Do you insure? Or not? and why?

[DJ]

Having lost my boy 1 month ago to the day, and still being in wranglings with the insurance company I genuinely don`t think I will ever insure another.

I just wondered who insures still, and who doesn`t. If you don`t what`s your back up plan? Do you have savings and put money away each month, or do you have a credit card soley for vets bills? Do you put a limit on what you`d spend if needed? Do you feel you have more control this way?

If you do still insure, where do you find the energy to fight with them? Is it worth it?

Thanks

 

[claireandnadia]

I do insure and to date, have never had any trouble claiming.

 

[Antw23uk]

I had my gelding insured for a while but a post on here made me change my mind. Genuinely cant remember what post it was but it was a light bulb moment. It also came when I got a second horse and insuring two just became too expensive.

I have both horses at home so retirement is an option but I dont have a limit as such on what I would spend I think it would depend on what the issue was, what horse it was and what the outcome was. Funds would be in the form a credit card or a parent loan I guess. Insurance companies are very good at scaring people and its there job to take your money for what is, most of the time for most people, absolutely nothing in return! (ie if you dont claim they dont exactly give it back do they!)

 

[Nasicus]

I insure both of mine, claimed twice on the youngster and one ongoing claim on the older one. Never had any trouble with claiming with either company (used to be KBIS, now NFU). To me, it's worth the approx £65 pcm for the two of them, as I would not want to be several grand in the hole if I had to use a credit card if I were uninsured and yet to build up enough of a vets bill fund.
Of course, if it gets to the point where I'm paying out monthly and the horse is barely insured anymore due to exclusions, then I'd have to change it, but as it is now I'm insured.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I am sorry for your loss-I too start thinking hard about this after losing one.

The one I have out on loan is, of the other two-one is and one isn't.the one that is was bought without a vetting so I thought I would insure him for a couple of years and back up plan is savings or a CC if a good prognosis. But yes, there is a limit on them (bearing in mind I keep them fairly cheaply so could retire one if paddock sound) and I'd not put either through extensive procedures, box rest or surgery on anything other than a very good prognosis of being able to comfortably live out in my set up.

 

[Cortez]

No, I don't insure and never have. If there is a vet bill I pay it. If it's going to be more than I am comfortable paying, or the treatment is very invasive or protracted, I will put the horse down. Insurance for pet animals is a massive industry, and a very profitable one. Think about that....

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

No, I don't insure and never have. If there is a vet bill I pay it. If it's going to be more than I am comfortable paying, or the treatment is very invasive or protracted, I will put the horse down. Insurance for pet animals is a massive industry, and a very profitable one. Think about that....

Ditto.

I then have the choice to pts if in the animals interest, rather than subject to lengthy treatments etc that insurance co might well require.
So far it's worked out, over keeping mine for nearly 40 yrs....

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Double posted

 

[ihatework]

I have 4 horses that I either own all or part of.

1 has a basic accidental policy, he is out on loan as a companion/hack and the loaner refunds the premium to me. More as a safety net. The horse is a bit croc so would never have any invasive/expensive surgery.

1 is retired and now not insured (was when competing)
1 is only 2 and not insured, although will be once broken in if looking any good
1 is a cheap produce and sell, not insured, happy to take the gamble

 

[pixie27]

I do but will be cancelling soon. Despite having never claimed for anything since I got him (15 months ago), my 6YO is excluded for eyes (cataract found in vetting), front legs (splint found in vetting), and all neck, back, spine, tendon and ligament issues (vet doing vetting said his saddle was poor fit and making him sore). He colicked last summer so that'll be excluded too (didn't claim), and once I get him scoped, that'll go too.

At the moment, I think I'm only insured for his hocks and ears...

ETA: once insurance is cancelled, I'll rely on credit card/OH to help me out.

 

[Polos Mum]

I found the only cost effective way to insure more than 1 was to have a £500 excess - so just covering catastrophic things. I personally don't believe in colic surgery and having one have kissing spine treatment (on insurance) and it fail after less than a year I'm not sure I'd put another one through that.

Current collection is uninsured / uninsurable (1 is 27 y/o, 1 is 24 y/o, 1 is 18 month old and 1 has degenerative hock / pelvis issues). The insured one that had kissing spine was PTS rather than experiment on him any more.

When the baby starts work I might consider insuring him - but I'm not really sure why :0)

I wouldn't spend any more on them than I could afford so if a big intensive intervention was needed then it would be PTS before I got myself into debt over it. They are my pets and give me great pleasure but I would NOT run up a debt for them.

