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Responsibility For Someone’s Horses Increases Your Liability Exposure

You don’t own as many horses as you used to and you’ve got so much more stable space. You’ve heard that there are quite a few people who are looking for a real horse lover who boards horses.

You know horses, and you’ve always taken great care of yours. You have the ribbons to prove it. So you’ve decided that you may as well make a few dollars using those empty horse stalls.

You need to think about some of the financial risks of “renting out” those empty horse stalls to other horse owners. You’re opening yourself up to some liability exposure when you board horses.

That’s where Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd comes in. We’ll walk you through what insurance coverage you need in Ontario to start your horse boarding business, including:

  • The standards to follow for operating an equine facility
  • The right coverage to protect all your interests
  • If your friend wants to keep her horse on your farm
  • If a boarder brings a friend to ride his horse
  • If your boarders’ horses are covered in your horse trailer

Equine Facility Operation Standards

Depending on the commercial venture that you’re starting, if it involves horses, there are minimum safety standards for activities including coaching, trail rides, equine assisted learning and pony rides.

You also need to be aware of Bill 12 – Ontario’s Horse Riding Safety Act. This act was instituted to increase the safety of all equestrian riders, especially those under the age of 18. The legislation states that anyone under the age of 18 must:

  • Wear a helmet that meets ASTM, BSI or European Safety Standards
  • Wear hard-soled footwear with a heel of no less than 1.5 cm and/or safety stirrups (breakaway or hooded)
  • Use tack properly fitted on the horse

Ontario Equestrian Facility Insurance

When you start to use your property for a business, you now need an Ontario Equestrian Facility Insurance plan. Some key elements you’ll need include:

  • Liability cover of up to $1 million, and exceptionally $10 million when you opt to use high-limit umbrella insurance. This protects you from claims and lawsuits for bodily injury, loss of life or property damage allegedly caused by you, your employees or animals in your care or under your supervision.
  • Care, custody and control insurance for boarded horses. This covers illness, injury or death caused unintentionally for horses not owned by you. It also covers mortality and medical care costs. Of course, we can also provide Horse Insurance for horses that you own yourself.
  • Commercial Property Insurance for your buildings, outbuildings, barns, stables and other structures. We can also make sure it covers the buildings’ contents including equipment, tack, feed stores and other materials.
  • Professional liability coverage for individual trainers and consultants against allegations of professional incompetence, mistakes and erroneous advice.
  • Loss of income coverage in the event that your operation is disrupted due to insured perils.
  • Additional special risks Equine Facility Insurance for one-off or special events, including those held off-site.
  • Commercial and farm vehicle insurance.

Liability For A Friend’s Horse

Your friend wants to keep her horse on your farm for awhile. Her barn’s in disrepair and it’s not safe. You don’t plan on charging her – you want to help out. But you’re also nervous because you know accidents happen. Do you really know if you’re covered if something happens to her horse in your barn?

If anyone other than yourself is keeping horses in your facilities, whether you’re paid or not, you need to extend your farm coverage to Boarding of Horses. This will make sure that you’re covered for medical expenses, legal defense costs and any claims or settlement costs.

You also need Care, Custody and Control coverage. This secondary type of insurance protects you from the financial burden if anything happens to your friend’s horse.

If your friend’s horse escapes from your property and gets hit by a car on the road as it runs across, your Commercial General Liability Insurance would cover the damage to the car and the driver and passengers of the car. But not the horse. That’s why you also need Care, Custody & Control coverage.

Find out more from your insurance broker at Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd. We’ll make sure that you get the information you need and the best value for your insurance spending.

Liability For Boarders’ Guests

One of your boarders has a friend who really wants to try riding a horse. He brings his friend out with him to your farm. If the friend is under 18, you want to make sure that you follow Ontario’s Horse Riding Safety Act. That means anyone under 18 must wear a helmet and the proper shoes.

But that’s just following the law. That doesn’t protect you from being held liable if your boarder’s guest gets hurt while on your property. You’ll want to make sure that you have your liability insurance extended to cover your boarders’ friends when they’re on your property.

*NOTE: The waiver/agreement of risk that you have your boarders sign should be signed by any guests they bring to your farm too.

Make sure that you’re protected so that you don’t lose your business because of the financial burden of a claim or lawsuit. Call your trusted broker at Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd. today and we’ll make sure that you’re covered.

Transportation Coverage In Ontario

You’re showing not only your own horse, but some of the horses that you board as well. You’re ready to load them all into your horse trailer. But have you thought about whether your boarders’ horses are covered too?

When you’re towing a trailer with horses you don’t own, you want to make sure that your truck and trailer coverage is extended. Of course you already have Care, Custody and Control coverage if you’re boarding horses.

Contact Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd. today to extend your coverage before you head out on the road with horses you don’t own in your trailer.

We’re always ready to get you a quote on any additional coverage you need to add. Call 905-727-1144 today and we’ll have a quote to you in 1 business day.