Rusky
Well-Known Member
How much is too much for insurance? Do we really need it for our older horses who can't be covered for vets fees? I'm looking at just having public liability for my horses.
Insurance costs
- Thread starter Rusky
- Start date
tiga71
Well-Known Member
I don't insure any of my 3. Mine are 24, 14 and 10. When i just had my oldest I did insure him. I think overall I lost a bit with his insurance, in about 7 years of insurance he had one claim of about £3, with £500 excess. I stopped insuring him at 18 as so much excluded for age and I wouldn't have put him through surgery anyway.
I insured the middle one for about 3 years and he never needed any vet treatment. I decided not to bother anymore.
Middle one has just has his hocks injected, only vet treatment except for normal stuff in the 8 years I have had him.
For me, it isn't worth it. I am quite pragmatic about how much invasive treatment I would do anyway.
It's a gamble but I think if you are able to find £5000 or put some away, I think you will probably come out ahead.
A friend had advice from a chap who owned one of the big insurance companies. He said horse insurance was a con and his company did not underwrite anything to do with horse insurance. He said all it has done is encourage vets to do a lot of unneccessary diagnostics with no real benefit to anyone but themselves.
ETA I do have public liability.
I insured the middle one for about 3 years and he never needed any vet treatment. I decided not to bother anymore.
Middle one has just has his hocks injected, only vet treatment except for normal stuff in the 8 years I have had him.
For me, it isn't worth it. I am quite pragmatic about how much invasive treatment I would do anyway.
It's a gamble but I think if you are able to find £5000 or put some away, I think you will probably come out ahead.
A friend had advice from a chap who owned one of the big insurance companies. He said horse insurance was a con and his company did not underwrite anything to do with horse insurance. He said all it has done is encourage vets to do a lot of unneccessary diagnostics with no real benefit to anyone but themselves.
ETA I do have public liability.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
i don't insure the old ones or anyone that i wouldn't put through a GA.
I've had lots of claims paid over the years on the ones i have insured and been glad of the cover but if I start to feel differently about treatment options or they get loads of exclusions then i let it go.
the premium for a horse in an advanced class of use is high but its been worth it for me.
I've had lots of claims paid over the years on the ones i have insured and been glad of the cover but if I start to feel differently about treatment options or they get loads of exclusions then i let it go.
the premium for a horse in an advanced class of use is high but its been worth it for me.
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
Public liability is widely and cheaply available via membership of BHS etc. No horse owner should be without it.
Vets fees is a personal choice. I don't (10 ponies), for the following reasons:
- Mine are fairly sensible vs other people's accident prone divas.
- High forage diet, turnout and not working at a high level makes for low stress and good gut health.
- Most minor injuries resolve in a week in the field anyway.
- I haven't the facilities or the desire to put any of mine through surgery.
- Cash / credit is not a problem if I do need to pay out.
- Worst case, the decision is between me and my vet, not some loss-adjuster.
Vets fees is a personal choice. I don't (10 ponies), for the following reasons:
- Mine are fairly sensible vs other people's accident prone divas.
- High forage diet, turnout and not working at a high level makes for low stress and good gut health.
- Most minor injuries resolve in a week in the field anyway.
- I haven't the facilities or the desire to put any of mine through surgery.
- Cash / credit is not a problem if I do need to pay out.
- Worst case, the decision is between me and my vet, not some loss-adjuster.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
Well a friend of mine went hacking the other day , came back with what looked like a twig under the shoe . Turned out to be a wooden stick about 1.5 inches long , 80% of it had gone into the hoof. Vet came , referred to hospital as an emergency for MRI , thankfully the stick hadn't gone into the navicular bursa and horse should make a full recovery. But whole episode will cost over a grand.
I know this is very unlucky but just goes to show that you don't need to be doing anything challenging or exciting for potentially serious injuries to happen.
My insurance is with KBIS about £70 per month. I think I'd pay up to about £100 before I'd think it's not affordable.
There was a time when I claimed over £15K over the horses in less than two years , so fair to say that I've got my money's worth out of insurance.
I know this is very unlucky but just goes to show that you don't need to be doing anything challenging or exciting for potentially serious injuries to happen.
My insurance is with KBIS about £70 per month. I think I'd pay up to about £100 before I'd think it's not affordable.
There was a time when I claimed over £15K over the horses in less than two years , so fair to say that I've got my money's worth out of insurance.
blitznbobs
Well-Known Member
I have too many animals to insure any of them and dont like pet insurance anyway cos of all the major exclusions they put on … i just pay the bills - doing the maths im up thousands of pounds over the years — and it means i have the final say in whether something gets done or it doesnt.
spotty_pony
...
My 22 year old is on a Veteran policy now (catastrophe cover) which covers any injury/accident in the that breaks the skin up to £2000 worth of treatment I think it is and also public liability as he is still ridden and goes out and about. I pay £36 per month for this. I took him off full insurance when he was 18/19 as three out of four legs were excluded and also his back! I now pay for any treatment - he has just had his his hocks remedicated.
rara007
Well-Known Member
Debating this in my head at the moment. I think I’m pulling my 14yo from vets fees, death and LOU (with exclusions) to catastrophe cover. My new 9yo is going onto the cover the 14yo is coming off.
teddypops
Well-Known Member
I have my old pony insured on a Petplan veteran policy. I pay less than £10 per month. It covers lameness and injury (not just visible external wounds), death and disposal. I have a £140 excess and £1000 vets fees. I don’t miss the small amount every month so it’s worth having it to me.