Horses may not be the most regular of household pets; they aren't the kind that can curl up on the sofa next to you as you're watching the TV. But horse insurance (also known as equine insurance) is still a vital part of owning a horse.

For starters, horse insurance can be known as both horse insurance or equine insurance and there is little distinction between the two names, with many naming their plans Horse and Equine Insurance.

There are a number of reasons as to why horse/equine insurance is such a vital thing to have when you have ownership of a horse. One of the main reasons is a House of Lords law passed in 1971. This claims that a horse keeper or owner is liable for any damage or injury that the horse causes regardless of whether the owner is negligent or not; this comes under the 1971 Animals Act, and in the recent past has raised the premiums for equine insurance.

However expensive even the cheapest quote you find may be, it is still a very important thing to have. Many companies providing horse insurance have a basic cover which costs roughly the same from most places, with other aspects of cover given as optional benefits that you can choose to pay for if you wish.

Basic cover often includes cover for death, slaughter and loss either by theft or straying. You insure your horse for a certain amount, and if the unfortunate incident were to happen then you are covered for the amount that you insured the horse for.

This basic cover often includes disposal and recovery costs if the horse were to die of illness or injury. However, this is not always the case, and as this would be a costly problem to come across in the event of illness or accident if you weren't insured, it is vital to ask whether this is included in basic cover.

Some companies will even offer additional money if your horse is stolen or lost, for example money for leaflets or posters or for a reward for the return of the horse. If insurance against theft is included in basic cover, then this will often be paid out after a certain number of days from the horse's disappearance.

Optional benefits vary from provider to provider, but they often include things such as saddlery and tack cover, stable cover, vet bills, personal accident, and of course the all important public liability. It should be noted that this is not often included in the basic cover.

Horse insurance varies between different providers and companies and it is a good idea to do some thorough research, or you may endanger paying a lot of money only to find something happens which you are not covered for. Once you have it, you can kick back and enjoy the time spent with your horse rather than worrying what to do if those 'what if?' situations were to come true.


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