Veteran horse insurance. Worth it?

[Sandstone1]

I know its a difficult question, but my companion pony is 22. Hes now got several exclusions on his insurance. Ie lami cushings ems and teeth. Hes been fully insured but now wondering if its worth it any more. Id not put him through any major surgery etc and as hes a companion only hes not ridden. Im in bhs so just thinking should i go for a veteran policy or cancel all together?

 

[milliepops]

I cancelled the insurance for my retired one (21 this year). Like you, I wouldn't put her through another surgery now, she is having a lovely existence in the field but if she injured herself seriously in a way that just field rest and a bit of general TLC wouldn't help to mend then she will be pts. I have third party insurance from elsewhere so I now insure the ridden ones instead.

 

[Sandstone1]

Thats what im thinking really.
Just wanted others thoughts. Might get a quote for veteran but thinking cancelling might be the way.

 

[Annagain]

When my two turned 17 their insurance shot up and the coiver it offered plummeted. I stopped it and started paying the same amount (£100 a month) into a savings account. I set certain rules for myself the main one is I would only dip in if it's something I would have claimed for - so the odd bit of lameness looked at and bute given I've paid for myself - but not to deny them anything becuase they're not insured. My vet knows this so he starts off on the conservative 'not insured' treatment plan and if that doesn't work we switch to a more aggressive strategy. I've only had one occasion when i would have dipped in - a £2k bill for a bone scan and subsequent treatment - so 5 years on, I'm quids in. Except I didn't dip in. I was getting a relatively ok (as ok as it gets at the moment) interest rate so rather than pay out of my account, I ended up getting a 30 month interest free deal on a credit card and I'm paying it off at £80 a month. I don't even notice it's gone!

I too am a BHS member so have liability cover.

 

[MuddyTB]

I've just put my 17 year old on to Catastrophe cover. He wasn't covered for a vast amount on the normal policy with all the exclusions but this gives me back up if he has an accident and it's not too expensive.

 

[Laafet]

I've just put my 17 year old on to Catastrophe cover. He wasn't covered for a vast amount on the normal policy with all the exclusions but this gives me back up if he has an accident and it's not too expensive.

This is a great idea, I am looking into it for my boy as he is pretty much excluded for everything that will go wrong with him aside from accidents so why pay nearly £700 for that when the Catastrophy cover is £275?

 

[HashRouge]

My 25 year old is no longer insured as she has a lot of exclusions and I wouldn't want to put her through any major surgery (i.e. colic). I have enough savings to pay for any emergency veterinary treatment she might need. Her field companion, who belongs to my Mum but is under my care, is also not insured even though at 15 he is a fair bit younger. He has had no end of lameness issues plus ulcers/ colic, to the extent that with the exception of his ears/ eyes I think everything else was excluded! Again, he would not be put through major surgery and my Mum can comfortably pay for any emergency treatment he might need.

 

[Sandstone1]

My 25 year old is no longer insured as she has a lot of exclusions and I wouldn't want to put her through any major surgery (i.e. colic). I have enough savings to pay for any emergency veterinary treatment she might need. Her field companion, who belongs to my Mum but is under my care, is also not insured even though at 15 he is a fair bit younger. He has had no end of lameness issues plus ulcers/ colic, to the extent that with the exception of his ears/ eyes I think everything else was excluded! Again, he would not be put through major surgery and my Mum can comfortably pay for any emergency treatment he might need.

Thanks for the replies. Just got to decide if im going to cancel completely or go for a veteran policy.

 

[meleeka]

So read the small print. A lot of policies only cover for accidental external injury so there needs to be broken skin for it to pay our. It’s unlikely my veteran would have an accident so I have an emergency credit card.

 

[pippixox]

Cancelled my retiree a few years ago (he is now 21). As too much excluded. Back legs- hocks injected years ago for arthritis and front legs tendon on one so only one leg was left! Not doing a colic op (frankly I think I need to cancel this on my younger twos policy as don’t think I would ever put them through it actually)!
He did have a major illness 2 years ago (nose bleed with face swollen on one side) but the vet managed to investigate with scope and diagnose brain abscess or tumour as nothing nasal, and we gave him pain relief and a few weeks to see if he improved. Would not have done CT scan and vet stay even if insured. Cost about £500 in total.

When he has injured himself (usually on a weekend for emergency call out fee!) I know I can find a few hundred.

 

[AandK]

I have a 21yo and 28yo, neither are insured. I cancelled the 21yo insurance 2yrs ago as he had several exclusions and having had a seizure coming round from GA aged 18, vet advised no more GA unless life threatening. Neither would be put through colic surgery, and for any other big bills it's credit card or bank of Mum and Dad for a loan (was about £2k all in when he had is eye out in Feb, but that was standing sedation).

 

[Ranyhyn]

No my mare is 17 and she's not insured. I'd only put her through something small, nothing major. I have the readies if needs be for small procedures. Anything bigger and she'd be put to sleep.

 

[MissGee]

Both my oldies (25 and 26) are still insured. Veteran policies with Petplan, it only covers accident and third party so have debated whether I should continue, but for the £10 odd each per month it costs, feel I might as well.

 

[ester]

Frank stayed fully insured until he was 20/21. At that point we'd had several claims and subsequent exclusions and keeping him insured for the activities he was doing (was hunting) was a daft amount really/decided there would be a limit on what was done from that point medically anyway.

It wouldn't have changed anything I have done with him medically since.

 

[teddypops]

Both my oldies (25 and 26) are still insured. Veteran policies with Petplan, it only covers accident and third party so have debated whether I should continue, but for the £10 odd each per month it costs, feel I might as well.

Same here. I have made several claims for lameness for one of them, so have had around £3000 paid out for vets fees, so definitely worthwhile.

 

[flying_high]

I think it depends, I wouldn’t automatically stop insuring when a horse reaches a certain age.

But for me once they have a certain number of issues, and you decide on a no box rest, no heroics approach, then not insuring for vets bills makes sense.

One of my horses is 17hh and rising 20. He has a lot of arthritis and some sacroiliac issues. If he is kept in regular structured, sympathetic work, lots of turnout, careful shoeing and supportive bodywork, he is okay. It is a careful balance. He’s already very expensive in time and money to keep. If he lost the mobility / fitness and suppleness of daily turnout and daily work, I don’t think he’d recover or that it would be fair to try.

He was written off at 12, and has done two BD regionals since, but at 20 his age is catching up with him. Once he’s not confidence hacking / in the field / I worry about him getting up, I’ll make the call.