Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My husband and I own a Reptile Breeding and Education business in California. We are having a really hard time trying to find liability insurance incase someone was to ever get bit during one of our presentations/shows or if there was a disaster and our home burned down killing our snake collection. It seems that finding insurance to cover reptiles is near to impossible..

Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance.

Kim Nodine
The Reptile Den
thereptileden@thereptileden.com

Llyod's of London wil insure anything-like actresses legs, hand models hand's. However, their policies are extremely expensive so probably a last resort.

Good luck

Good luck, indeed.
And if you should have some, please post the info

It is indeed next to impossible to find insurance. However i do recall a lawyer that knew of one company which would insure reptiles. I can't remember the month of the reptiles magazine but they had a full article on the issue of insurance. If you contact them they could inform you of the issue and perhaps send you a copy of the article.
"Ball Python Business trends and issues"

Check out http://lkalmanson.com

My insurance company found out I had snakes and promptly gave me a warning to either get rid of the snakes or they were cancelling my house insurance...so I set about trying to find a broker who cared enough to fight in my interest. I finally found a broker who didn't run away at the word python.

Unfortunately the only way to get insurance for the snakes was to change my house insurance from residential to commercial. From 600 a year to 2000 a year (Canadian Funds). Yes, it's expensive and yes the coverage is not as good as residential but at least I know that if my house burns down I'm covered.

I had to take pictures of the setup. I had to tell them what type of heating I was using....I have to use heat rope as FlexWatt is not CSA approved...I had to send them our local bylaw to show that the Ball Pythons fit within the allowable limit for a python (less than 2 meters / ~6 feet)....and it goes on...

Anyway, the company that would cover me was AVIVA.
www.avivacanada.com, they probably have an american website also.

Good luck.
Let me know if you need more information.

Denis

this is no help at all but did anyone know that the top business plan for 2005 was for "selling pet insurance." i learned it in one of my business classes in college. oh this might be of help..you could call some business in Austin, Texas. Herpeton and Zookeeper. THe fellow at Herpeton (Walter) could probably help you find insurance. He is really nice. I know they have to have it for their businesses.
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0.4 normal ball pythons
0.1 normal Redtail boa
1.0 Hypo Redtail boa
1.0 true Redtail boa
1.1 100% Het Albino Redtail boa
1 baby sulcata tortoise
0.0.1 Baby Bearded Dragon
0.0.1 Baby Red Uromastyx
0.1 GF Eryn (WC)

You might check with anyone who insures livestock, like farm animals, or fish ponds. In most areas, reptiles are considered livestock, especially when bred for commercial reasons.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC