Pet Insurance for Horses
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Kalyn Johnson
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
UPDATED: Jan 8, 2024
Pet Insurance U receives compensation from the third parties included on this site. This includes payment for clicks from our site to insurance providers’ sites and quote requests generated. Our rankings and reviews are not affected by payments from the insurance companies. The compensation we receive allows the site to be free and regularly updated. Our goal is to review every pet insurance provider, but not all companies are listed on the site.
And many of the companies we review do not pay us anything. We simply rate, compare and review their plan because we feel it will be valuable to you. Our reviews are guaranteed to be unbiased, professional and advertising compensation does not influence rankings.
We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jan 8, 2024
Pet Insurance U receives compensation from the third parties included on this site. This includes payment for clicks from our site to insurance providers’ sites and quote requests generated. Our rankings and reviews are not affected by payments from the insurance companies. The compensation we receive allows the site to be free and regularly updated. Our goal is to review every pet insurance provider, but not all companies are listed on the site.
And many of the companies we review do not pay us anything. We simply rate, compare and review their plan because we feel it will be valuable to you. Our reviews are guaranteed to be unbiased, professional and advertising compensation does not influence rankings.
On This Page
If you are fortunate enough to own a horse, you know how much joy and adventure they provide. And, of course, there is a lot of upkeep for your horse.
You need to make sure the horse has enough space to run, a corral, hay, food and more. And while they are a pleasure to own, horses are an expensive investment.
And more than any other animal, they do have financial value as well as emotional. Horses do live a long time, which is great, but it means you need to keep up with their veterinary visits.
Over time, horses will and do get sick or hurt. And you want to make sure you have the financial means to take care of the bills. This is when equestrian insurance can be a huge help.
Table of Contents:
Need Pet Insurance?
FACT: Pet insurance pays up to 90% of vet bills when your pet is sick or injured!
How Horse Insurance Works
Pet insurance for horses works differently than it does for dogs, cats, and even exotic pets.
They have different coverage options and is structured differently.
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Horse Insurance Coverage Plans
There are many different types of coverage options that you can purchase for your horse:
Related: 10 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Pet Insurance
Major Medical
Major medical horse insurance includes the following:
- Illness
- Accidents
- Injuries
- Lameness
- Respiratory Infections
- Treatment
- Diagnostics
- Surgery
- Emergency Care
- Hospital Visits
Surgical
Surgical horse insurance is less expensive, but only covers the following:
- All expenses for Surgery
- Surgeon’s fee and anesthesia
- It does not cover the hospital costs
Medical or Surgical Horse Insurance Doesn’t Cover the Following:
- Routine preventative care: worming, vaccinations
- Pre-existing conditions
- Degenerative condition
Full Mortality
If you purchase either the major medical or surgical insurance on your horse, you are then required to purchase a full mortality policy.
It includes:
- Reimbursement of the value of your horse if your horse dies from an accident or illness or if your horse is stolen and never recovered.
- The value of your horse is determined when you purchase the policy.
Limited Mortality
Limited mortality horse insurance can be purchased on its own without medical or surgical insurance.
It includes the following:
- Reimbursement of the value of your horse if he dies as a result of accident or illness. or surgical policy.
Need Pet Insurance?
FACT: Pet insurance pays up to 90% of vet bills when your pet is sick or injured!
Loss of Use
Loss of use insurance for your horse can only be purchased if you have a major medical insurance policy.
It includes the following:
- Reimbursement if your horse becomes ill or injured and can’t perform any of the functions your horse used to provide for example:
- Riding lessons
- Breeding
- It typically pays you the income you lost that less the ordinary upkeep and expense.
Personal Liability
Personal liability horse insurance includes the following:
- Your horse damages property
- Your horse hurts someone.
- Some homeowner’s insurance policies will provide this coverage so check your policy to see if it is included.
- You can purchase this on its own or with another policy.
Colic Only Plan
Colic in horses is a common illness that affects their digestive system and gives them intestinal pain.
Some horse insurance policies, like ASPCA, will have colic only plan or it will just be part of their Major Medical coverage.
The coverage generally includes:
- The cost of treatment and veterinarian fees associated with colic by a qualified veterinarian.
Cost of Horse Insurance
The cost of horse insurance varies widely depending on the type of insurance you purchase, the age of your horse, his or her value and the type of horse.
And, of course, the deductible you choose and the services that are covered.
The Major Medical average prices are the following:
- $2,500 worth of coverage is approximately $90 per year.
- $5,000 worth of coverage is approximately $150 per year.
- $7,500 worth of coverage is approximately $175 per year.
And, there are different variations when adding surgical coverage if you buy multiple policies.
Surgical coverage rate is the following:
- The rates will typically increase 3% each year and are based on the insured value of the horse.
- The maximum amounts of coverage are $5,000 and $10,000.
Mortality coverage rates are the following:
Mortality premiums are based on the age of the horse, as well as the horse’s value and use so it depends on each specific horse.
The minimum premium is $150 a year and the rate is usually in between 2.5% to 4% of the insured value of the horse.
If your horse, for example, is valued at about $7,000 will have an annual premium of approximately $250.
Colic only coverage rates are usually the following:
The colic plans are usually based on the average or customary vet fees that are charged by the vet treating the colic.
The maximum amount of coverage is $3,000 or $10,000 depending on the policy carrier.
Horse Health Insurance Pre-Existing Conditions
Pre-existing conditions in horse insurance works differently than those for dog and cats.
