Insurance. Is this ok/fraud or fine?

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poiuytrewq

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Genuinely don't know! I'm not out to commit fraud so no jumping on me please!
I have been given a horse. He's lovely but his only flaw in wind sucking which he does quite badly. The old owner told me he did but I'd never seen it and have been quite shocked by how much he does it tbh! Previous owner had concrete stables, cribbox on the door and hedged field so he never did it and never showed any signs of stress. I have fence posts and a wooden stable with kick boards etc!
I'm worried he may have ulcers or at least want to rule them out but hear the cost of treatment is astronomical. Now I'm going to insure him for vets bills anyway so will this cover the treatment? He's wind sucked apparently since 4 now he's 14 so a few weeks while I sort insurance and getting a scoping booked wont be the very end of the world.
Would it count as an existing condition or not as I haven't had it confirmed and he's never been seen by a vet for this?
Alternatively has anyone had any good results on a cheaper (pref MUCH cheaper!) product or treatment?
thanks a lot! X
 
As you knew about it then yes it is existing I think. Why not get him some coligone & see if that helps.. If you google h Bradshaw coligone it will take you to the site. Phone them as the owner is really lovely & won't suggest you try unless she thinks it will work.

I have my WB on it and he is a different horse no more stress head :-)
 
Thank you, I will do.

The thing is I don't know! It's just something I've thought of in the last week? Does my thinking count as knowing?

Good suggestion I will look it up now x
 
When I phoned my insurance company to make sure that they would cover the cost of scoping and treatment when I thought my horse had ulcers, the only question they asked me was "Has he ever had ulcers before?" - I said no as he hadn't.

They didn't ask me if my horse wind sucked. (He didn't)

Your horse hasn't had ulcers before either.
 
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Windsucking is a declarable vice when selling a horse and therefore a material fact when insuring it.

If you do not declare it and the horse is found to have ulcers which are attributable to windsucking the insurers will not pay a claim.

You are required to declare all material facts when taking out any insurance policy, just because the insurer does not ask you a specific question means nothing. Under UK law the onus is on the proposer to declare material facts.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Thank you, I will do.

The thing is I don't know! It's just something I've thought of in the last week? Does my thinking count as knowing?

Good suggestion I will look it up now x
Click to expand...

1. Every owner *thinks* there is something wrong and has an idea of possible reasons before they call the vet as otherwise why would they call the vet?

2. The insurance company *may* ask you to disclose any vices and *may* then exclude things on the basis of this. Until you insure you don't know.

3. You will only be covered for accidental injury for 14 days after taking out the insurance and the horse may settle and display the vice less in that time.

I think having a suspicion is very different from knowing the horse has had x/y/z and not declaring it.
 
I had a crib biter on loan and thought the insurance would ask about it but they didn't! I think there is not enough proof they are connected so your horse has never had ulcers, end of!

You could ask vet about gastro guard instead or try coligone as suggested.

Why do you think he has ulcers other than the windsucking? Does he struggle to keep weight on, dull coat, girthy? If grumpy ridden have you tried giving him a small fibre feed before being ridden? Just we read so much about ulcers I know how it feels to automatically assume!
 
Gluttonforpunishment said:
If you do not declare it and the horse is found to have ulcers which are attributable to windsucking the insurers will not pay a claim.
Click to expand...

How on earth would you prove that the ulcers were caused by the windsucking?!

Either you are asked about the vices and declare and the insurance company excludes certain things, or they don't. There's no known causal link between windsucking and ulcers - a horse may windsuck to alleviate the symptoms of ulcers, but windsucking isn't known to cause them.
 
SpottedCat said:
How on earth would you prove that the ulcers were caused by the windsucking?!

Either you are asked about the vices and declare and the insurance company excludes certain things, or they don't. There's no known causal link between windsucking and ulcers - a horse may windsuck to alleviate the symptoms of ulcers, but windsucking isn't known to cause them.
Click to expand...

Sorry, poorly worded on my part. I intended it to read that the windsucking may be indicative of an underlying long term problem i.e. ulcers. The windsucking has been established for many years which the op is aware of and therefore has a duty to disclose as a material fact.

As you say, it is then the at the insurers discretion as to whether any exclusions are applied to the policy.

Just to reiterate though, just because the insurer doesn't ask it is still up to the proposer to declare any and all material facts. Insurers are within their rights, and have the backing of UK insurance law, to cancel / not pay out claims on policies where material facts have not been declared.
 
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