Whilst there is no legal obligation to insure your horse or yourself, two fundamental policies worth considering are Public Liability insurance and Personal Accident insurance
This covers you, should you be found liable, for third party property damage or bodily injury. An example of this would be if your horse got loose at an event and knocked over a spectator causing them injury. Liability claims can be a very complex, lengthy and costly process with the involvement of solicitors and possibly the courts. If found liable you can then face having to pay compensation, which can reach six and sometimes seven-figure sums. Having a Public Liability policy in place will not only provide financial support, but your insurer will also deal with the claim on your behalf, for example, appointing a solicitor, handling all documentation and if not liable, defending your position. Public Liability is not expensive, at KBIS premiums start at £48.22* per horse for a standalone Public Liability policy or from around £20* if cover is included on a Horse insurance policy. It is also worth checking if you have cover with a society or association, as a number of equestrian associations offer this as a benefit to their members. Make sure you check any limitations in coverage if this is the case as sometimes you may only be covered with certain levels of membership or have no cover at all if you earn an income from equestrian activities.
This should be a consideration for any rider, we give our horses the best care and often the best insurance cover, but we fail to do the same for ourselves. Some associations and Horse insurance policies do include Personal Accident insurance, but this is usually limited. As riders we know we are participating in a risk sport, but don’t often consider the financial implications if we were unable to go to work or go and do our horses ourselves. The KBIS Personal Accident policy offers cover for those ages between 16 and 75 years old. It is an ‘all of life’ policy providing you with a comprehensive level of protection not only whilst riding and handling horses, but also for accidents and illnesses sustained outside of riding. As a standalone policy, it provides a broader level of protection than typically found with a Horse insurance policy or association membership. It offers a number of benefits including lump-sum payments for serious permanent injury and weekly benefits, linked to income, which aims to supplement your earnings, should you be signed off work due to an accident or sickness.
Another area of insurance that you should look at, especially if you are out in your own Horsebox or Trailer, is equine specific Breakdown insurance. We are all aware of the legal requirement to insure our Horsebox or towing vehicle for the road, but breaking down with a horse can be a very stressful experience. Without Breakdown cover in place, trying to arrange for a mechanic to come out to you, your Horsebox, car or Trailer to be towed and alternative transport for you and your horse can be time-consuming and expensive. KBIS Breakdown policies include home start, roadside assistance and recovery as well as alternative transport for you, your passengers and horse(s) if your car or lorry cannot be fixed at the side of the road. They also includes three additional benefits; misfuelling, lost key cover and providing a replacement driver if (as the only driver of the vehicle) you have been certified as medically unfit to continue a journey or drive home. With the Trailer Breakdown costing £132.08* and Horsebox Breakdown starting at £156.53*, it may be worth your while putting this in place in case it does happen to you!
*prices are quoted as of 28/09/2023 and may be subject to change over time. Terms and Conditions apply.
For more advice, check out our blog on seven ways to be prepared for breaking down with horses on board.