The Hartford doesn’t offer petting zoo insurance online, but a local agency or Tivly may be able to help you find the coverage you need. The following content includes information from various sources and can change over time.
What Is Petting Zoo Insurance?
Petting zoo insurance is made up of different types of business insurance coverages designed to help protect you from the risks that come with managing animals and hosting guests. From bodily injury to property damage, accidents can happen at any time.
A petting farm insurance plan could include these common types of coverage:
- General liability insurance
- Workers' compensation insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
As the owner of a petting zoo, insurance coverage can give you peace of mind knowing you’re better prepared to handle setbacks.
Although The Hartford doesn’t offer petting zoo insurance, we help connect you with Tivly, so you can get the coverage you’re looking for.
Why Might You Need Petting Zoo Insurance?
Petting zoo insurance is a collection of coverages that helps protect petting zoos and hobby farms from the unique challenges of their industry. Petting zoo insurance can help safeguard your business against potential risks, like:
- Bodily Injury: One of your goats gets a little too rowdy and knocks down a child.
- Property Damage: You park your trailer in the wrong spot at a venue, and they bill you for lawn repairs.
- Equipment Theft: Expensive tools and supplies disappear from your storage shed, and you need help replacing them.
What Petting Zoo Insurance Coverages Might I Need?
When it comes to protecting your petting zoo, you’ll want protection that matches your potential risks. Many zoo owners have a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) because of the peace of mind it can provide.
A BOP combines three types of coverage to help protect your zoo from claims that can come up during normal operations:
General liability insurance helps protect your petting zoo from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to others.
Commercial property insurance helps protect the owned or rented buildings you use to operate, as well as the tools, equipment, supplies and furniture you rely on. These can include your:
- Fencing
- Food
- Grooming supplies
- Signage
- Animal shelters
Business income insurance helps replace your lost income if you can’t operate temporarily because of covered property damage caused by wind, theft or fire.
It’s important to remember that a BOP won’t cover every type of claim you might face as a petting zoo operator. You’ll need other types of coverage to create a comprehensive insurance plan, including:
Workers’ compensation insurance to give your employees benefits to help them recover from a work-related injury or illness.
Commercial auto insurance to help cover bodily injury or property damage claims from an auto accident that you or an employee causes while driving a company-owned vehicle for work.
Who May Need Petting Zoo Insurance?
Petting zoo insurance can help many types of businesses, including:
- Mobile or traveling petting zoos
- Permanent petting zoos
- Agritourism
- Party companies
How Much Does Petting Zoo Insurance Cost?
Although The Hartford doesn’t offer coverage for petting zoos, here are the average costs our small business customers pay for common types of coverage. You can use these amounts to help estimate your insurance cost:**
- BOP: $1,687 a year, or about $141 a month
- Stand-alone general liability insurance: $810 a year, or about $68 a month
- Workers’ compensation insurance: $1,032 a year, or $86 a month
- Professional liability insurance: $744 a year, or $62 a month1
Keep in mind that petting zoo insurance costs vary because every hobby farm has unique risks. Insurance companies consider several factors when determining your coverage cost, including:
- Number of employees
- Location of your business
- Type of coverage
- Your claims history
- The limits you select for your coverage
To find out your specific petting zoo or hobby farm insurance costs, get a free quote online through Tivly.
General Liability Insurance
“A visitor slipped near an exhibit and sprained their ankle. They sued to cover their medical bills, claiming we didn’t clean up the spill.”
General liability insurance helps cover claims that your business caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else.
Animal Liability Coverage
“One of our goats nipped a child. The parents sued us for emotional distress.”
Animal liability insurance helps cover claims that your petting zoo’s animals harmed a guest or employee.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
“A worker slipped and injured her back while cleaning the rabbit enclosure. She needed several weeks off to recover.”
Workers’ compensation insurance gives your team benefits to help them recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. It can help pay their medical bills and replace lost wages.
Commercial Auto Insurance
“My grounds person lost control of the zoo truck and sideswiped a car in the parking lot.”
Commercial auto insurance helps protect your employees on the road if they drive a company-owned vehicle for business and get into an accident.
Commercial Property Insurance
“Our HVAC started leaking and caused significant damage to the ceiling of our reptile exhibit, including the enclosures.”
Commercial property insurance helps protect your owned or rented building, as well as the equipment, tools, supplies and inventory you use to run your petting zoo.
Business Income Insurance
“Strong winds from a storm blew down tents and some of our fencing. There was a ton of damage, and we couldn’t open for a few days during our busy season.”
Business income insurance helps replace lost income if you can’t operate temporarily because of covered property damage. This coverage can help pay rent, utility bills or payroll.
Get a Quote for Petting Zoo Insurance Options
Growing your petting zoo should be an exciting adventure — not a maze of risks and what-ifs. Get a quote today from Tivly.
Last Updated: April 28, 2026
1 What you pay for professional liability insurance will vary by product, limits chosen and risk class or hazard group associated with your business.
2 The Hartford, “Water and Freezing Damage, Burglary Lead The Hartford’s Top Five Small Business Claims,” viewed March 2026.
3 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Small Business Safety and Health,” viewed March 2026.
4 Risk & Insurance, “Water Damage Is a Leading Cause of Commercial Real Estate Claims. How Sensor Technologies Help Mitigate These Claims,” viewed March 2026.
** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
The Hartford does not currently have a product available to provide the coverage described on this page. You are being referred to Tivly in an effort to connect you with a carrier who may provide this coverage. This link will redirect you to a third-party website, owned and operated by an independent party ("Tivly"). Any link you make to or from the Tivly website will be at your own risk. Any use of the Tivly website will be subject to and any information you provide will be governed by the terms of the Tivly website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy and security. The Hartford and its affiliates (collectively "The Hartford") do not endorse or approve and make no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of the Tivly website. The Hartford assumes no liability for loss, damage and any other consequence resulting directly or indirectly from your access to the Tivly website or any information that you may provide on the Tivly website.
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