How to get the most out of your horse insurance

Getting horse insurance right — or wrong — can make a huge difference to both your horse’s welfare and your monthly outgoings. So how can you ensure you aren’t spending more than you need to, but still have the cover you require?

Here’s H&H’s tips for getting the most out of your horse insurance policy:

1. When choosing your policy, ensure any short-term saving on your premium won’t cause you long-term problems
2. ALWAYS read the small print and familiarise yourself with your policy’s terms and conditions. Confused? Discuss with your insurer
3. Make sure your horse has the right level of cover, but don’t insure him for activities he won’t be competing in. Target your insurance for the best value
4. Two savvy ways to save on your premium without compromising your horse’s well-being are to consider taking out a higher excess and, if you have owned your horse for a year or longer and have loss of use cover, consider dropping that part of your policy
5. Always keep an open line of dialogue with your insurer if your horse is ill/undergoing treatment.
6. If you are buying a new horse, ALWAYS get him vetted. It’s almost a form of insurance in itself

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Petplan Equine’s statistics for the most claimed for conditions in 2019 showed an overall rise in claims which highlights just how crucial insurance is when caring for your horse,” comments Kate Hopkins, marketing consultant for Petplan Equine.

“In 2019 arthritis returned to the top of the list for the first time in three years with veterinary fees paid out totalling over £847,000, an increase of over 8% when compared to 2018. Although dropping from first to second place, gastric ulcer claims remained consistent with a small increase in the value of claims paid out compared to 2018, just under £1.1 million.”

“These figures show how important it is to have quality horse insurance should the worst happen and your horse requires unexpected veterinary treatment. We know how much our customers love their horses and treat them like a member of the family, so we are always here to reassure and support them whenever we are needed.”

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Gemma Redrup

H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.