Horse Insurance Guide: Covering Your Horse and Your Liability

What is horse insurance?

Horse insurance is specialist equine cover that typically addresses several distinct risks: the cost of veterinary treatment if the horse is injured or falls ill, the financial loss if the horse dies or is stolen, and the liability an owner could face if their horse causes injury or damage to someone else or their property. Because these risks are quite different from each other, policies are often structured with separate sections covering each one.

Cover can apply to leisure horses, competition horses, horses used for breeding, and ponies, with policies generally reflecting the horse's use, value and the activities it's involved in, such as hacking, showing, eventing or racing.

Who needs horse insurance?

Anyone who owns a horse or pony benefits from considering insurance, given that veterinary treatment for serious illness or injury can be costly, and horse insurance can help manage this financial risk. This applies whether the horse is a family pony, a competition horse, or kept purely for leisure riding.

People who loan a horse, rather than owning it outright, may also need cover, and it's common for loan agreements to specify insurance requirements for both the loaner and the owner. Public liability cover is particularly relevant for anyone who rides or keeps a horse where there's a realistic chance of it causing injury or damage to third parties, such as on roads, bridleways or livery yards.

What does horse insurance typically cover?

Policies are often modular, allowing owners to select the sections of cover most relevant to their horse and circumstances.

• Veterinary fees for illness and injury, up to a specified limit
• Death, theft and straying of the horse
• Public liability cover for third party injury or damage
• Tack and equipment cover
• Loss of use cover if the horse can no longer be ridden or used as intended
• Personal accident cover for the rider

What affects the cost of horse insurance?

The horse's age, breed, value and use are significant factors, as competition and performance horses often carry different risk profiles to leisure horses or ponies. Veterinary fee limits chosen also affect price, with higher limits generally costing more but providing greater protection against significant treatment costs.

Where the horse is kept, for example at a professional livery yard versus a private field, and the level of care and management provided, can be relevant to insurers. The rider's experience and the activities the horse is used for, such as showjumping, eventing or general hacking, also factor into how risk is assessed and priced.

Tips for horse owners arranging insurance

Think carefully about the veterinary fee limit you choose, as equine veterinary treatment, particularly for conditions like colic or orthopaedic surgery, can be expensive, and a low limit may not go far in a serious case. Keep your horse's veterinary history and vaccination records up to date, as insurers may ask for these when assessing a policy or claim.

• Choose a veterinary fee limit that reflects realistic treatment costs
• Check whether pre-existing conditions are excluded, as is common in equine policies
• Review public liability limits, especially if you ride on roads or shared land
• Consider tack and equipment cover if you have valuable saddlery
• Ask how the policy treats loss of use if your horse can no longer be ridden

How to get a quote

Horse insurance needs vary depending on the horse's use, value and your personal circumstances, so speaking to a specialist equine broker can help find suitable cover. Complete a short form with details about your horse, and a broker will follow up with tailored quotes, with no obligation to proceed.

Frequently asked questions

Does horse insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Generally no, most equine policies exclude pre-existing conditions in a similar way to other types of insurance, so it's worth checking what your horse's veterinary history might exclude.

Is public liability cover included automatically?

Not always as standard; many policies offer it as a distinct section, so it's worth checking it's included if you want protection against claims from third parties.

What is loss of use cover?

Loss of use cover can provide a payout if your horse becomes permanently unable to be used for its intended purpose, such as riding or competing, due to injury or illness.

Can I insure a horse I have on loan?

Yes, insurance can often be arranged by the loaner, the owner, or both, and many loan agreements specify what cover should be in place.

Does horse insurance cover tack and equipment?

Many policies offer optional tack and equipment cover, protecting items like saddles and bridles against theft or damage, usually up to a specified limit.