Taking dogs to work, pet insurance problem

[APC]

Yo,

 

Just got a new pup and his free insurance runs out tonight. I've been looking to insure and called a company to accept a quote and I was asked about whether he'd be going to work with me. I said yes, and they said that they wouldn't insure him while he's at work, in any capacity.

 

He would not be a working dog as such, he'd be out with me while I am working, or in the truck if I'm busy. Injuries to him i am not so worried about, as I could argue i was just walking him at my work rather than walking him while at work. The main issue is the third party liability bit. I deal with the public every day, taking a dog to work is a privilege and so I would not be happy not having this cover in place. I've been looking for several hours now and am getting bored. NFU were due to call me but they never did so at best I'll call them tomorrow.

 

Do any of you guys worry about this aspect of dog insurance when taking your dogs to work? Any tips? I don't mind paying a little extra for that cover, just I can't even find it!

 

Cheers,

 

Adam

[mendiplogs]

Yo,

 

Just got a new pup and his free insurance runs out tonight. I've been looking to insure and called a company to accept a quote and I was asked about whether he'd be going to work with me. I said yes, and they said that they wouldn't insure him while he's at work, in any capacity.

 

He would not be a working dog as such, he'd be out with me while I am working, or in the truck if I'm busy. Injuries to him i am not so worried about, as I could argue i was just walking him at my work rather than walking him while at work. The main issue is the third party liability bit. I deal with the public every day, taking a dog to work is a privilege and so I would not be happy not having this cover in place. I've been looking for several hours now and am getting bored. NFU were due to call me but they never did so at best I'll call them tomorrow.

 

Do any of you guys worry about this aspect of dog insurance when taking your dogs to work? Any tips? I don't mind paying a little extra for that cover, just I can't even find it!

 

Cheers,

 

Adam

HI mate both our dogs are with the NFU there very good jon

[Mark Bolam]

Never thought about it TBH mate, and insurance co. never asked (Tescos).

 

My dog is with me on nearly every job, unless people have requested otherwise or some commercial stuff.

[born2trot]

I'm a bit confused about what type of insurance you are after here. It sounds starting out as if you are after a sort of critical illness type of cover but ends by you wanting third party liability cover

I'm quite surprised about them asking if you take your dog to work there again this may well be the norm now i dont know , but as you say how on earth would they prove your dog got injured at work ?

As for liability cover unless you own a pit bull x tiger and let it run about loose would you bother with liability cover anyway ?

[timtree81]

my dog is done through basc ,i lost a dog in work 8 months ago insurance or not ,keep him safe on a lead or in the van

[born2trot]

my dog is done through basc ,i lost a dog in work 8 months ago insurance or not ,keep him safe on a lead or in the van

 

Sounds canny advice to me .

[APC]

I'm a bit confused about what type of insurance you are after here. It sounds starting out as if you are after a sort of critical illness type of cover but ends by you wanting third party liability cover

I'm quite surprised about them asking if you take your dog to work there again this may well be the norm now i dont know , but as you say how on earth would they prove your dog got injured at work ?

As for liability cover unless you own a pit bull x tiger and let it run about loose would you bother with liability cover anyway ?

 

I think you are missing the point quite dramatically. Check your standard pet insurance cover. An insurance policy document shows what you are insured for. Part of this is third party liability. This covers events where your dog has injured or killed someone or caused an accident etc. It's not just about whether the dog bites someone. It would include other things such as the dog taking out a grannies legs and busting her wrist, or running out in to a road causing a car accident etc. These are things I obviously want to train out of him, but there is always a chance it might happen. If it was to happen and my dog did not come to work, then I would be covered by the TP Liability section. If it happens at work, then all the insurance companies seem to not cover this.

 

To the point: I want an insurance policy that covers my dog same at work as I get at home. There will be someone out there who will underwrite this.

[APC]

Third party liability cover is not available while any dog is used in connection with any

business, occupation or profession but is available if the dog is used in connection with a

hobby.

 

That's what BASC say. Thinking about it, perhaps this would be a duel indemnity issue as the employer would be liable for accident caused by an employee, by virtue of allowing the employee to bring the dog in, therefore this eventuality would already be covered by another insurance policy. Obviously it would result in game-over for the employee, in most circumstances. I'd never given this any thought in the past, with previous dogs, and just took the cover for granted.

 

It's all good saying "if you can't look after your dogs every second don't take them to work" but even with the best dog owner on the planet, it can all go tits up in a millisecond.

[gibbon]

I have a dog and couldn't care less about insurinig it. What's the world coming too when Tesco tell you you can't take your dog to work.

[pgkevet]

It strikes me as reasonable from the general pet insurance company standpoint to be limiting their cover to their target demographic. For working dogs their third party liability ought to be covered by the business insurance.

 

A point you may not have considered is that if he is taken to work as a 'guard dog' and you are self employed then you should be entitled to claim his food as a business expense..and indeed his uninsured vets bills (vaccines and the like and the insurance excess).