Insuring your new horse: 10 top tips

Looking for horse insurance? Try horseandhound.co.uk/insurance 

So you’ve found your ideal horse, but are you sure you’ll be able to insure it once you get it home? Horse & Hound looks at the pre-purchase checks every buyer should make before signing on the dotted line

Horse insurance checklist

• Get your horse vetted well in advance of sorting out your insurance. That way, any potential problems should have time to surface
• Don’t rely on someone else’s vet certificate. Legally you will have no redress
• Ask the vendor if the horse is on any supplements or physio treatments
• Don’t be shy — ask the vendor for permission to speak to their vet about the horse’s history
• Always use an independent vet for the vetting
• You may be able to take over the horse’s current policy — ask for the vendor’s permission to speak to his insurers
• If the horse is branded, check it’s not a “loss of use” brand — this means an insurer has already paid a claim on it
• You will usually need to take out annual cover for a horse on trial. This can be cancelled and a pro-rata premium refunded minus an administration fee
• Consider paying a larger excess. This is a good way to reduce your premium
• Shop around. Not every insurer is familiar with the equestrian market, so look at a range of products. This could save time and money in the long-term

Looking for horse insurance? Try Horse & Hound’s insurance comparison service at horseandhound.co.uk/insurance