Horse insurance query

[Spyda]

As I'm about to back my 4 year old I'm shopping around for beefed up insurance cover. ATM she's on a grass-keep policy.

Anyway, just got my first online quote from Amtrustequine.co.uk and notice a couple of terms I'm left wondering about.

"Subject to a satisfactory two-stage vetting process"

Do all insurance companies ask for this, these days? I do want vets cover and my horse has been consecutively insured from birth for this but I've never made a claim for her nor been asked for this before from any of my other insurers. TBH I'd resent the extra cost of calling my vet out to perform this.

"3rd party excludes: livery stables, riding schools and equestrian centres and excludes claims against policyholder by their family or household or if the
rider or handler of the horse takes legal action for bodily injury."

Does this mean if someone has to catch my horse or lead her anywhere for any reason or in an emergency, and she jumps on their head or something and they sue me for injuries, that I wouldn't be covered??? If so, are all/most policies like that?

 

[eggs]

Can't answer your question re 3rd party but when I switched my three year olds from Amlin to NFU I had to have an insurance 5 stage vetting on one due to her purchase value as a foal but the other they were happy to speak to my vet for his history as he was valued at less that £7k.

 

[nixxyz]

mine is very similar, i think the only time you need to vet is to do with the value of your horse, i didnt need to get mine vetted as she is worth less than £5k, i guess its just to cover their backs really. and as for the 3rd party stuff it does sound like you would be liable, although i would have thought a livery yard etc would have their own insurance if a member of staff was to be injured. i would give them a call just to find out really. to put your mind at rest

 

[Spyda]

I've just got an online quote from PetPlan and they wouldn't require the vet cert as I don't want loss of use cover and she's valued at under £5k. That seems more reasonable. I haven't yet read their terms for the 3rd party so don't know if that's going to be the same as Amtrust's. My horse is big and highly strung and could injury someone by accident if they got too close to her. Hate to think I'd not be covered if she injured another livery. Although I pay the yard to turn her out and bring her in, it is not unknown for them to ask another livery to do it for them when they are busy. And occasionally I'll ask one of the other liveries to bring her in for me. Eeek, does that mean I'm not actually insured for 3rd party if she injured them whilst they were handling her? And that I should post a notice on her stable asking people to not touch her over the door or enter her stable!!!??

 

[ladyt25]

Vet cert requirements vary from company to company and are generally based on certain factors - mainly, sum insured, age (combination of these), insurance history (ie if not been insured within the last 12 mths).

As for the 2rd party liability that is really pretty standard although the way they've worded it maybe sounds like they are excluding a lot. What it effectively means is that you (or anyone you give permission to ride or handle you horse) cannot claim for injury under the liability section as, if they were in custody or control of the horse they would be covered as if they were the policyholder and you as a policyholder cannot claim for injury/damage to yourself or your own property under you liability section.

The cover is meant to indemnify you or anyone given permission by you to ride/look after your horse for any damage/injury caused by said horse to 3RD PARTY person(s) or property.

As far as the exclusion of livery yard/riding school etc is concerned. Again this is normal as the livery yard or riding school should have their own cover for handling client's horses as you are effectively paying for a service (ie employing them) and your liability cover would not extend to cover them.

if you wanted to cover yourself and or friends/family for injury then you would be better to add personal accident cover to your policy as this would cover you and anyone given permission by you to ride/handle your horse for any serious injury (cover differs dependent on insurance company). It still though would not cover any 'employees'.

 

[Spyda]

As for the 2rd party liability that is really pretty standard although the way they've worded it maybe sounds like they are excluding a lot. What it effectively means is that you (or anyone you give permission to ride or handle you horse) cannot claim for injury under the liability section as, if they were in custody or control of the horse they would be covered as if they were the policyholder and you as a policyholder cannot claim for injury/damage to yourself or your own property under you liability section.

The cover is meant to indemnify you or anyone given permission by you to ride/look after your horse for any damage/injury caused by said horse to 3RD PARTY person(s) or property.

So does this effectively mean that when you agree to turn another livery's horse out for them say, that you would not be able to claim if their horse injured you seriously whilst you were handling it?

If not, it's interesting to know since many of us do 'favours' for one another - perhaps not realising the potential risk we are putting ourselves in.

I've never been all that keen on personal accident cover since I am sure a miserly £10k wouldn't go all that far to help anyone in the event of them loosing an arm, leg, eye or they died!