Do we all have insurance?

[DragonSlayer]

PL only. We have an empty credit card with a very large limit for emergencies but fingers crossed not needed it yet!

 

[HashRouge]

We just have third party now with the BHS. Our two are excluded for most things due to age and/ or previous conditions so it seemed a bit silly to pay a fortune for very little. If I got a new one I'd probably have full coverage though.

 

[McFluff]

I have BHS gold for PL.

I cancelled insurance on my gelding in a bit of a strop. I didn't like that they would focus on how to not pay, then hike premiums and exclude future claims on something they didn't pay out for! I also found that the treatment options were better (cheaper!) when I was paying for it myself.

I had my previous mare insured. In my experience the insurance made the end of her days more challenging - the insurance company initially refused to pay death payment because (on vets advice!) we didn't put her through surgery first. I only got a payout in the end due to my vet fighting my corner. It's hard enough making a decision without the insurance complicating it. In the end the payout was the same as all my premiums added together.

Bearing all my experiences in mind I haven't insured my new mare. I always assumed I would be an advocate for insurance, but it's not as simple as I thought. It is a gamble - but you need to balance up costs versus what is covered versus how good you are at following all small print (give them no excuse to refuse) versus how you like to treat conditions and/or how likely expensive treatment is going to suit your horse (as an example my gelding wouldn't suit box rest, which will limit treatment options or compliance from an insurance perspective).

 

[Joyous70]

Im currently considering not renewing this time, my monthly cost including vets fees and my trailer would be £73 per month.

I have had her insured for the almost 4 years, she was treated for an upper respiratory tract infection 18 months after I took ownership which was quite expensive (probably because she was insured), however, she has needed nothing since, and touch wood hasn't injured herself ever in the field, so I am considering getting PL with BHS Gold membership and having my trailer insured separately, my only issue is im not good at saving money and I know full well despite my best intentions the monthly premium wouldn't be put away each month.

I have done some ringing around today, but my premium price seems fair compared with others, one company has quoted me £944 a year!!!!!

 

[Sags_Deer]

Yes even my retired horse for public liability and he doesn't go anywhere

 

[mytwofriends]

I probably won't insure my old boy when the renewal comes up this year. He has every joint in his body excluded, plus colic and wind - so just field injuries really.

I had my small boy insured, and wow was that worth it? He was a walking accident, and unfortunately was PTS recently due to complications arising from a snake bite.

I have my dog and one of my cats insured too, just for peace of mind really. I'm with Petplan and they've been excellent.

 

[SplashofSoy]

I have BHS third party and third party for the dog. Dog is not insured, not worth it given risk v premiums. Horse is insured. Having lost my boy last year with a claim which ultimately paid out £6.5k i certainly wasn't out of pocket despite paying for 8 years premiums during the time i owned him with no other claims (about £3k total in premiums). He would have had the treatment for his tooth and sinus anyway and i would have paid (have savings just in case although would have decimated them) had the insurance not paid out so made no impact on decision re: treatment but it was nice not to have the big bill in the end especially when he had to be PTS. Insurance is always a risk but so far for me has been worth it. New boy is insured with a minor exclusion from the 5 stage vetting which should be lifted on next renewal. Previous boy was excluded for colic after a minor bout but i was never going to put him through surgery anyway so never bothered me.

 

[mums the groom]

Hate horse insurance have my Gelding insured with E&L and everyone keeps telling me its rubbish. not claimed yet as he's only had minor injuries £600 on a leg injury 6 days after we bought him and first day in field £300 on calling a vet out for colic...(one examination an injection of buscapan, one fart later and he was fine) but if I use the insurance for something small like the colic fart its excluded from my policy I'm constantly terrified of calling the vet out. Surely it would be better to have an insurance policy that gives you a couple of minor vet visits per year with no exclusions and the vet decides if its serious enough to warrant an exclusion on the policy. If anyone knows of a policy like that please let me know

 

[Merrymoles]

I have BHS Gold and a sum in Premium Bonds which is there for emergency vet bills. If the cost of vet bills exceeded that, I would seriously have to contemplate whether to spend more or not and it would dependent on whether my horse was going to have a future good quality of life. Horse was cheap so loss of use would not be worth claiming and, apart from routine jabs and teeth, has cost me £400 for x-rays and bute for a fractured sidebone in the four years I have had him, so am guessing that would be about a year's premium. I also stick £25 a month away and, if I haven't had to use it in the preceding 12 months, that is used for his jabs and teeth.

His sarcoid would not be covered as it was present at vetting.

 

[SusieT]

mums the groom- those will be excluded no matter whether you claim or not as they look at the vet history and you have to declare these problems so yhou might as well claim !

 

[SplashofSoy]

Hate horse insurance have my Gelding insured with E&L and everyone keeps telling me its rubbish. not claimed yet as he's only had minor injuries £600 on a leg injury 6 days after we bought him and first day in field £300 on calling a vet out for colic...(one examination an injection of buscapan, one fart later and he was fine) but if I use the insurance for something small like the colic fart its excluded from my policy I'm constantly terrified of calling the vet out. Surely it would be better to have an insurance policy that gives you a couple of minor vet visits per year with no exclusions and the vet decides if its serious enough to warrant an exclusion on the policy. If anyone knows of a policy like that please let me know

As it will be on your treatment record which will be required to be disclosed if you make a claim the insurance could well be void for failing to declare treatment. They will probably refuse any further claim even unrelated because they have found a perfect excuse. Please declare everything or you will not be able to claim. Things like colic can be excluded for limited periods if you have no further occurrences and get a vets report. I know they are a pain though, quite often you can challenge them.

 

[ycbm]

Before paying out for public liability insurance check your house policy. Most of them have it on, though many exclude hunting (some exclude only drag hunting).