Horse insurance

hellfire

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My insurance is up for renewal so I had a shop around. I have 4 horses and have never covered them all for full vets bills in all honesty. Just basics.
I've found out from a friend who has rider only insurance it covered any horse she rides for exactly what's been on my more expensive policies! So question. Could I just take out rider only insurance that then covers all mine for public liability, accidents, my own personal accident, tack, and death etc? Also if I took out that policy are others covered if they ride my horse or are they best off keeping a separate policy? My thought was if my horses done something while my friend rode which she does twice a week surely her insurance would refuse to pay out as I own the horses and am also covered?
Or am I confusing myself?😝
 

Red-1

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I would not go for a rider policy for in case your horses got loose from the field and caused havoc. A rider policy would not cover that.

If you don't compete affiliated, the Harry Hall insurance may be worth looking at. Or, World Horse Welfare does one too. They are third party only.
 

Shay

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You need third party liability - but you can get that by being a BHS Gold member, joining the harry hall club or donating regularly to WHW. Just make sure the total sum covered for is sufficient - the harry hall one is quite low if I recall. Liability under the Animal Act is strict - which means you as owner bear liability pretty much regardless of why or how an accident happened. Rider only policies don't cover that liability.

Then get a personal accident / critical illness cover for yourself. This doesn't have to be rider specific (and is usually cheaper if it isn't) but obviously horse riding must not be an excluded pastime. Unless you have really basic contents insurance you can cover your tack within that policy under the "all risks" section.

The only remaining element is the mortality insurance. I would suggest you look at that carefully and decide if the amount you pay in premiums is going to exceed the sum you would receive on death. There are usually so many exclusions and limitations that you may well find that you are better off saving that sum over a few months / years instead and being free to make your own end of life deicicons for your hosres rather than being forced into treatement you are not insured for simply to cuase the mortality insurance to kick in.
 

Dru

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Rider insurance is for people who don't own the horse i.e it's for loaners and people using g riding school horses. PetPlan T&C explicitly state this.
 

be positive

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A rider policy is for non horse owners so would not be appropriate for you, as already said you need third party cover as a basic requirement anything else can be added if desired but you should not need to cover each individual horse unless you want to.
 

hellfire

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Thanks for the replies. I've always had WHW public liability insurance and then a separate insurance for the horses themselves against external injuries, tack, death, theft, stray, and my personal accident. It just confused me as on Penny's (my friend who rides one of mine twice a week) she is covered for public liability. Maybe that as you say just for when they are out and not if they get out from the field and onto the road for example. Knew it was too good to be true😢. Looks like I'm better off then keeping my existing policies going. Thanks very much for the info. Never had rider only insurance as always had horses my whole life.
 

hellfire

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As it's due for renewal I've decided to stick with WHW for my public liability but has anyone used and claimed the new £130 one with emergency vet bills? I've also kept my separate policy I have for my own accidents/death etc.
 

hellfire

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You need third party liability - but you can get that by being a BHS Gold member, joining the harry hall club or donating regularly to WHW. Just make sure the total sum covered for is sufficient - the harry hall one is quite low if I recall. Liability under the Animal Act is strict - which means you as owner bear liability pretty much regardless of why or how an accident happened. Rider only policies don't cover that liability.

Then get a personal accident / critical illness cover for yourself. This doesn't have to be rider specific (and is usually cheaper if it isn't) but obviously horse riding must not be an excluded pastime. Unless you have really basic contents insurance you can cover your tack within that policy under the "all risks" section.

The only remaining element is the mortality insurance. I would suggest you look at that carefully and decide if the amount you pay in premiums is going to exceed the sum you would receive on death. There are usually so many exclusions and limitations that you may well find that you are better off saving that sum over a few months / years instead and being free to make your own end of life deicicons for your hosres rather than being forced into treatement you are not insured for simply to cuase the mortality insurance to kick in.

Thanks for the info. I do actually have a horse savings account as I call it. I have a direct debit from my normal bank account that goes into that purely for the events such as gets bills and death. Came in handy 12 years ago when Sparky had a hernia as a youngster! Then a few years ago when he was treated for laminitis with a new system my very clever farrier designed he calls cogs. It was found he has IR. He's the one out my 4 who's cost me a fortune over the years. He was a proper neglect case I rescued as a 2 year old and has had many issues. I love him though but my bank account doesn't! Think he'd be un insurable anyway for gets bills 😂.
I'll take a look at other personal accident insurance as mine is riding specific. Never thought about looking elsewhere. I'll just make sure horse riding isn't excluded.
 

vhf

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Sorry, bumping this thread shamelessly to ask if anyone else has the £130 per year cover?
I have 2 horses, both with low value (being honest!) and I am facing up to the fact that I will probably never compete affiliated again. One has exclusions, the other is 17... The WHW with emergency vet cover seems like a good deal compared to the £55 a month I am paying currently, given the rest could then go to a "Worst Case Scenario" fund for them. But am I missing something?

Would really like to hear people's thoughts please?
 

hellfire

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I'm glad you did bump it as I asked the same. After reading into it they cover no illness of any type or death. It's purely accident and life saving treatments so if your horse falls and impales itself etc. No leg sprains or strains, colic etc. For that reason I stuck with my public liability only. Ill be interested to see other thoughts.
 
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Shilasdair

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Insurance companies are adept at making profit and avoiding loss.
For that reason, I prefer to save money each month towards any vet bills that may happen. At the moment I'm putting £100 per month aside for my two - it's amazing how quickly this builds into a useful amount.
I do, of course have BHS membership for the public liability aspect.
Saving your own vet fund has a number of advantages - treatment is up to you, you don't need the insurer's permission, you can decide what is 'covered' etc. :)
 
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