Horse Insurance - Who to go with??

[BorgRae]

I’m looking to renew my insurance. I’ve been with NFU for a few years but their premiums have gone through the roof!! So am looking else where.

I have a BHS Gold membership so am only looking for vets fees.

I’ve done a lot of looking on the internet and have lots of quotes, and so far “Horse-Insurance.co.uk”, seem to be pretty cheap and cover for alternative therapies, which others don't, but I believe they are a subsidiary of E&L?!

Should I avoid E&L or has anyone had positive experiences with them??

I also got a quote from KBIS, which was ok, but more expensive and a higher excess. Pet plan, way more expensive...

What do you think??

Mince pies all round for any suggestions or experiences shared

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

There have been allot of threads on this.

I was with SEIB check the small print I did this and now just have a vet bank account for all the animals all the money i would pay £ 200 per month now goes there for vet needs.

Having paid over £ 5000 in insurance only to use none of it this is what i do now

So many insurance companies have so many exclusions get your hubby or some one who knows to read through it so your fully aware with what your getting. And not to find out like I did that things like laminitis is not injury so they wont pay anything towards it.

That's my advice

 

[lcharles]

KBIS 100% X Just made claim and they were brilliant! x i have the platinum cover so excess is £350 but vets fees for £5000 per incident unlimited, £250 hospitalisation, £500 alternative therapy. They paid out within 3 days and have been excellent. They also pay for a general health check every year and teeth check, excluding call out fees x

 

[BorgRae]

There have been allot of threads on this.

I was with SEIB check the small print I did this and now just have a vet bank account for all the animals all the money i would pay £ 200 per month now goes there for vet needs.

Having paid over £ 5000 in insurance only to use none of it this is what i do now

So many insurance companies have so many exclusions get your hubby or some one who knows to read through it so your fully aware with what your getting. And not to find out like I did that things like laminitis is not injury so they wont pay anything towards it.

That's my advice

Funnily enough, I started doing this...

3-4 (ish) months ago when my insurance renewal came up, I cancelled the insurance and started putting the money I had been paying (£30 a month) into a separate account (the renewal was £45 ).

Low and behold, 6 weeks ago, my lad slipped while he was in the field and ripped his pectoral muscles I've had the physio to him and he's had laser treatments etc, and is fine now, thank god!! But I started panicking that it could have been so much worse and realistically, if he'd needed x-rays or scans etc, I would have been stuffed!! The whole of his treatment cost me £400, so probably wouldn't have claimed anyway, but scary stuff!!

So have decided to go back with insurance, just to be on the safe side (if there is one!)...

The small print frightens me to death!! That's the problem I have!! And so many horror stories of companies not paying out (much like you mentioned above!)

I'm not insuring for loss of use or anything like that and am insuring him for next to nothing to help lower costs, but I just don't know what to do!

It's a minefield!!!

 

[jaquelin]

I have SEIB. They just paid out a huge amount to me due to horse having colic surgery and then having to be PTS. Paid out in less than a month. Also paid every claim I submitted. So I can recommend them.

 

[Benlot]

I use SEIB have always found them very helpful and they pay out quickly direct to my vets, and believe me over the years I have had to make a few claims!

 

[Jesstickle]

Stoneways are amazing. Can not recommend highly enough. Never questioned a single bill I sent them for Nitty's hock. Just popped a cheque in the post to my vets. And they're lovely to speak to on the phone too

 

[Bikerchickone]

I have Petplan for my two, solely for vet fees and I think I have 3rd party liability on but am gonna join BHS gold to lose that bit, but anyway, the two of them are each insured for a value of £250, despite being worth much more and I pay £43 a month for vet fees cover of £5000 per incident each and pubic liability. Obviously I won't get anything if either of them are PTS but I'm not worried about that, I just want to know I can cover colic surgery for example.

I like knowing I'm with one of the bigger more reputable companies, had problems with E&L many years ago and I too refused to pay NFU's hiked prices in March of this year when my renewal was due! I'm happy that my ponies are covered in an emergency and that's worth a lot to me! £43 a month to be precise!

I even got a free horse and person first aid kit for joining them!

 

[bbcrystal]

I got a policy through Julie Andrews (Insurance Brokers) - turns out its the same policy as Petplan but £100 cheaper! I have never had a claim though so can't comment on that side of things.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Well as i said i was with SEIB when my mare has laminitis they were not interested would not pay a thing, it maybe ok for younger horses but when your horse meets 20 watch it your not covered hardly at all.


KBIS we got a quote from so many exclusions its shockable.

If you dont notify them on the same day as injury your not covered
if you treat the horse when the vet say to and something goes wrong your not covered.

and more hubby went through and when he did his calculations etc it wasn't worth it.

I had 3 horses insured pay 1000 a year ish . never touched it since 2003
paid more out to insurance than i would have paid hense why i droped them


they wont insure older horses for illness.

I asked KBIS if a horse comes into the yard with strangles and we dont find out till after and my horses gets it am i covered.


They said NO

its an illness not accident your not covered????