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Insure Against The Risks Of Boarding Horses

When you mix humans and horses together, there are risks. Not every visitor has experience with horses. Some have little or no experience handling, riding or training horses. Horses are large animals that can sometimes act unpredictably. No matter how well you train your horses, you want to make sure you’re protected yourself against a claim, or worse a lawsuit.

What you’ll discover in this report:

  • The difference between Boarding insurance and a farmowners policy in Ontario
  • Common claims that people make against boarding businesses
  • How you can plan ahead
  • The coverage offered by a Commercial General Liability Policy
  • Other types of insurance you should consider

How Is This Insurance Different From A Farmowners Policy?

Your farmowners policy isn’t that different from your homeowners policy, except that it covers you for raising, keeping and selling anything you have on your farm including livestock. But you’re not protected if you keep horses that belong to other owner if it’s a commercial venture. If you charge a fee or accept payment in another form of compensation it means that you need different insurance.

What Are The Most Common Claim Incidents?

  • A boarder gets hurt when their horse acts unpredictably because you didn’t contain, control or mark a hazard.
  • A boarder’s visitor suffers an injury while riding the boarded horse, watching the rider or even petting the horse.
  • A boarded horse gets loose through a damaged fence or open barrier gate and runs into traffic causing an accident.
  • A boarded horse is injured or dies within your care or on your property because of negligence.

How Can I Plan Ahead?

We know that you care about the horses and the people that come to your farm. There are steps to take to make sure that an accident never happens in the first place.

  1. Enforce barn rules
    Look around and develop rules for your environment for both horses and people. Also write procedures. Then train every staff member to make sure they understand your rules and procedures.
  2. Plan for emergencies
    Emergencies happen, but the better prepared you are, the better chance you have of providing the proper care to all the horses. If you’re prepared you can minimize the severity of any accident.
  3. Develop semi-annual inspections of your property
    By inspecting your premises for potential hazards, you can take care of them before an incident occurs.
  4. Prepare a written waiver and review Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act
    Anyone who boards their horse with you needs to complete and sign the waiver. Make sure that you keep the signed forms on file and safely stored. The Occupiers’ Liability Act states that the stable owner/operator owes a duty of care to the people who enter their premises. This assures that any property they bring on your premises with them is also reasonably safe. You are free to restrict, modify or exclude this duty of care through your written waiver.
  5. Follow Ontario’s Horse Riding Safety Act
    This legislation states that it’s mandatory that anyone under the age of 18 years of age must wear a helmet that meets ASTM, BSI or European Safety Standards and hard-soled footwear with a heel of no less than 1.5 cm.
  6. Purchase an Equine Liability Insurance Policy
    Protect you and your business with an insurance company that knows horses and your business. You want to make sure that any legal feels are covered, claim costs and settlements to ensure that in the case of an accident, your business doesn’t suffer a financial loss.

What’s Included In The Commercial General Liability Policy?

The policy gives you maximum limits or amounts of liability insurance for:

  • Medical expenses: You can be sure a claimant’s low cost medical expenses are covered without a lot of questions about liability or responsibility.
  • Legal defense costs: You can save your business the financial burden of court costs if you’re sued, whether the case has merit or not.
  • Claims or settlement costs: Without this policy you could be held responsible for bodily injury and property damage claims.

Are There Other Coverages I Should Consider?

  • Care, Custody & Control Liability: This policy will protect you from expenditures for loss, illness or injury that could happen to a boarded horse in your care.
  • Tack, Equipment and Machinery: Protect your tools of the trade and your business by insuring your tack, equipment and machinery against loss or damage.

At Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd., we have experience working with horse operations. We’ll make sure that we protect you and your business. Contact us today to learn more or click on Get a Free Quote for an obligation-free quote.