To Insure or Not Insure? That is the Question!

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jbaxter

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I have a yearling New Forest pony and a two-year-old New Forest pony and I'm wondering whether or not to insure. I indent to ride them simply for hacking although, obviously, neither one is backed yet. They're a pretty tough breed health wise so I can't decide whether it's worth shelling out around £1,000 per year to insure them.

Any thoughts, anyone?
 
Thats an expensive insurance quote you have got there! My 2 17hh horses cost me £70 a month for both.
If you are happy to either PTS or pay out if there is a disaster then don't bother - although you should have public liability - but if you would want to save your horse if it had a serious leg injury (for example) then insure.
Insurance is a gamble, you either win or lose, but it has saved me money with every horse so far.
 
My 2 year old Welshie is insured with Petplan in the group that says he is grazing and being looked after only so no going out on roads, no shows etc etc and that only costs £11 a month for good cover. Well worth it IMHO

But no I wouldnt pay £1k to insure two ponies!
 
I was going to say that sounds rather expensive!

Make sure you only insure them for their current use - not intended. I'm guessing at the minute they would only be insured for at grass. When you start backing/training you may need to increase cover (check how the insurance company groups activities).

Depends on the quotes you get and if the company can offer the cover you are looking for (make sure you check all the T&C's).

If not, maybe just put some money aside for emergencies
 
I vote to insure, just make sure you shop around for the right cover and price for you :)

Unless you do have a savings fund for emergencies although as stateed above you should really have public liability for when you are out and about.
 
Thank you so much everybody! Because of your comments here, I've just taken out insurance with PetPan for the sum of £30.83 per month for pair of them. And yes, I think it's a very good policy. When they are backed and coming into work then there will be an increase. But the chap I dealt with said it wouldn't be a huge increase in the premium costs. :)
 
Insure! My mare had to go into surgery a couple of weeks ago after managing to puncture her knee in the field, and thankfully I am insured for life saving surgery, so *fingers crossed* my insurers will be picking up the tab, or at least some of it. It's made me realize that insurance is so worth it!
 
Everybody does their own thing. Mine are not insured and never have been (except for third party which I get with my World Horse Welfare membership anyway).
Last year I had a £1,400 vet bill which I'm still paying off - on a horse I have had 22 years with hardly any costs previous to this. A previous horse, now dead of old age, I had for 20 years and no major costs ever.I prefer to take the risk.
Different if you have a horse worth thousands and you want Loss Of Use, but for a pet I wouldn't, you may pay out insurance for many years and never claim. But of course it's always up to you in the end.
 
I do insure, for things like colic surgery, nasty injuries, or in the case of ongoing illness/disease eg cushings, diabetes etc. I regret not having my last horse insured, he had to be pts after a back injury that I couldn't have afforded to have diagnosed let alone treated. He was an older lad with a weak back anyway, and he absolutely hated any form of box rest, needed constant shoeing and hard feed and hated sitting in the field, getting grumpier and grumpier as time was going on. I regret that I didn't have the money to fix him, but he wouldn't have been happy as he was. :( New boy is fully insured for vets fees and diagnostics.
 
Yes, insurance is very much a lottery. Over the years we haven't insured our horses and have saved money by not doing so. However, the ever-rising cost of veterinary care is something that preys on my mind. I really wouldn't ever want to find myself unable to afford medical care that would help one of my young boys to have the life and the health he deserves.
 
I was pondering this. I've paid out insurance for years and was thinking about cancelling insurance and putting the premiums I would have paid into a vet account.

Anyway, bought a new horse and did insure him. Good job, as two months after passing a five stage vetting he's had x-rays and a teldrin drip at a cost of probably near a grand, and he'll need ongoing treatment.

I still insure my mare, but my old boy (25) isn't now insured as, at his age, I wouldn't put him through any major stuff and am happy to cough up for any treatment less than a grand. I've had him insured all his life and never needed it. Now touches wood!
 
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