My Two Insurance NIGHTMARES! Read & Make Sure You Have Public Liability Insurance!

coreteam1

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I just thought I would follow on from the insurance thread with two stories of my own (a long one, sorry!) :)

I bought Charlie as a six month old colt and he was a nightmare! He would rear and lunge at me when lead in hand and on landing he would try to bit me. Luckily he was only approx 12.2 at the time although anyone who's handles colts as bad as him will tell you small is still very dangerous! :eek:

We have a small holding of just over three acres and decided to take on a DIY livery.
I explained to the livery that my yearling colt must not be touched as he bites and could be very nasty.
All went well until the livery decided she knew best. I got a phone call on New years day (a few years back now) to say she was in hospital. The story goes that she decided to try and teach my boy to lead without rearing, she led him to the paddock where he reared and kicked her in her back (at the time she was eight months pregnant!, HELLO!). They She wasn't badly hurt and her partner took their horse away. About two weeks later I received a letter from their solicitor to inform me that they were making a claim for damages. To cut a long story short my insurance company ran circles around them and they didn't have a leg to stand on as she took the horse out of the stable without my permission. My insurance company were excellent.

My second story is even more frightening! At the time I owned a large (17.2) gentle giant who was Belgium Warmblood x who hadn't a bad bone in his body. I was going away for two weeks and my friend was looking after him for me at the livery yard where I kept him. Half was through my holiday I had a call from my friend to say her partner was in hospital with two shattered arms due to an accident with my horse?? :eek: I immediately phoned my parents who were able to get a bigger picture of what had happened.
It was summer 2002 and there were some strong winds. Mr friend 'said' that her partner had been kicked as he tried to shield his face from my horses hooves as he bucked. Something in the wind scared my horse and he kicked/bucked out.
The whole story was very fragile and we were unable to establish exactly what happened as they both said they couldn't remember clearly what happened. The partner ended up having all his arms and wrists pinned and would be permanently disabled and unable to carry on with his job!! We were still friends but I left the UK to go overseas (my horse was put on loan) and we didn't really keep in touch after this!
In 2005 I received a phone call from my insurers to say that the partner of my friend (who had since split from my friend) was suing me for damages to his self by my horse.

Anyway to cut a very very long story short it turned out that when the partner was taken to the hospital he told the doctors that he fell from a horse. The x rays and doctors reports on the damage to the arms and hands were confirmed to be damaged caused by a fall. The partner was not able to ride (total novice) and it appears he tried to get on my horse from a mounting block and fell off onto both of his arms. He was going to ride my horse in from the field.
I know it was a dreadful accident and wouldn't have wanted this man to have suffered the pain and disability that he did (although he is working now) however he caused this himself, and if hadn't been insured then I certainly would not have been able to pay the money for solicitors etc to help me win this case. My insurance company were brilliant, as I would expect them to be. They may have had to pay out thousands.

So even if you haven't got your horse insured then make sure you are insured for public liability as you never know when you may need it!!

My insurers are NFU and I am still with them, although I'm surprised they are still with me!! :D
 

noodle_

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omg what stupid idiots in both stories!!!!!

words fail me at the stupidity of both!!

just glad you are sorted with both.... i dont have liability insurance... was planning to go with BHS soon but now im looking into it even more!!...
 

coreteam1

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omg what stupid idiots in both stories!!!!!

words fail me at the stupidity of both!!

just glad you are sorted with both.... i dont have liability insurance... was planning to go with BHS soon but now im looking into it even more!!...

lol yes definitely stupid people! I do think though in the horsey world there are lots of people who seem to have this 'I can do it' attitude. Especially the first story because it was obvious she thought she could do better? I do find it bizarre.
 

noodle_

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lol yes definitely stupid people! I do think though in the horsey world there are lots of people who seem to have this 'I can do it' attitude. Especially the first story because it was obvious she thought she could do better? I do find it bizarre.

absolutely....

id have needed a lawyer in the first case, as id be being done for GBH :D lol!!

anyone touches my horse without my permission (doing something like that) id be inflicting damage to them!

what did you say to her when you found out what she had done? i assume you told her to shove off your yard?
 

coreteam1

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absolutely....

id have needed a lawyer in the first case, as id be being done for GBH :D lol!!

anyone touches my horse without my permission (doing something like that) id be inflicting damage to them!

what did you say to her when you found out what she had done? i assume you told her to shove off your yard?

Oh yes, I was younger then so I think my parents told her where to go! She was older than me so probably thought she knew better :D
 

Milkmaid

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I take the 3rd party option off my Horse insurance policies as it is a very expensive way(about £50 per policy per year) of getting a small amount of cover (most are only £1-2 million which isn`t enough imho!) especially if you have more than one horse!
Instead I have BHS Gold membership which covers any of my horses at any time, handled by anyone with my permission up to 10 million. Only costs £60 per year and supports a v worthwhile organisation :)
But even if I didn`t have it, my house insurance covers dogs, cats and horses owned by me up to 2 million for 3rd Party Liability. I keep the Gold one current as sadly, a serious accident involving one of my horses could mean that £2 million is swallowed up in no time!
 

Holidays_are_coming

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god some people, makes me so mad!!!

I have public liability for my girl, and Id be so angry if someone tried to get ride her from the field!! And how stupid of a pregnant woman to think she could sort your rearing horse!!!!!

ARHHHH
 

Javabb94

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what totally stupid people!

Luckily I dont keep my horses on a livery yard, do the only people that have any contact with them is me, my mum dad brother, my riding instructor when she comes for my lesson and my grandad who mucks out on weekdays.

Im glad you won both your cases, it would have been totally absurd if you hadnt!
 
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