Horse insurance

Buying a horse can be a huge financial commitment. The cost of owning a horse can add up over time and health problems are just one of the many reasons why caring for a horse can be so expensive. Horse insurance can be worthwhile protection if you are concerned that you can’t afford your horse’s emergency treatments, if you rely on your horse as a source of income, or if you have valuable equipment that would be difficult to replace.  

Horse riders can get insurance of their own to protect against accidental injury. Horse rider insurance can be a valuable protection if you regularly ride your horse or rent out your horse for others to ride. It will pay out a set amount to cover the cost of medical treatments and even offer some third-party liability cover if someone else is injured while riding your horse.  

If you often ride your horses on public roads, it is worthwhile to consider third party liability insurance at the very least. If your horse is ever spooked while you’re on the road it’s quite easy for them to accidentally hurt someone or damage a car, and if that happens you may have some expensive legal fees to pay. 

Third party liability cover will help you cover the legal costs associated with either defending yourself against a claim of liability or covering the cost of compensating the person making the claim. Most horse insurance policies will either include liability cover as standard or offer it as an optional extra to add to your policy. 

There is no legal requirement to insure your horse, but it is strongly advised that you consider looking into cover for a few reasons. Veterinary bills for horses can be an unexpected and costly expense if your horse is involved in an accident or stricken with illness. Under the Animals Act 1971, you also have strict liability for the actions of your horse, even if you are not present at the time of an incident. This means you could also find yourself facing potentially expensive legal action if you or your horse are deemed liable for causing harm to another individual or their property.

Even though your horse may have turned 15 and is now classed as a veteran, it doesn’t mean they can’t live a fit and active life. The premiums for veteran horse insurance may be slightly higher for an older horse, but by comparing policies from different providers you should still be able to find a cost-effective deal that is right for you. Veteran horse insurance is likely to include cover for vets’ fee, personal liability and features such as loss of a horse by death by accident, theft or straying. Cover can also be extended to the age of 30 and even beyond.

If your horse is going to take part in competitions such as dressage, show jumping or eventing, it would be wise to look at more specialist competition horse insurance to cover the additional risk. It’s not just the events that your horse takes part in to consider, but also transportation to and from competitions and when they are training in the paddock and menage. While more expensive, competition horse insurance tends to offer higher payouts per incident than standard horse insurance and covers additional costs such as complementary treatment and hospitalisation fees.

Yes, horse insurance can cover vet bills. However, the specific coverage will depend on the policy you choose. Most horse insurance policies offer options to include vet fee coverage, which can help offset the costs of treatments, surgeries, and medications.