7.5 Ton Horse Box Insurance & Breakdown - Who do you use?

coreteam1

coreteam1

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Hi Can anyone help and advise me on which insurance company to use for my horse box? I've not insured a lorry before so I'm not sure which companies to avoid etc

It's a 7.5 ton Horse Box

I've been recommended Anthony Evans for insurance and the recovery - Send me a private message if you'd rather?

Cheers in advance :-)

(also posted in competing & training)
 
I`ve just insured with Anthony Evans for both, haven`t needed to use them yet so can`t tell you much about service, but their prices were the best by far :)
 
I use nfu and get breakdown recovery through them too. The price seemed fine to me and I picked them because my vet recommended them for horse insurance - he said they are quite fair when it comes to paying out.
 
I use Shearwater, and they give a big discount on horsebox rescue with Equine rescue services. It worked out cheaper with that than doing it separately.
Sadly have needed to use ERS several times, and I can vouch personally for how good they are.
 
I'm insured with Julie Andrews horse insurance for the lorry and breakdown not claimed at all but can say they were really helpful on the phone and what I thought was a good price.
 
I have Anthony Evans and have used them for years. I have used the breakdown recovery probably 4 times in 8 years, and each time they have been great both for 3.5 and 7.5 tonne boxes. My clutch went this week (thankfully with the box sitting outside the house and no horses) and they are coming to collect it and take it in for me tomorrow at an agreed time. The price is also good.
 
Abacus said:
I have Anthony Evans and have used them for years. I have used the breakdown recovery probably 4 times in 8 years, and each time they have been great both for 3.5 and 7.5 tonne boxes. My clutch went this week (thankfully with the box sitting outside the house and no horses) and they are coming to collect it and take it in for me tomorrow at an agreed time. The price is also good.
Click to expand...

Someone on the other page, Tack Room wrote this:

Read the details of the breakdown cover with Anthony d Evans, unless the vehicle is damaged and it's unsafe they recover the lorry with the horses on board, so lift the front and tow and if you don't want your horses on there that's your problem and you have to sort them out. That is why their recovery is much cheaper.

Abacus did they tow your lorry and horses this way?!
 
I would double check the small print on the 'cheaper insurers' as someone has quite rightly mentioned, they pick up your horse lorry with your babies still in it and tow until you get home!

Not legal at all under any DEFRA laws but much cheapness!

NFU are the best for Horse Box Insurance and I use Equine Rescue Services as a stand alone breakdown recovery
 
When I used Anthony Evans recovery with a horse onboard (in a converted Movano van) they first offered to tip the van up to pull it home backwards, which I refused, and I got cross. They then brought out a flatbed (we needed a really long one so that the tilt as it was pulled on was reasonable for the horse). So no, they didn't tow us, but I did have to make a bit of fuss. I am still unsure of whether putting the van on top of a flatbed is ok, but I can't see that it is much worse than normal travelling. The horse was an angel and I didn't hear a peep all the way home.

Just a side note - the currently-broken van has just been collected, dead on time and very easily.
 
The Organisation of Horsebox and Trailers Owners are the best recovery organisation for horseboxes as they will provide an alternative horsebox lorry to take the horses home. They may not be the cheapest but their service is 1st class.
www.ohto.co.uk
 
As mentioned above, always check the small print for the Breakdown service. Most companies don't send specialist fresh transport for the horses and you end up being towed or on a flat bed lorry - your horses don't enjoy either experience! Go for an option that you know will send fresh, specialist horse transport if you break down and will even look after them and you overnight if necessary. ERS are one of very few companies that will do that...
 
I'm insured through South Essex and the breakdown came in with the quote (think I pay about £40 per month). It's insured any driver over 25.

The breakdown cover even includes tyre replacement and specifically states that in the event of a total breakdown an alternative vehicle will be sent for any horses on board.
 
Thanks to everyone who replied, it certainly helped in my decision.

In the end I went for Shearwater Insurance and I also used them for breakdown cover which is through Equine Rescue Services. I specifically asked about recovering horses at the roadside if the lorry is broken down.
They said that they bring a horse lorry to transport the horses to their destination and the ONLY time this is not done and the lorry has to be towed is if the breakdown is on a motorway. For obvious reasons horses have to stay in their lorry :-)

Thanks again
 
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