A pre-existing condition is a condition or illness that your horse develops before you enrolled in the policy and therefore won’t be covered.
With horse insurance, pre-existing conditions are determined each policy year.
For example, if a horse has s respiratory infection at the beginning of the policy year, treatment for this infection won’t be covered. Or even an injury, such as a lame leg or foot.
However, if the inspection is cured and cleared up the next policy year, the horse will be eligible to be reimbursed for further respiratory infections that might occur in that or the next year or so.
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Horse Insurance Deductible
The typical deductible under the Major Medical plan is $200.
There is no deductible under a surgical plan.
All the other plans deductibles vary depending on the plan you choose and by the provider.
Horse Health Insurance Exclusions
Each policy will vary in their exclusions; however, most horse insurance plans will not cover a horse that is older than 15.
Other exclusions that usually applies are pre-existing conditions, which need to be re-evaluated each policy year and degenerative conditions.
Other exclusions include breeding costs and cosmetic procedures.
Need Pet Insurance?
FACT: Pet insurance pays up to 90% of vet bills when your pet is sick or injured!
Horse Insurance Specialist Coverage
If you own a horse, you will need to find a veterinarian that specializes in equine care.
Most of the horse insurance policies offered to let you choose a vet of your choice.
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Horse Health Insurance Claims
When your horse becomes hurt or sick, make sure to get treatment as soon as possible. And then let the agent or claims department know immediately.
If the treatment is something that is not an emergency and scheduled for the near future than it is a good idea to advise the claim adjuster as well to make sure you have adequate coverage.
Some companies have the policyholder pay the vet bill upfront and then submit the claim for reimbursement. And, then there are some companies that will pay the veterinarian directly.
Company Reputation
When looking for horse insurance coverage, make sure to choose a company that specializes in livestock medical and mortality insurance.
The underwriters should also be livestock specialists.
It is important to also note that the insurance company has been in business for some time and is solid.
Check the reviews of the policyholders to see if they are happy with their coverage and if claims are being paid back timely.
Pet Assure For Your Horse Insurance Needs
Pet Assure is an option for coverage for your horse.
It is structured differently than pet insurance and for a price of $10 a month, you can get a 25 % off most medical and preventative care treatments for your horse.
However, your veterinarian needs to be a member of their participating network providers.
Therefore, make sure that your vet is part of their network before signing up.
Some of the conditions that you can receive a discount on are the following:
- Colic Treatment
- Illness or injury
- Infections
- Vaccinations
- Pre-existing conditions
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Summing Up Horse Insurance
Horse insurance can be very valuable if your horse gets seriously hurt or sick.
The annual costs are very affordable and it is at least worth looking into horse insurance to see if it is a good fit.
Your veterinarian can be a valuable resource to help you decide whether equine insurance makes sense for your horse.
While most people don’t consider pet insurance to include a horse, pet insurance can include your horse, your snake, and even your rabbit!
As always, get a quote from a few providers to not only find the best price but to see how knowledgeable and professional the customer service is.
If you happen to have a dog or cat as well and are looking for a new pet insurance provider, our best pet insurance companies is a great place to start!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does horse insurance cover?
Horse insurance typically offers various coverage options, including Major Medical, Surgical, Full Mortality, Limited Mortality, Loss of Use, Personal Liability, Colic Only Plan, and more. Each coverage type has specific benefits and exclusions.
How does Major Medical horse insurance differ from Surgical horse insurance?
Major Medical covers a broader range of medical conditions, including surgeries, while Surgical insurance focuses specifically on covering surgical procedures.
What is Colic in horses, and is it covered by insurance?
Colic is a common digestive system illness in horses. Some insurance policies, like ASPCA, offer a Colic Only Plan or include it as part of their Major Medical coverage, covering expenses related to colic treatment.
What is the cost of horse insurance?
The cost of horse insurance varies based on factors such as the type of coverage, age, value of the horse, deductible chosen, and covered services. Premiums for Major Medical, Surgical, and Mortality coverage can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars annually.
How are pre-existing conditions handled in horse insurance?
Pre-existing conditions in horse insurance are evaluated annually. If a condition existed before enrolling in the policy year, it won’t be covered during that specific year. However, if the condition is resolved in a subsequent year, coverage may be available.
What is the typical deductible for Major Medical horse insurance?
The typical deductible for Major Medical horse insurance is $200. Surgical plans usually do not have a deductible, while other plans may vary.
Are there exclusions in horse insurance?
Exclusions in horse insurance vary by policy, but common exclusions include horses older than 15, pre-existing conditions, degenerative conditions, breeding costs, and cosmetic procedures.
How are horse insurance claims processed?
When a horse becomes sick or injured, treatment should be sought promptly. Some companies require policyholders to pay vet bills upfront and then submit a claim for reimbursement, while others may pay the veterinarian directly. Claims should be reported to the agent or claims department immediately.
What factors should be considered when choosing a horse insurance provider?
Factors to consider include the provider’s specialization in livestock medical and mortality insurance, the expertise of underwriters in livestock, the company’s reputation, customer reviews, and the timeliness of claims processing.
Can horse insurance include other types of pets?
While horse insurance is specific to equines, traditional pet insurance policies are available for dogs, cats, and even exotic pets. Each type of pet insurance has its own coverage options and considerations.
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap pet insurance rates.
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Kalyn Johnson
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.