If you know horses, you probably don’t think your personal liability risk is that high. However, large animals can be unpredictable, and not everyone who interacts with your horse will have experience with horses.
What you’ll discover in this report:
- The difference between personal and commercial horse ownership
- Common claims against horse owners
- How to plan ahead
- Coverage offered by a commercial general liability policy
- Other types of insurance to consider
What’s the Difference Between Personal and Commercial Horse Ownership?
It’s important to carefully assess your horse activities to make sure you get the right insurance for your needs.
If you use your horse commercially – which could include your horse being used by an instructor at the barn for lessons – you need to consider commercial exposure.
If there isn’t any commercial activity involved with the ownership of your horse, you’ll want to examine your current insurance policies. Some homeowner’s and farm owner’s insurance policies don’t cover horses or limit the number they do cover. Generally, your insurer has exclusions if you take your horses off your property.
If you often take your horses off your property or you have a large number of horses, call our equestrian specialist brokers to discuss liability coverage today.
Top Claim Against Horse Owners
The most common incident claims against horse owners include:
- A friend or family member rides your horse, falls off and suffers an injury
- Your horse gets away and causes an accident on the road or kicks and injures a third party while off your property, at a show or on a trail ride
- Your horse injures a farrier or veterinarian while being serviced
- Your horse injures staff or causes property damage while boarded
- Your horse gets loose and runs into traffic, causing an accident or damage to a neighbour’s property
- Someone trespasses onto your property to pet the horses and the horse becomes spooked and causes bodily injury to the trespasser
How To Plan Ahead
We know you care about the horses. Below are steps you can take to protect yourself against potential accidents.
Enforce barn rules
Develop rules for your environment for both horses and people. Train staff members so they understand rules and procedures. Document procedures.
Plan for emergencies
Emergencies happen. But the more prepared you are, the better chance you have of providing proper care to your horses. Preparation can minimize the severity of any accident.
Develop semi-annual inspections of your property
By inspecting your premises for potential hazards, you can take care of them before an incident occurs.
Prepare a written waiver and review your province’s Occupiers’ Liability Act
Your province’s Occupiers’ Liability Act could state that the stable owner/operator owes a duty of care to the people who enter their premises, which assures that any property they bring on your premises is also reasonably safe.
Anyone who participates in horse activities on your premises needs to complete and sign your province’s waiver, if applicable. Make sure to keep signed forms on file and safely stored. You are free to restrict, modify or exclude this duty of care through your written waiver.
Follow Provincial Safety Regulations
Check your provincial safety regulations regarding helmet use for minors and if helmets need to meet certain criteria, such as ASTM, BSI or European Safety Standards. Footwear is also often regulated (i.e. hard-soled footwear with a heel of no less than 1.5 centimeters).
Purchase equine liability insurance coverage
Protect yourself with an insurance brokerage that knows horses. You want to make sure that any legal fees are covered, with claim costs and settlements to ensure that, in the case of an accident, you don’t suffer a financial loss.
Other Coverages To Consider
There is some exposure for liability not covered horse liability insurance. We recommend the following additional coverage:
- Horse mortality and major medical: If own or lease your horse, you’re considered its temporary owner. Therefore, you want to make sure you protect yourself from liability should the horse die or become injured or sick during your lease period.
Get Horse Owner Insurance Today
At Henry Equestrian, Powered by NFP, we understand horses and we want to make sure you’re covered as a horse owner. Contact us today to learn more or click on below for a free, no-obligation quote.