How to find the best equine insurance for your horse:
If you’re a horse owner you will understand how much every day horse costs can amount to; maintenance of stables, feeding your horse, grooming – it all adds up. Then if your horse injures itself or falls ill, a veterinary bill can cost thousands. There are nearly 3,000 accidents every year in the UK involving a horse rider, that’s why it’s a good idea to invest in an insurance policy for your horse – so if you become one of those 3,000 people, you can make a horse insurance claim.
An insurance claim means that you if you had an accident or injury with your horse and it wasn’t you fault you can get compensation to cover the costs of treating an injured horse or help medically with your own injuries.
Insurance for your horse may be one of the least appealing aspects of buying a horse but it’s worth holding onto your paperwork, because one day you might need it. But for most, it’s just a peace at mind that in any case you’d be covered for the cost of your horse, or cost of veterinary fees up to £5,000.
It can be time consuming owning a horse, spending every weekend and evening down at the stables. That’s why we recommend using an insurance broker to do the hard work of finding the right insurance for you. Horse insurance brokers like Julie Andrews, work with only the best equine insurance companies.
They value their claims records above all; do they actually pay out for claims when they say they will, and do you have to constantly chase them up? Are their policies fairly priced for the amount of cover offered? Do they have a good reputation for customer service and dealing with queries. These are just some of the important deciding factors for Julie Andrews Horse Insurance when choosing which insurance companies to work with.
Insurance brokers work as the middle man, handling your claims and setting up your insurance directly with the insurer so you don’t have to. We understand that waiting in a half an hour hold queue is not something you want to be doing when you’ve got 100 other things on your mind. (As any horse owner would). They can also sometimes give better rates than if you were to go direct.
The type of instances where you may need an insurance pay out:
· Cushing’s Disease - £1738
· Colic - £1619
· Desmitis - £1238
· Arthritis - £1730
· Laminitis - £1325
What is covered under horse insurance policies:
Death of Horse/pony
This covers all mortality risks from accident, illness & disease and should also cover in transit. This is usually a compulsory section of the policy with other section being optional. All death claims must meet BEVA guidelines to be payable under the insurance.
Theft & Straying
Cover if the horse is lost by theft or straying and not recovered within a set period detailed within the policy.
Public Liability
This section is needed if you do not already hold it as part of a society membership or covered by your home insurance. Public Liability is there to protect from claims by other people for which you are legally liable in the eyes of the law. If you are involved in an incident, do not admit liability and contact us or your insurer for advice on how to proceed. There is usually an excess payable if there is property damage.
Permanent Loss of Use
This will cover you if your horse has an accident BUT does not have to be put to sleep under the BEVA guidelines. The insurance company will pay a percentage of the sum insured - depending on the insurer, cover bought and individual situation. Insurers generally require a 5 Stage Vets Certificate if Loss Of Use is taken out regardless of the value of the horse. Most Insurers will not offer this cover for a horse/pony aged over 15 years.
Disposal of Horse/pony
Cost of the removal and disposal of the carcass.
Vet Fees
Vet fee claims are always increasing, so we recommend you to get as much vet fees cover as you can afford. The limit per claim can be between £1,500 to £5,000, often with an unlimited number of claims per year, depending on the Insurer. An excess of between £135 - £500 is normally offered. Pre-existing conditions will be excluded under the policy. With most Insurers, cover can be provided for alternative therapies and hospitalisation/transportation of the horse if required by a vet.
Personal Accident
Cover is generally for you and anyone who is riding the horse with your permission. Some policies also cover you and your immediate family for dental treatment following a riding accident.
Trailers & Horse Drawn Vehicles
This will only cover damage to your trailer. It will not cover third party road risks & damage to other vehicles/property, which should be added to your towing vehicles insurance. There is usually an excess payable.
