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Expert
Posts: 2685
   
| I have decided to insure my mare. Yall fill me in on good and bad companies, what to look for ect.
I for sure want major medical and death, maybe loss of use. Not sure what the options are.
I have heard rumor of putting them on your home owners or bundling? |
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | The question to ask is who has had insurce and mortiality insurance pay out without having to fight for it! I want to know too. I have been using markel but haven't ever had one die who was insured. So I have no experince. I'd like to hear from those who have filed claims and are happy with their company. Lot of people are happy with a company till THAT day.
Edited by equussynergy 2015-06-15 9:24 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Very true. I'm also curious about anyone that has filed on major medical.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
| Marvin Tavarez at Plains Horizon is great to work with in a situation where death claims arise |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
| RoaniePonie11 - 2015-06-15 8:24 AM Very true. I'm also curious about anyone that has filed on major medical.
I filed a major medical claim last week. So far no issues with my insurance company (The Hartford). 2 year old filly got kicked in the shoulder and fractured her elbow bone. I got x-rays from one vet on a Thursday and sent them to a second vet on Friday for a second opinion. Following Tuesday we were having surgery (approved by the insurance company). I personally, cannot say enough good things about The Hartford and the claim adjustor. They were very easy to work with - my filly is still in recovery at the vet so I am not sure what the full outcome will be ... I found their policy forms/terms/endorsements/exclusions to be the best in my opinion. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | Unfortunately I had to filed a major medical shortly after insuring. Bad timing, it felt awkward but stuff happens and I am thankful the stars aligned. No questions asked everything was paid! Wilkins Livestock Insurance. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | Call up Stacey from Cinquini Insurance! He is great and always has my best interest in mind. Explains everything clearly and thoroughly. Just a great guy who loves the horses as much as you do. I tell him what I am planing on doing to my horses and he helps me do it correctly and the best way. 949-289-4722 |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
 
Location: NE Texas | I use Albracht and they have been very easy to work with as well. I only have mortality with a colic protection. Probably should have gotten major medical but my pocket book couldn't afford it at the time. |
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 Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Is insurance really worth it? At what point do you decide it is?
I guess from my stand point...I have a 10 year old gelding that could easily be valued at well over 30k.....and yet I choose NOT to insure him for any reason.
If he was insured, and he died, and I got 30k in my bank account, I would not go out and spend 30k on another horse to replace him. I would do what I always do, and go buy a baby.
As for major medical.....I consider that an inherent risk of the business, so we always keep finances set aside for stuff like that.
So I just wonder if anyone feels like it's really worth paying the premiums to have them insured? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
| missroselee - 2015-06-15 11:58 AM Is insurance really worth it? At what point do you decide it is?
I guess from my stand point...I have a 10 year old gelding that could easily be valued at well over 30k.....and yet I choose NOT to insure him for any reason.
If he was insured, and he died, and I got 30k in my bank account, I would not go out and spend 30k on another horse to replace him. I would do what I always do, and go buy a baby.
As for major medical.....I consider that an inherent risk of the business, so we always keep finances set aside for stuff like that.
So I just wonder if anyone feels like it's really worth paying the premiums to have them insured?
I may be one of the few, but I feel insurance is worth having. If you have a $30,000 vehicle would you cover it for physical damage (Comp & Collision)? I would - I want to make sure if there is an accident my vehicle is repaired or replaced - Whether I use the money from insurance to buy the same exact vehicle or not. I worked hard and spent the money for a vehicle and I want to protect that investment.
I feel the same with my horses. If my horse is injured (which happened last week) or if my horse died, I want my investment back. Even if I have the money aside to pay for it. Had I not had insurance, my only option would have been to put my filly down. But, thankfully I did insure her and now we are on track to 100% recovery. The premium you pay for Mortality is a percentage of the value (approx 3-4% for barrel horses). Major Medical is commonly a flat fee (anywhere from $250-$400 depending on limits and deductible). The cost to buy insurance vs. the risk to lose it all is not worth it to me. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
| I guess I also want to add:
Most people get their equine insurance through a broker, not the insurance company directly. They are two seperate parties. It is no one elses responsiblity to read and understand your policy except you. You get a copy of the policy for a reason. If there is an exclusion or special terms and conditions within the policy that you didnt know about, that is your fault. A broker should let you know to the best of their ability, but sole responsiblity does not fall back onto them. While shopping insurance, ask for a sample copy of the policy with the endorsements. Every company should be able to provide this - I did it for EVERY company i shopped with. If they didnt want to give me the forms, they did not get my business.
If you feel that you have an exclusion or condition in your policy that is incorrect, ask your broker to go back to the insurance company and fix it. If the broker will not, then get the phone number to the insurance company directly (see your policy) and ask to speak with your policys underwriter. If the problem still isnt fixed and you are unhappy, seek out a new broker and insurance company.
