Changing Insurance to BHS?

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crystalclear

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Hi all

Well all of my horses are insured individually but I am looking to cancel all insurances and go with BHS and the insurance with their gold membership. This is with a fab broker who looks for the best deals. I know that this won't cover me for vets fees but I have savings for this if needed. I know it doesn't cover other people riding either, I think I've read that right in the small print (although on some forums I have seen that other people are insured to ride if they have your permission?).

I compete low level xc with one horse, there's no point keeping her fully insured is there? She had a claim last year so her front legs aren't covered anyway.

Has anyone else done this and changed to BHS only?
 
I have bhs gold and it's a nice cheap public liability cover but it won't cover anything else only damage your horse does to others/property - it won't cover xc injuries etc (maybe I'm reading your post wrong though and you know this)
 
As above what exactly do you need the insurance for? If it's riding different horses it covers you riding the horses so anyone else riding them need their own insurance if you haven't insured the actual horse.
 
equi said:
I have bhs gold and it's a nice cheap public liability cover but it won't cover anything else only damage your horse does to others/property - it won't cover xc injuries etc (maybe I'm reading your post wrong though and you know this)
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You also have to remember it wont in all circumstances cover the damage to other peoples property ,it will only cover damage where you would be found liable in court there can be a difference. Do you already have a home insurance policy as that in most cases will give you the same if not better cover and most likely if a claim was made against you the house cover would have to pick up the tab. The BHS cover is only insurance of last resort so they will only pay out if no policy you already have may cover it.

Just to add that tack can very easily be added to household policies under sporting goods and mostly cover new for old !
 
All insurance policies tend to hide behind each other and say they will only pay out if another company does not provide cover so don't let that worry you. We've swapped individual insurance for cover under BHS and Pony club last year. (I think we have cover as members of world horse welfare too!) We stopped vets fees a while ago insuring only for death and disposal; but have now dropped that too. The tack has been covered under the household policy for some years having been subject to a tack theft and discovered equine tack insurance has more loopholes in it than a pair of fishnet tights.
 
Well this is it, the horses are all covered for vets and public liability and that's it bar the odd extra on one or two. A couple are insured for HT etc. as I say the main horse I take out low level has had a claim on her front legs so they're not covered anyway! I don't personally have house insurance though the tack is covered when it's at home. I know if you have more than one insurance sometimes it doesn't work out so potentially a good thing. There's five horses so each month it is becoming costly and it seems I'm really only extra covered for vets fees,
 
Just copied this from elsewhere. The only other insurance I have is car...

Features and Benefits
This policy covers your legal liability for:
• accidental bodily injury to any person
• accidental loss of or damage to property
happening anywhere in the world arising out of your use, ownership or control of horses or horse drawn
vehicles and your direct participation in other horse related activities.
• £10,000,000 limit of indemnity in respect of any one claim, unlimited in respect of all claims occurring during
the period of insurance
• Cover is provided for members normally domiciled in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, the Channel
Islands, the Republic of Ireland or at bases of Her Majesty’s Forces Overseas.
Significant or Unusual Exclusions or Limitations
This policy does not cover you for:
• bodily injury to members of your own family or household, or any employee whilst working for you
• loss of or damage to property belonging to you or in your care, custody or control; or in the care, custody or
control of any member of your family or person in your service
• liability arising out of or incidental to any profession, occupation or business
• punitive, exemplary or multiplied damages
• horse racing, point to point racing or steeplechasing other than:
- endurance riding
- racing which forms part of an equestrian event the primary purpose of which is not racing and where the
said race is not being run under the rules of any turf or similar authority
• use of a horse or horse drawn vehicle for hire or reward
• liability arising out of the ownership, possession or use of any mechanically propelled vehicle or any craft
designed to travel through the air, space or water (other than hand propelled watercraft or rescue craft)
• deliberate acts or omissions
Significant Conditions
This is a policy of last resort, that is to say that if at the time of any claim under this insurance there is any other
valid and collectible insurance available to the Insured or any other Insured party, other than insurance that is
specifically stated to be in excess of this Policy and names the Insured for the insurance, then the Insurance by
this Policy will be in excess of and will not contribute with such other insurance.
Period of Insurance
This policy is issued for a 12 (twelve) month period beginning from the date you become a member or renew
 
equi said:
I have bhs gold and it's a nice cheap public liability cover but it won't cover anything else only damage your horse does to others/property - it won't cover xc injuries etc (maybe I'm reading your post wrong though and you know this)
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We had a discussion when a vehicle got damaged [by a carriage I think] and it did not seem to cover this
 
Hopefully we can help with some of the points above! :)

The specific purpose of any public liability insurance is to cover you where you are actually legally liable for something that's happened and a claim has been made against you. If something happens and you're not liable, no public liability insurance will pay out because that's not what it's there for.

As one of many benefits (not least knowing that you're contributing to our charitable work!), BHS Gold membership includes public liability insurance (also known as third party insurance). The insurance is provided by SEIB and covers you for up to £20 million on public liability claims; this increased from £10 million last year. It also includes personal accident cover for accidental death, loss of sight or limb and permanent total disablement.