My dog is the same -he has terrible arthritis managed at the moment by crazy amounts of meds (more than 10 tablets a day!) when his insurance runs out then that will be the last day for him. He's had a fun year running around high as a kite !!

I do have BHS membership for third party liability - which IMHO is essential

 

[milliepops]

My competition horse is insured, the young one has to prove herself a bit first - at this stage if she had a significant injury that needed expensive treatment I don't think I'd stump up the cash. I had multiple payouts on my now retired horse so it has worked for me. It's really the vets bills that I want covered, rather than a payout for the horse. The last one was on loan anyway so I wouldn't have received a penny if something terrible had happened, but it did mean I didn't have unexpected huge bills for treatment to deal with.

 

[irishdraft]

I have 3 horses and have not insured for about 15 years. Although one of my horses is a walking vet bill is hasnt worked out to be more than insurance would have cost. My vets are aware my horses are not insured so they do not suggest all sorts of tests unless it is absolutely necessary.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I don’t insure the old boy or companion ponies but until recently both ridden horses were insured.
Had a big claim on one that the insurers wouldn’t pay (my fault, always read the small print!) he’s no longer insured as too many exclusions including 4 legs and anything neurological. I’d not put him through colic surgery and have an emergency credit card at the ready. The other I’ve kept covered as he’s on loan and I feel safer knowing he’s covered, if I owned him I might not bother.

 

[BenvardenRach2]

I no longer insure, haven't insured for a few years now.
I put the £50 a month I was paying for insurance into a savings account every month, I regularly top this up too with any 'spare' money I can and I have a decent whack saved for vets bills after a few years. I also have an emergency credit card just in case I have BHS Gold 3rd party insurance though, worth every penny!

 

[Blurr]

Yes and no and a bit depending on horse.

 

[AFB]

I don't as both front legs were excluded entirely due to one minor ligament strain. I have a credit card if it's ever needed and will be re-building my savings account after using it for a house deposit. I'm also not certain I'd go down the route of major surgery.

I do have BHS membership for PL.

 

[claracanter]

I have 3 horses, all uninsured.
I used to insure my TB, until I had that lightbulb moment that someone else has mentioned. Everything he had wrong with him seemed to come in at just under the excess so I stopped it. He then had a lot of recurring things so I imagine if he was still insured they'd be excluded anyway. I've now retired him.
The vet who vetted my newest horse ( he passed a 5 stage) said that any issues that came up with the vetting might result in that part of the horse being excluded on an insurance policy, which kind of defeats the object of insurance.

 

[BethanT]

I never used to insure mine, wasn't something I had ever thought of doing, and the horses I had weren't of any great value. The only one that was worth insuring was my pony when I was in my teens, so I wouldn't have paid for it, that would have been my mum who as far as a I am aware didn't.

That said I do currently insure my two. My gelding is fairly accident prone, and worth more than I can afford to lose so he is insured for Vets fees as well as the rest. He is also very special to me so I would want to make sure I can do all I can to fix him or investigate any problems.

My mare is the same but she isn't insured for vets fees. She was, but the cost was too much, and as she tends to be less accident prone I chose to reduce her policy. As it happened a few weeks after I did this she flipped over barbed wire fence. Typical. I might well change it again so she is covered but to be honest my credit card limits are higher than what the insurance would pay out.

I have both insured for 3rd party liability as I think this should be a must for any horse owner. This covers me riding them, someone else riding them, or if they got out of the field/stable. Then they are also covered for death, theft and mysterious disappearances.

I think when you don't have them insured for vets fees it makes you really think about any possible ops you are about to put them through. Colic for example. Even with the insurance I still don't think I could put my gelding through it as the recovery rate is still quite low and I personally don't think he could ever be the same again or cope. My mare on the other hand is a bit more robust so I would potentially put her through it.

If I had made so many claims and almost the whole horse was excluded I certainly wouldn't bother. But I think a lot of it comes down to who you use for insuring.

 

[Surbie]

No, I don't insure and never have. If there is a vet bill I pay it. If it's going to be more than I am comfortable paying, or the treatment is very invasive or protracted, I will put the horse down. Insurance for pet animals is a massive industry, and a very profitable one. Think about that....

This is what I would want to do if the horse were my own. I have someone else's on loan so I am insuring. If he had something that needed intensive vet work I would be talking to his owner.

 

[w1bbler]

I have always insured for the first year of ownership while I work out if they are sick notes or not ( don't usually bother with vettings).
Worked out well for me with one horse, who proved a sickly sort & ended up being pts, nfu spent a lot on him & paid out his value without quibble.

