New insurance policy covers equine medical costs up to £10,000

A new insurance policy, that allows horse owners to cover medical costs for their horses up to a level of £10,000, has been launched.

In response to the soaring cost of major equine surgery, insurance company Amlin Plus has launched a new vet fee policy which can be bought up to a limit of £10,000.

Amlin Plus director, David Ashby, said: “We know from experience that diagnostic or surgical veterinary costs can now easily reach £8,000 to £10,000, particularly in the case of repeat or complex colic surgery.

The catalyst for this policy came from a conference at Newmarket last November when Professor Tim Greet vociferously lobbied us to react to the rising costs of treatment which clearly exceed the fee commonly covered by vet fee insurance policies.”

Professor Greet of Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket said: “A decade ago £5,000, which is the maximum amount of veterinary cover generally seen, would have covered almost every diagnostic or surgical eventuality imaginable. This is no longer the case, due mainly to inflationary rises and advances in technology.”

Mr Ashby added: “I understand from a personal point of view the issues surrounding equine illness and the lengths we go to for our horses to regain health as I very sadly had to have a horse of my own euthanized after a bout of colic.”

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