The public liability insurance included as a Gold member benefit covers any ridden, non-ridden or driven horse/pony that you own or or have on permanent loan in your full care and control, providing no money is changing hands. This means that you are covered for others riding your horse with your permission on an occasional basis, as long as they haven't paid you for it.

Terms, conditions and territorial limits to the insurances apply; these are on our website. Our Membership team are always very happy to talk through individual questions or concerns - drop them a line at membership@bhs.org.uk or call 02476 840506.
 
There was an incident locally where someone was riding a BHS member's horse, they were out together. The rider fell off and was injured. The owner thought that she was covered for damage to the rider with her BHS insurance, but she wasn't.

Had the horse galloped off and caused damage to someone else's property then the owner would have had cover from the BHS.

So you have cover for a "third party" - your horse kicks a car, goes on the rampage round a landscaped garden, etc. - but if you have a friend riding your horse they need their own riding cover.
 
Orangehorse, that's not what BHS_Official has just put above, which may be of use to your friend. However, it may be that where your friend came unstuck was the 'occasional basis'
 
Thank you everyone for your insights and for replying BHS that's really helpful to know and straight from the horses mouth (sorry couldn't help it!) it's great to know riders are still covered. I think I'm going to swap, good to get confirmation though - thank you
 
BHS_official said:
Hopefully we can help with some of the points above! :)

The specific purpose of any public liability insurance is to cover you where you are actually legally liable for something that's happened and a claim has been made against you. If something happens and you're not liable, no public liability insurance will pay out because that's not what it's there for.

As one of many benefits (not least knowing that you're contributing to our charitable work!), BHS Gold membership includes public liability insurance (also known as third party insurance). The insurance is provided by SEIB and covers you for up to £20 million on public liability claims; this increased from £10 million last year. It also includes personal accident cover for accidental death, loss of sight or limb and permanent total disablement.

The public liability insurance included as a Gold member benefit covers any ridden, non-ridden or driven horse/pony that you own or or have on permanent loan in your full care and control, providing no money is changing hands. This means that you are covered for others riding your horse with your permission on an occasional basis, as long as they haven't paid you for it.

Terms, conditions and territorial limits to the insurances apply; these are on our website. Our Membership team are always very happy to talk through individual questions or concerns - drop them a line at membership@bhs.org.uk or call 02476 840506.
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Technically with horses you can't be held liable at all cause they have a mind of their own surely? Am I paying for nothing lol
 
The circumstances Orangehorse describes would have been because the owner was not liable - obviously we don't know the ins and outs of that case and wouldn't discuss them publicly, but that would have been the ultimate reason if no other public liability policy was in place. All cases are individual and if anyone is worried about what they are or aren't covered for (under any kind of insurance policy), the safest thing to do is of course ask - your insurer should be happy to take the time to make sure you're totally clear on where you stand.

Equi, while a horse does of course have its own mind ; ), they cannot as animals be held liable themselves. The owner of an animal assumes responsibility for it, and therefore liability (where appropriate) falls to the owner, who should be expected to have the means and foresight to make good any damage caused by an animal in their care.

As, unfortunately, these costs of this can run far beyond what a person may have the means to pay, this is why we always recommend having public liability insurance, whatever else you choose to insure or not insure for.
 
So if someone else is riding your horse and something happens, you're saying the owner is not liable and then anything that happens your not covered? Sorry I'm confused as I thought you said if given permission, someone is covered to ride?
 
Just to add, I heard Taylor swift is suing her cat for scratching her legs as they are insured, this is true but what suing a cat?!!!!
 
If someone else is riding with your horse with your permission and no money has changed hands, and something happens that causes damage and you are found liable as the owner of the horse - yes, you are covered.

You're not automatically liable for any incident that happens - which party is liable depends on the individual situation and causes. If you are actually liable and have kept to the insurance terms, you are covered.

If you are not found liable in an incident, there is nothing in insurance terms to actually be covered - does that make sense? :)
 
Thank you yes that makes sense :) just one more quick question, if I have five horses and take out the BHS gold membership this having insurance, can one horse still be fully insured by another company or will this confuse things?
 
Would the fully insured horse be insured separately for public liability or just vet fees? If for public liability that insurance would be the first port of call for an accident involving that horse and a third party (though I'm not sure why you would chose to have that additional cost if you have BHS Gold). If just for vet fees then there's no issue.
 
Thanks blurr that's fab! I'm not sure if ages ago somewhere I read that you can't just insure for vets fees? I have a feeling you have to have public liability with the company too and not just vets. I could be wrong as this was a while back...
 
The important issue is that a recent court case demonstrated that horse owners are liable for any accident that their horses cause whether it was their fault or not. It demonstrated that third party public liability cover to no less than £10,000,000 (Ten million pounds) is essential.
Many policies do not cover to this level so check your policy carefully.
 
Thanks for that too, the BHS covers that about I wonder how much my current one is. ETA: I'm currently with petplan and I believe they are one million
 
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You are indeed if you join online or over the phone :) If you join online, you'll receive payment confirmation via email; if you join over the phone, the confirmation will be given verbally. The insurance starts at that point.

If you post a Direct Debit form or a cheque, you'll be insured from the day your application is received by the Membership team.
 
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