Serving ODS Since 1994
Topic: Liability Insurance for Private Horse Owners
Are you protected if your horse causes bodily injury or property damage? Are you assuming that your homeowner policy will cover your equine liability? Or if you board your horse that the boarding stable’s in
Topic: Liability Insurance for Private Horse Owners
Are you protected if your horse causes bodily injury or property damage? Are you assuming that your homeowner policy will cover your equine liability? Or if you board your horse that the boarding stable’s insurance policy will cover you? Read on—
Good horse sense rule #1 – Do not assume anything. Horse ownership comes with the potential risk of a law suit being brought against you, the owner, should your horse cause an accident or injury. Financially, this could be devastating. Even a minor incident could cause serious consequences.
The first thing we recommend is to read your homeowner insurance policy thoroughly with attention to the liability section. Is there an exclusion added to the policy with respect to equine liability? Will the policy cover your liability as long as the horse is on your property and exclude your equine activity if the horse leaves your property? If you have any concerns, contact the agent for clarification and verification. If you don’t ask and the policy is not clear you won’t know until a claim is filed against you and that may too late.
Boarding your horse at a commercial stable does not relieve you of all liability. The likely scenario is that both the stable and the private horse owner will be sued for damages because of an incident involving your horse.
Whatever the case, when you have the right protection the insurance carrier will bear the cost of defense whether you are held liable or not and pay the award, if any, up to the policy liability limits. The right insurance will follow your horse for private use on or off the property as long as it remains in the defined territory limits. Read your policy and understand all of the provisions. A Private Horse Owner Liability policy is definitely one worth your consideration. Contact a Blue Bridle agent for information or go to our website, www.bluebridle.com, for an application.
**Blue Bridle Insurance / Joan Booth is a current ODS Business Member. In return for paying higher dues, ODS Business Members are permitted to send 1 broadcast e-mail per quarter. Please contact the ODS Office for details.