Dealing with horses that aren’t insured

[dreamcometrue]

Hi.

I recently found out that the two horses that share a field with my horse are not insured. My horse is fully insured. We share turning out and bringing in amongst the three of us so I was wondering if one of the horses injured me where would I stand?

Thanks x

 

[AmyMay]

The horse being insured or not has no bearing on whether you could seek recompense if you were hurt. It’s the person who carries the insurance via a third party policy. The same applies to you.

 

[Melody Grey]

Pretty foolish of the owners not to have at least third party liability insurance since it can also covers events like road accidents due to horses wandering.

As above, lack of insurance wouldn’t prevent you making a claim, however if there’s no insurance you may come out with nothing/ not a lot even if liability is proven. I’d be encouraging them to get third party insurance, it’s not expensive and can be part of BHS membership or similar.

ETA: some landowners/ livery owners insist on insurance to protect themselves. If you’re not the owner of the field, it might be worth having this discussion with the them, they may insist on it being in place?

 

[Iris1995]

The horses don’t need to be insured if the owner has third party liability insurance which they may have through another insurance policy or via membership with an organisation that includes it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

As above you could still persue a claim but if the other owner didn't have the funds you end up with nothing or not enough. My horse was kicked and had its leg broken by an un-insured horse. I was told and aware that trying to claim anything would be hopeless.
I would bring it up. I have a friend who had a very very severe lift changing accident as much as he didnt really want to sue he had no choice, left long term unable to work, ultimately needing to purchase equipment to help him function.

 

[Jenko109]

Surely turning horses out with others comes with a degree of risk.

I'm not sure you can claim against them if an accident happened between the horses in the field, can you?

 

[scruffyponies]

Not sure I'd be happy having a horse turned out with mine whose owner thinks it's reasonable to sue if they have an accident in the field.
If you don't accept the risk of being injured by a horse, and have your own insurances in place, take up bowling.

As Jenko says, you wouldn't have a case anyway.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Surely turning horses out with others comes with a degree of risk.

I'm not sure you can claim against them if an accident happened between the horses in the field, can you?

Maybe not and in my case i aid all my vets bills, however look at it from another angle, what happens if you go into the field to catch your horse and get kicked in the head or something, meaning you can’t work?
Everyone will go down the chasing for money option when faced with loosing your horse or even worse house etc
Even being off work for two months with a broken leg can cause huge issues

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

As you can only sue someone if they, rather than you, are negligent, it is best to have your own insurance when dealing with someone else's horses. If a horse kicks you when you are e.g. removing its companion from their shared field, without the owner present, how could they be negligent?

 

[Polos Mum]

OP is it a livery yard? If you were injured because the situation was dangerous then you could try claiming against the livery yards insurance.

Insured or not it's rare to get payout for liability incidents with horses because they are known to be flighty / kicky / dangerous animals and if you choose to go in a field with them you are accepting the risk that something might happen.
Insurers won't just write liability cheques because someone paid a premium - you have to prove someone was in the wrong.

Anyone handling horses should ensure their work sick pay arrangements are good - to cover them if they can't go to work.
And if you're self employed then pay your own insurance to cover you for income if you can't work (for any reason - horsey or not)

 

[teacups]

OP, not insured for what? Veterinary fees, or third party liability?

If someone asks me ‘whether my horse is insured’ the question normally relates to vet fees. He is not: it would cost stupid money (age) and still come with so many exclusions & excesses as to be almost worthless.

If you ask me: do you have him insured to cover liability for anything he may to to others, then yes, of course he is.

So you need to be clear about your question and whether the horse owner’s answers related to it.

 

[Melody Grey]

To clarify: my response was intended in terms of liability towards humans being injured, not horses.

 

[Goldenstar]

If you where to get injured and it was because of her negligence and you could prove that in law you could still get a judgement against the owner of the horse then question would be if she or he had the assets to pay .
Strict liability is where you are liable even if you are not negligent and this is not easy to prove so the classic case ( shortened version ) is the one where horses escaped from a field because some toe rags stole the fencing the horses got on to a busy road , I think it was a motorway and one hit a car causing catastrophic injuries to the driver
The horses owner was found liable even though he was not negligent and was away on holiday and had left a suitable person in charge .
People who share fields would normally be said to assume liability going among horses doing normal things .
A yard owner should always be aware that they need to manage risk by managing fields to reduce problems as much as possible .
The YOer ought not to have horses where the owner has no third party cover on their yard and of course they need their own cover as well .

 

[paddy555]

OP, not insured for what? Veterinary fees, or third party liability?

If someone asks me ‘whether my horse is insured’ the question normally relates to vet fees. He is not: it would cost stupid money (age) and still come with so many exclusions & excesses as to be almost worthless.

If you ask me: do you have him insured to cover liability for anything he may to to others, then yes, of course he is.

So you need to be clear about your question and whether the horse owner’s answers related to it.

this. You may need to rephrase your question as to whether the horses are insured.
If someone asked if mine were insured the answer would be no.

If they specifically asked do you have any 3rd party insurance then the answer would be yes, considerable.

 

[AmyMay]

this. You may need to rephrase your question as to whether the horses are insured.
If someone asked if mine were insured the answer would be no.

If they specifically asked do you have any 3rd party insurance then the answer would be yes, considerable.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Not sure I'd be happy having a horse turned out with mine whose owner thinks it's reasonable to sue if they have an accident in the field.
If you don't accept the risk of being injured by a horse, and have your own insurances in place, take up bowling.

As Jenko says, you wouldn't have a case anyway.

I think you have made up a completely false personality for me there.

I have not mentioned any of the things you accuse me of.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Thank you to those who have replied with informative and sensible answers. I will check with the yard owners and the horse owners.

 

[acw295]

My horse wasn’t insured in latter years but I have always had BHS Gold for the public liability. All the yards I have been on have insisted on evidence of public liability insurance but not horse insurance.

I’m keeping my BHS even though I’m now horseless in case I ride or handle anyone else’s.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would always have liability insurance for a horse if nothing else I think as a yo I would insist on this, so I think your right to query it with yo and the horses owners.

 

[little_critter]

Not sure I'd be happy having a horse turned out with mine whose owner thinks it's reasonable to sue if they have an accident in the field.
If you don't accept the risk of being injured by a horse, and have your own insurances in place, take up bowling.

As Jenko says, you wouldn't have a case anyway.

I pulled a muscle in my bum bowling, it flipping hurt!

 

[PeterNatt]

The Land Owner is ultimately responsible for any accident that occurs on their land.
The land owner should ensure that anyone who has animals on their land carries Third Party Liability Cover as iin the absence of this then the land owner may be liable. The same applies to Livery Yards and Riding schools.