I can't get any insurance - what should I do?

[chestnut cob]

Try AmTrust Equine, I'm with them and they're fabby.

^^ This ^^

I'm with them, they've been brilliant. Mine is now excluded for arthritis but that's only after a claim for hock spavins and a claim for ringbone 2 years later. They haven't excluded any particular legs and he is still covered for tendons, ligaments, colic etc. He will be 17 in the new year and they'll cover him until he's 20. Also really easy to deal with.

They definitely aren't the cheapest out there but they do pay out quickly.

FWIW I enquired with KBIS and SEIB, both of whom wanted a 5 stage vetting for a 15yo horse with hock spavins before considering cover!

 

[AMH]

Sorry, I may have been reading this wrongly but are you trying to get insurers to cover a vet bill you already have? You say that she'll be PTS for current 'minor' injury because you can't afford the bill.

I promise that no insurer will offer cover for vet bills you already have outstanding before the inception of a new policy. And if the animal has pre-existing conditions it's very likely they'll be excluded.

 

[Horses24-7]

Sorry i opened a bank account put the premium i would pay them into it and that way no exclusions, got stung by 2 insurances companies so now i just do that I am into 4 figures now and only had the account open 6 months havent touched it yet

If no one will insure you then this would be your best bet ^^^

If something serious happened before you had the money together then I suppose you would be stuck but I can't see any other option? Unless you could have an agreement with a family member to borrow the money to pay back monthly 'if' needed?

 

[claireandnadia]

Nadia has loads of exclusions and even though she is 19 next year I don't seem to be having any problems insuring her.

 

[BorgRae]

I still can't understand your valuation, even the reduced rate of £1,800

I'm due to re-insure my lad, he's worth about 3k, but am going to insure for 1k max!! It helps reduce payments. Ok so I won't get as much if he has to be PTS (fingers crossed that won't happen), but i'm not bothered if I don't get a big pay out!! ...Would rather have the protection of vets fees covered.

 

[Holly Hocks]

Petplan only want vets certificates for horses over £2k. I only have my horses insured for £300 each as I only want the cover for vets fees and third party liability. It still gives me the £5k cover per condition. TBH if your horse has had injuries and is to be insured as a companion only, then I would drop the value to as low as possible. I think the lowest Petplan will insure for is £300ish. I appreciate that in your mind your horse is worth more, but the reality at the moment is that it isn't worth a penny. Harsh, but it may be the only way that you can get insurance. My mare has had 4 large claims with Petplan in the last 18 months but all they have done is put exclusions on - they have not refused me cover and in fact have recently renewed cover for another year!

 

[ester]

I thought PTS value would only be what they deem she is worth at the time anyway not what valuation you use when insuring her anyway.

Have any of the companies told you why they are refusing cover?

 

[galaxy]

I thought PTS value would only be what they deem she is worth at the time anyway not what valuation you use when insuring her anyway.

Totally correct

 

[Elbie]

I thought PTS value would only be what they deem she is worth at the time anyway not what valuation you use when insuring her anyway.

Have any of the companies told you why they are refusing cover?

^^^this.

I used to work for one of the companies mentioned. If someone was claiming mortality and the sum insured was really high for the use/age etc...they would want a justification of value. You need to insure your horse for its current market value

 

[Elbie]

Her value is zero pounds, as she is a companion horse only.

A companion horse would have some value, albeit small.

 

[AmyMay]

A companion horse would have some value, albeit small.

Ok, meat money - say £300/£400. BUT it has to be worth that on the day of destruction, so no guarantee that's the amount that would paid out.

 

[Bikerchickone]

As I said previously, if vet bill cover is all you're worried about insure her for the lowest possible value, with Petplan this is £250. Both of my two are worth much more than this (well schooled heavyweight 15.1 cob gelding aged 12 and 4 year old WBxID 16hh mare backed and going nicely) but I'm not bothered about getting a payout should anything happen to them, I would just like to know that I can cover unexpected vet bills, which I can at £5k per incident.

As someone else has said, even if she is PTS you will only get the value they think she's worth, which as a companion isn't going to be much. This is another reason I don't bother insuring mine for what I think they're worth. You'll never get paid that amount in a claim.

I don't think my two are only worth £250 each, but I probably wouldn't replace them and if I wanted to I could afford another youngster. I can't afford £4k for colic surgery.

Ask the companies why they're refusing you and maybe see if there's anything you can do to change their decision. BTW I would also try Carriagehouse, they're great!

 

[speedycivic]

Thank you thank you! Petplan have covered! I can't express how relieved I am! We have lots of exclusions, but most are reviewable and I totally accept that. Petplan are fab! Thank you Mel at petplan for your kind and sympathetic approach! Speedy is now on cloud nine! Thank you everyone for your help and advice x

 

[speedycivic]

Ok, meat money - say £300/£400. BUT it has to be worth that on the day of destruction, so no guarantee that's the amount that would paid out.

Thank you so much - have taken on board what you and others said about the value. Not sure if this makes much of a difference. But she cost 3k as a 2.5 year old due to her breeding, so I was assuming same value in terms of a brood mare. But also she is not unfit to ride, it is just that, given my horrendous experience putting her out on loan and that I have no time to ride, I thought I would turn her away. Also minimises the risk of injury too. So she is now insured for £1500. I would hope that i could easily justify this if the worst came to the worst. But like you say, I would rather have the cover for vets fees.

 

[giddyupalfie]

Thank you thank you! Petplan have covered! I can't express how relieved I am! We have lots of exclusions, but most are reviewable and I totally accept that. Petplan are fab! Thank you Mel at petplan for your kind and sympathetic approach! Speedy is now on cloud nine! Thank you everyone for your help and advice x

Congrats! I am also with petplan, never had any problems...did you get the free jacket too?

 

[ester]

fab news, pleased you are now sorted

 

[Bikerchickone]

Congratulations! So glad you got it sorted. Petplan are good, I found them really helpful. Here's hoping that now you have the insurance you can rest easily and not actually need to use it!

 

[Black_Horse_White]

Glad you are now covered. Would just like to add I've been very unlucky to have had 2 horses PTS recently, one had life cover for £1500 the other £3250, my insurance paid out the sum insured on both occasions no question asked.