You are here: Horses > Horse Barns / Fencing > Liability insurance

Horse Liability Insurance: Do Equine Owner Need this Coverage?

The odds of your horse getting loose and causing an accident while away from your control may be slim; similarly, you may not believe that your horse may injure a visitor, or cause damage while being locked up in a horse trailer should you get into a traffic accident while towing the trailer.
Nonetheless, even if the odds are slim to none, the likelihood of an accident occurring always exists. For this reason liability insurance is a necessity that every horse owner will need to consider. Do you know how much coverage you will need?

Ownership of animals always gives rise to liability and the bigger the animal the more damage it can do. As is so often the nature of accidents, they are hard to predict and happen when you least expect anything to go wrong. No matter how careful you are, there is

always a chance for an accident. To this end liability coverage for commercial farms is available for larger operations. For the horse aficionado who may only own one or two animals, a homeowner insurance policy may provide coverage but the protection may be limited severely and a cursory review of jury verdicts in civil cases will quickly show that multi million dollar verdicts are becoming the norm rather than the exception. Add to this the fact that sadly some individual may be sue-happy while approaching your horse, and all the makings for a serious liability suit are at hand.

To adequately protect yourself and your property, it is advisable to purchase liability insurance to be adequate for the very property you are seeking to protect. While it costs a bit more, it offers a wealth of protection as well as peace of mind. Consider also the likelihood of an accident. For example, if you are frequently showing your horse and are therefore transporting him often, and have him surrounded by strangers who may not necessarily be trained in how to approach a horse, you may be more likely to have an encounter where your horse may do some damage or cause an injury than if you are a casual rider who keeps one horse that is usually on a privately owned and secured pasture.

Did you know that you are even liable for your horse’s conduct while he is under someone else’s control, such as a boarding facility? If you utilize such a service, you will undoubtedly recall singing a waiver that specified the terms of liability; hence, an umbrella policy that offers the highest liability coverage is most desirable. By adding the coverage for your personal vehicle and home, you may actually be able to save some money on the overall premiums. While it is true that this kind of coverage is more expensive, it also provides the maximum amount of protection against lawsuits, and therefore is the best way of protecting your assets.



Read the next horse barns article on Electric Horse Fences.
 
Register below to get
free horse tips from:

Horse eZine Cover
Name:
E-Mail

 Horse Education
Horse Training Teleseminar
 
 Horse Information Topics
Horse health
Horse nutrition / feed
Horse pasture / forage
Horse care
Horse tack / equipment
Horse diseases
Horse shoes / Hoof care
Horse rescue / adoption
Horse transportation
Horse training
Horse trainers
Horse breeds
Horse breeding
Horse names (5,000)
Horse farms / ranches
Horse barns / fencing
Horse riding
Equestrian Sports & Activities
Horse shows
Horse words dictionary
Share a Horse Story
 
 
 Horse Business Owners
  Advertise with Us
Have your horse products or services exposed to over 27,000 of our monthly visitors.
 
  Home | | Privacy | Security | Legal notices | Advertise with Us
 Copyright (c) 2011. American Horse Rider & Horses and Horse Information. All rights reserved.