Insurance and liability

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elliefiz

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I have pretty comprehensive insurance for my horse. It wasnt the cheapest policy I could buy but it covers pretty much everything and I dont mind paying for peace of mind. After an incident that happened over the weekend I am wondering about what people claim for. If your horse is seen to kick another horse who susequently needs treatment- i assume your insurance will cover this as part of third party liability? If your horse kicks another horse but due to being provoked- ie loose horses, someone is chasing them (not you) and your horse kicks out and injures another horse- would you still be liable for payment for treatment?
 
You're not liable for treatment in either case. Horses kick. Liability insurance means someone would have to prove negligence against you to claim. Turning your horse out with others isn't negligent, its a normal part of horse ownership and important to the well being of the horse.
 
Thanks for your reply- in the situation horses were not turned out- they were in the school whilst stables being mucked out. Horses were chased by sharer of horse that got kicked as they wanted horses cantering for a photo. In the excitment my horse got kicked and kicked back. Horse that he kicked is now injured. I have been told that I am expected to pay towards the treatment. Didnt think my insurance company would entertain such a claim so if I pay it will be from my own pocket. Still not sure I should be paying anything at all.
 
This would be a time for what I call a well aimed explosion. What the hell was that woman doing in the school creating such a dangerous situation. And where we're the staff who should have stopped her. Either her or the horses, including yours could have been seriously injured.

Paula
 
The sharer of the injured horse was instrumental in bringing about a dangerous situation by chasing horses in a confined area just to get a bl@@dy photo. It has now been proved to be a dangerous situation as horses have been injured. You are not liable in any way for the paying towards the injury caused. The sharer should be made to pay for injuries to any of the horses injured at that time as it was due to her stupidity that the occurance happened.

DO NOT PAY ANYTHING.
 
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elliefiz said:
Thanks for your reply- in the situation horses were not turned out- they were in the school whilst stables being mucked out. Horses were chased by sharer of horse that got kicked as they wanted horses cantering for a photo. In the excitment my horse got kicked and kicked back. Horse that he kicked is now injured. I have been told that I am expected to pay towards the treatment. Didnt think my insurance company would entertain such a claim so if I pay it will be from my own pocket. Still not sure I should be paying anything at all.
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Do not pay, who told you you should pay? If it's the yard owner then they need to get more informed. Horses do not understand (turn the other cheek):D
 
This is crazy. Unless the situation is more complex than I understand, some idiot chased a bunch of horses round in a confined area, caused an accident in which the horse they were responsible for got injured and expects you to pick up the bill?
 
Refuse to pay. Refuse to discuss it. Don't turn your horse out in an arena unless its on its own. Horses kick. It's part of their normal behaviour. In turning them out together all parties accept that risk. They were turned out, just not in a field. I'd be cross with the idiot who was chasing them, whether there were injuries or not.
 
Refuse to pay that's what I would do say you are not responsible and you are not at all happy that the horses where chased when yours was turned out in the school , and that the sharer caused the problem .
If say they sought to sue you your insurance company would deal with it however you are in A difficult position as you are supposed to tell your insurance company of any potential claim against you but if you do even it comes to nothing it can affect the cost of your cover.
 
My horse got kicked and needed surgery, at no point was it suggested or any questions asked about the other horses insurance to pay for it. I think if it was normal practice my insurance company would have asked me questions about getting the other insurance details.
 
Yes I thought that if anyone has to pay out it should be sharer not me. I think I will say nothing until asked again for money in which case I will say no. There is no grounds that I should have to pay I will have to make that clear. I feel bad that horse is injured because my horse kicked it and thought under normal circumstances my insurance would cover a claim where my horse was seen to kick and injure another horse? However in this case were the horses were being chased technically its not an accident- there is most ceertainly one person who is responsible for what happened and thats the sharer.
 
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You really should demand that this is not allowed to happen again. Next time it could be your horse that is injured. I suspect they aren't insured and are trying it on.


Paula
 
Paulag said:
You really should demand that this is not allowed to happen again. Next time it could be your horse that is injured. I suspect they aren't insured and are trying it on.


Paula
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Totally agree with this. Not your issue. Do not discuss and do not give them your insurance details.
 
Agree completely it's not your problem so don't cave in

The owner of the injured horse pays her own bill - if she wants to find someone to persue
 
Your horse retaliated due to being kicked because of someone elses stupidity? Tell them to jog on! I knew someone who was on a yard where all the horses were in one field, someone was kicked in the head when she went to collect her horse in the dark. After discovering only one of the horses had insurance, guess which one she decided kicked her? she didn't have a leg to stand on though. I suspect these people are trying it on.
 
What a joke! No way should you pay a penny! Thank god your horse is ok! You need to tell them your not happy with what's happened and that it was a stupid thing that they did and that the horse is injured because of they're own ignorence! Good luck and keep us posted with how you get on!
 
OP your insurance wouldn't pay it under any circumstances. For a start you've only got someone else's word it was your horse caused the damage. Horse insurance is not like car insurance, which allows you to admit liability. It's legal liability only ie negligence must be proved. I think genuine claims can be failed if you admit liability, not because you're not at fault, but because most insurers demand the other side proves negligence and this would be easier if you've admitted it! Insurer could then refuse to pay out leaving you personally liable for the bill. So if your horse kicks someone in the head and they want insurance details you give them, but don't discuss the issue admit liability or appologise.
 
thank you all for your supportive replies. If I am backed into a corner to pay I will leave the yard rather than fork out. From what i gather horse is insured but the policy comes with an excess calculated as a % of the final bill. As horse is badly injured the excess could be rather large. Im being told that I should pay towards this. This isnt from the sharer but from owner of horse. She, the same as myself ,was aware horses were in the school together but not that they were chased by sharer which neither of us authorised understandably!
 
I'm flabbergasted.
I'd laugh if it wasn't such an unpleasant situation for you to find yourself in.
The woman (and her sharer) are quite mad.
Tell her to send a letter to your solictor. They have very large waste paper bins.
 
Owner should tell sharer to pay full amount and then terminate any contracts due to sharer being a danger to horse and other riders.
 
elliefiz said:
thank you all for your supportive replies. If I am backed into a corner to pay I will leave the yard rather than fork out. From what i gather horse is insured but the policy comes with an excess calculated as a % of the final bill. As horse is badly injured the excess could be rather large. Im being told that I should pay towards this. This isnt from the sharer but from owner of horse. She, the same as myself ,was aware horses were in the school together but not that they were chased by sharer which neither of us authorised understandably!
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Refuse firmly but without heat.
It may be necessary to inform your insurance company and it certainly is if she says the sue word.
 
If you admit liability your insurance may not pay out. Ring them immediately and tell them, write down whats happened and if the horses owner wants to claim so be it. It has notheing to do with you,
 
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