This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Like Gail Russell, I use Markel (http://horseinsurance.com) for my mortality and major medical coverage. Last year I has a claim for a suspensory injury and they paid promptly and had great customer service. That being said, there are plenty of other carriers out there.
"Equine insurance" is rather a loose term. For example, there is equine liability coverage which protects you for damage your horse may do to third parties or the property they own. A stand-alone policy is cheap -- maybe $150 a year -- and many carriers offer them as endorsements (i.e. add-on coverage) to a mortality policy. I carry my equine liability through my commercial general liability for the farm, but wanted to mention the other options. For those who think their homeowner's coverage who cover an equine liability claim, I would try to get it in writing from the agent. I've been a licensed insurance consultant for over 30 years and I can tell you that homeowner's policies are getting more restrictive with coverage. Equine mortality coverage will pay when a horse dies, is stolen, or has to be euthanized. There are some restrictions, but generally speaking it is pretty broad. The premiums are a percentage of declared value. Usually this is a pre-agreed upon amount that is the purchase price + show record + breeding record + training expenses. Most carriers have premiums that run 3 - 4% of value. I always say that mortality coverage is like the vanilla ice cream in a sundae. It's the same from carrier to carrier. The policies are nearly word for word identical and the difference will be in the premium. The difference comes with the major medical coverage that is an endorsement to the mortality policy. That's where you get all the choices. You can choose among sublimits (i.e., maximum coverage amounts), deductibles, and types of coverage. You can get policies that cover ANY non-routine vet care or policies that only cover surgery. Obviously the premium is going to vary. There's no right choice for everyone, so you have to consider how much risk you can afford to accept. The only other thing to remember about mortality and major medical is that the carriers only cover horses from 90 days to 16 years. There is some variance among carriers and coverage may extend to age 18 with some of them. If you are insuring for less than $25,000, typically no vet exam is required and often you can apply for and bind coverage on-line. Sorry for the long post. Do shop around and compare coverages. The carriers writing coverage are all quality domestic companies and are regulated by your state insurance department if they are offering coverage in your state. If you google "Equine Mortality Insurance," you'll get just about every carrier and specialty agent offering the coverage. Margaret Bogie Ironwood Farm Rixeyville, VA http://www.ironwood-farm.com ***For sale: 2004 Brown Dun gelding, 2006 Brown Dun filly and gelding*** The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
