Good for its safety center and background check options
Care.com
- Screening
- Required check; more can be bought
Read Care.com's safety centerOpens Care.com's site. Not a referral link.
Also on Care.com's site
Sitter screening and platform guarantees
A background check badge and a platform guarantee help, but each has limits the platforms themselves spell out. Here they are.
- $25,000
- Rover Guarantee vet care cap
- 48 hours
- To tell Rover after a booking ends
Rover Guarantee page, read Oct 2, 2026. See source
On this page
What Rover's background checks search
| Search | Enhanced check | Basic check |
|---|---|---|
| National Sex Offender Public Website (DOJ)1 | Yes | Yes |
| National criminal database1 | Yes | Yes |
| County criminal court records (address history)1 | Yes | No |
| Who has it1 | New sitters and walkers | Mostly sitters who joined before January 2022 and have not upgraded |
The badge on a sitter's profile shows which check they passed.
The limits, in the platforms' own words
Rover says the information a background check returns can be limited by law and reporting systems, is based on what the applicant submits, and that criminal records are not always comprehensive1. Care.com says background checks are not always 100% accurate, may not capture a person's entire criminal history, cannot guarantee safety, and that employees of businesses listed on Care.com may not have had a background check2.
Both recommend doing your own checks: read reviews and meet the sitter in person before the first booking12.
The Rover Guarantee: covered and not covered
| Area | Covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Vet care3 | Up to $25,000 for eligible injuries to your pet or the sitter's pet, after the first $250, for up to 30 days | Care beyond 30 days; pre-existing or preventable problems such as fleas and ticks |
| Property3 | Damage to your home caused by a sitter or walker | Damage to the sitter's property or home |
| People3 | Certain medical costs of third parties | Injury to sitters and walkers, family members or roommates |
Rover says the Guarantee is not an insurance plan; it pays when the responsible party is unable or unwilling to pay. Full terms on Rover's page.
If something happens during a booking
Step 1
Tell the platform quickly
Rover asks to be notified no later than 48 hours after the booking ends3.
Step 2
Keep everything on the platform
Message the sitter through the app so there is a record; the Guarantee covers only services booked and paid on Rover3.
Step 3
Claim on your own insurance first
Rover asks you to claim on pet or homeowner's insurance first; the Guarantee can then help with deductibles or uncovered costs3.
Step 4
Send the vet records within seven days
Rover wants treatment notes and invoices within seven days of the injury3.
The platforms' own pages
How these links work: each button opens the partner's own site. We are not paid for these links today; we may earn a referral fee in the future.
Good for reading the full Guarantee and check terms
Rover
- Guarantee
- Up to $25,000 vet care, after $250
Read Rover's termsOpens Rover's site. Not a referral link.
Also on Rover's site
About this page
We do not earn anything from your quotes or sign-ups today. Every partner link is a plain link to the partner's own site, without a referral code. We may join partners' referral programs in the future, and this notice will say so before that changes.
Prices, plan terms and service areas belong to each company and can change. The company's own page is the final word on price, availability and terms.
PawPlan Guide is not a pet care provider, insurer, insurance agent or broker. We do not sell policies, book care or pass your details to anyone. Nothing here is veterinary advice.
