Insurance

If you are going to start horse-riding or already ride, it is important that you check your insurance coverage.

When riding at a riding school or privately, it is not necessarily the case that you will be insured via your riding club. Check that any accident insurance you have also covers you when horse-riding. Not all insurance policies do.

Some people think that they can save money by not insuring their horse, but this can be an expensive mistake. The insurance company and the type of insurance you choose will depend on a number of factors. If you find it difficult to choose, ask other people what insurance they have and then contact the different insurers to get information and advice.

The most common types of horse insurance are life insurance and veterinary care insurance

• Life insurance can compensate you if the horse is injured so badly that it dies or if it becomes so ill that the vet believes it needs to be put down.
• Veterinary care insurance can compensate you if the vet has to examine and treat your horse.

Veterinary care is generally quite expensive, particularly if you do not have insurance, because you, as the owner of the animal, have to cover the entire cost, as opposed to human healthcare which is subsidised by taxation.

There are also a number of supplementary insurance policies, e.g. foetus and foal insurance, interruption insurance (for businesses), etc. Some policies also cover personal injuries resulting from accidents caused by the horse.