Horse Insurance

[Kat]

I've found a horse and I'm having her vetted on Thursday, so I need to get some insurance quotes lined up, but being a newcomer to all this has anyone got any advice?

My husband and I are both BHS Gold members so I guess that means we don't need public liability or personal accident cover.

What sort of level vets fees cover should we be looking for? The most available? Or should less be sufficient?

I'm not sure whether to go for loss of use, it seems to make things so expensive, but then would we be able to afford another if she became unrideable???

Then there is the class of use. She will be used for hacking schooling and unaffiliated stuff initially so it is fairly obvious, but I want to have a bash at hunting eventually and that puts us up to the next class. Though I'm not sure whether I'll feel brave enough this year, so how easy is it to change the class of use if I go for the lower level now and want to up it later in the year or in a future year?

Oh and any recommendations for insurers to try? I've tried KBIS, SEIB and Pet Plan so far, and they are all coming out more expensive than my car insurance!

 

[KatB]

I would go for the highest possible vets fee cover, not loss of use (can be very difficult to get for hacking etc and is very expensive, save the difference in policy fee as a "just in case") Also go for the lower level use, and just give them a ring before you aim to go hunting, and they will up it for you, with you paying the difference.

I've always found KBIS and NFu most competitive, and I only insure my mare for 2k

 

[Squeak]

NFU have been brilliant with the two claims I have made in the past and today when I rang for a £2000 vets bill claim there were no questions asked and they couldn't have been more polite and helpful. Alot of the other people I know also use NFU and highly rate them.

 

[catymmh]

Hi I tried all the same insurers as you have listed but ended up with AmTrust who were over £300 cheaper than Pet Plan - In the competition insurance I opted for, which they are selling like hotcakes, it includes a certain amount standard for loss of use and sum insured. I was and have been very very impressed and highly recommend them. I would suggest calling them to get a quote rather than use the online quote as mine worked out even cheaper - I was orginally recommended by spotted cat www.amtrustequine.co.uk/

 

[Kat]

Thanks that was pretty much what I was thinking in terms of vet fees cover - the more the better.

Loss of use, I completely get that, although the prospect of an unrideable horse is a bit of a worry.

And that was what I was thinking in terms of the hunting, I'm not sure we will be ready this year so we should save the money for now and up it later.

KBIS was the most expensive quote I've managed to get so far, but I can't remember what cover I put in when I ran it through...... I'll give them a call tomorrow and ask them too quote again.

Any other suggestions folks?

 

[galaxy]

I don't do loss of use because I have yet to meet a person who has managed to get a company to pay out... any comapany

I'm with NFU. They have always never hesitated in any of my claims... A few vets fess, trailer damage and death of horse.

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I am with SEIB, insured for vets fees only as I am a Gold BHS member. It was a lot cheaper than Pet Plan, and thankfully I have not needed to claim yet *touches wood*

 

[Sheri]

I'm with SEIB and they have just finished paying out for my mares laminitis - they we good about it but slow in paying the vets.

Found them to be the cheapest for mine, they are covered for vets fees, unaffiliated competing, etc. I did up my arabs half way through the year last season as he was stepping up a bit on the endurance and they were brill about it.

I couldn't afford loss of use and now my mare is probally going to have to be retired at 10yrs old due to injury and I'm gutted I never had it so if you can get it. Mind you saying that its not really buying another one that would kill me its the keeping of another and loss of use wouldn't help with that!!

 

[iconique]

NFU for us, cheapest for horses, never had problems claiming and the vet's don't mind if they are being paid direct either, some insurance companies aren't very good at being prompt at paying!
We also use them for our home insurance (they give us employers liability for the person who we employ to help out) and for tractor and lorry.

We opted for the public liability with them as well for each horse, as it didn't put the premium up much, we have £5k per horse as a limit for vet cover, which was enough to cover an ovary being removed at Rossdales, Liver problem in another horse including investigation by RVC and Youngster damaging leg and injections, xrays etc for splint.

I forgot to say it has to be something pretty serious to have a loss of use claim and even though a horse may not be fit or one thing, it often is fit for another, so the likelyhood of a claim here is actually quite low (i do stand to be corrected).

 

[devilwoman]

Mine are insured with Scottish Equestrian, found them to be very reasonable, extremely helpful with claims/advice and explaining the policy and have quite a low excess on the vets fees, thats something I tend to find out as some of them whack a £500 excess on before they even consider starting to pay. My excess is just £100.

I too don't bother with loss of use as don't think you'd ever get a payout.

 

[Izzwizz]

NFU have been great with my 3 claims (all going on at once) and very helpful on the phone. Cant fault them atall.