQ

### 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.

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. Free of charge and without obligation: the insurer pays our commission. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-pet-care.php#anfrage

---

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.