 

[LaurenBay]

I cancelled my insurance when I retired my 13YO mare. She was excluded for quite a bit and to be honest with her arthritis being as bad as it is, I won't put her through anything that requires box rest any way. If she sustains an injury/illness that needs boxrest then she will be PTS. The only Vets bills I will pay out for now are routine jabs and if she were to cut herself.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Two of mine are insured, but the pony has her own bank account for sudden emergencies

 

[Fiona]

We have 5 horses....

20yo ID mare - not insured though has been previously
16yo TB on retirement livery - not insured
6yo connie - insured
8yo welsh sec A - not insured but I mean to
20+yo loan pony - not insured

If they need the vet they get the vet, but its only the insured connie that I would put through something like a colic op.

Fiona

 

[Merrymoles]

I don't, apart from BHS Gold Membership.

I put a small sum away every month and have some savings in Premium Bonds that I would call on if desperate - otherwise that will go with him to my friend, should he outlive me.

However, I would not put him through colic surgery and, should it be anything else, I would give him six months off if he was painfree to see if he came right or retire him.

I believe I was quoted c £50/month for insurance when I bought him five and a half years ago which would mean that I would have spent £3,300 on insurance to date. In that time, he has had an xray and remedial shoeing (total cost c £400) and an eye infection which required two vet visits and some antibiotic eye drops (total cost c £250). I've probably completely jinxed it now but on balance, I am glad I did not insure.

I have never insured any of the dogs either and it is safe to say that in 25 years, despite some fairly large vet bills towards the ends of their lives, they have cost me a tiny fraction of what the insurance premiums would have been.

 

[AlDestoor]

I have two horses both insured but different policies.

My mare is on full insurance, with extended for colic surgery.
My gelding, whos out on loan is just a basic hack insurance.

I will keep them insured with KBIS as I had no problems claiming for anything in the past but I think when my savings are in a better place, I won't bother. I just can't take the risk atm I would be on edge all of the time.

 

[chaps89]

I've worked in equine and pet insurance and can see the insure/not to insure point from both sides!
Re: exclusions- many can be reviewed and amended or removed if they meet certain criteria so always worth a conversation with the insurer if that's a concern.
I dont insure the value of my horse as she wasn't particularly expensive to buy anyway and that is less important to me to have that back if she dies. (In all honesty if the cost of the horse is what is most important then loss of use cover is your best bet anyway but that really does cost £££) But vet fee cover is a must for me- and to date I've had approx. £16k paid out on her in the first 3 years of ownership. I'd say I'm quids in on this one!
She now has a number of exclusions but I'm clear in my mind what I'm willing to put on credit card or take out of my savings if needs be and know I wouldn't put her though any major surgeries anyway. I keep it though as if one of the few things that wasn't excluded went wrong I don't have as much £ available to me comfortably as the insurance would offer. It's all very well and good building up a pot instead but what happens if you need to use it 2 months in when there's not alot in it. If you have better luck than me, can be more pragmatic about treatment options and can comfortably afford bills if they do come in then I would absolutely understand why people don't insure!

My cat isn't insured and that's so far worked out ok for me. He's now on daily medication and 6 monthly blood tests so depends how long he lives for if that will have worked out or not, but the cost are relatively small and easy to plan for and I love him to bits so that's ok either way!

My parents had approx £32k paid out during the life of their dalmatian- they wouldn't have been able to afford that themselves but the dog was able to have a pretty long and normal life as a result of the insurance.

 

[pansymouse]

I don't and never have but I do have BHS gold membership to cover public liability. I tend to have older horses and don't compete so insurance would be fairly worthless to me. I am now of an age where I have the resources to pay for treatment but when I didn't I kept horse emergency credit which I only had to use twice in 20 years.

 

[googol]

I haven’t insured for vets bills before but I will be with future horse as my circumstances are changing (currently pregnant, first baby) I had a small savings pot to use for my horse and also wouldn’t have thought twice about sticking on a credit card and paying off but now with a baby on the way I think il need to be more mindful of it not just being about me so will likely insure for vet bills. I always said I would only spend a few thousand trying to get my horse right if anything happened to him. Then he got sick and I probably would have sold my car etc to pay for treatment for him, I couldn’t have pts because he had reached my spending limit (he was a healthy 15yo) so it’s given me some perspective of how irresponsible I would be when it came down to it!

 

[Ruby's Mum]

I have BHS gold membership for public liability. I stopped insuring years ago when premiums just crept up and up and I have four now so it would be way too expensive as I on,y work part time. I'd never claimed for anything on my insurance, I just have an overdraft and access to credit card for emergencies.