I have had nothing but great help from my insurance carrier. Good luck with yours, but make sure to do your homework!!! |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I have had insurance on cheaper horses and expensive horses. I was pretty royally screwed and did things by the book on most of things I had to claim. Once with maj med I had a horse get cut really bad. So they covered it less my deductible, excluded that entire leg on the renewel and now I have an unsound horse. I paid about $600 in insurance and they covered $118 because the rest of the vet bill was about $300 more-my deductible. Had one die yrs ago in a freak accident and they also covered him with no issues, my first claim ever and the reason I kept insuring them.
With any other death/injury, they have found a way to not pay. Had I saved all that insurance money, I could have a pretty nice horse. So I am learning that I am money ahead to not do the insurance, at least for what I have now. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 582
Location: Wherever They Send Me | I first used Horse Insurance Specialists (HIS), but had to switch to Ark Agency (because HIS couldnt write policies for horses in Alaska). When I was using HIS, I had one of my horses get a suffocating lipoma (scary stuff) and end up going in for colic surgery. HIS paid for the initial vet visit, surgery, stay at the hospital, ulcer meds, and final appointment to remove the staples. No complaints at all!! Great customer service!!!
As to if you need/want insurance...Id rather have it and not need it vs need it an not have it.
Edited to add: Now they cover part of stem cell and PRP treatments...when my youngest needed these they werent covered. So they do change with medical advances (takes a little bit, but they do).
Edited by amandacamarano 2015-06-15 7:48 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
| amandacamarano - 2015-06-15 6:46 PM I first used Horse Insurance Specialists (HIS), but had to switch to Ark Agency (because HIS couldnt write policies for horses in Alaska). When I was using HIS, I had one of my horses get a suffocating lipoma (scary stuff) and end up going in for colic surgery. HIS paid for the initial vet visit, surgery, stay at the hospital, ulcer meds, and final appointment to remove the staples. No complaints at all!! Great customer service!!! As to if you need/want insurance...Id rather have it and not need it vs need it an not have it. Edited to add: Now they cover part of stem cell and PRP treatments...when my youngest needed these they werent covered. So they do change with medical advances (takes a little bit, but they do).
I use Ark Agency as well for the broker, but the insurance company they access is The Hartford. I've really liked them, but for my claim I turned it into Hartford directly. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| Well I will tell you that I will NOT be going with Markel after this year. I called them up to pay my bill but didn't have my policy# (Which is why I called and didn't do it online.) The person who answered the phone was less than enthusiastic, and I swear the workers at the IRS or the DMV have a better phone ettiquite than the person in their accounting office. She couldn't find my policy, I gave her both my maiden and married names...I was on hold for about 20 minutes, then she tells me she can't find it. Really? Don't you have a computer you can search this stuff up in? Do you want my address? My horse's name? Something? I swear I didn't just call out of the blue because I have nothing better to spend my $$ on. Then she puts me on hold for another 10 minutes, comes back and says she found me. I paid and said I needed to change the address associated with the account. She tells me that's something my agent has to do and hangs up. Yeah...you lost me there, honey. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Not trying to steal anything, but what is the maximum age of a horse that will be insured. For example, could you insure a 15 yr old, or 20 yr old horse? And if you can would the premiums be outrageous. Also, can you insure them through your home policy? I have heard of some that will insure them through a home policy and/or get a policy similar to renters insurance so that the asset of the monetary value is covered. Just curious on that aspect of it. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 825
| pippy - 2015-06-15 11:00 AM
Unfortunately I had to filed a major medical shortly after insuring. Bad timing, it felt awkward but stuff happens and I am thankful the stars aligned. No questions asked everything was paid! Wilkins Livestock Insurance.
SO glad to hear this!! This is the first year I've had one insured and thankfully haven't had to file anything yet. Wilkins is who we went with and they have been very easy to work thus far! |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | equussynergy - 2015-06-15 9:21 AM The question to ask is who has had insurce and mortiality insurance pay out without having to fight for it! I want to know too. I have been using markel but haven't ever had one die who was insured. So I have no experince. I'd like to hear from those who have filed claims and are happy with their company. Lot of people are happy with a company till THAT day.
We were partners on a stud that coliced and had to be put down, our partner had his half insured for $25,000, we don't insure so we were SOL. I will check and see who he had the policy thru, but not only did they pay out, they approved our local vet putting him down here at our place because he was colicing violently enough that our vet thought it could be dangerous for us and others on the road with us to haul him to LSU. Of course there was the necropsy and paperwork involved, but they did pay out. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Girls_Gotta_Jet - 2015-06-16 5:19 PM
Not trying to steal anything, but what is the maximum age of a horse that will be insured. For example, could you insure a 15 yr old, or 20 yr old horse? And if you can would the premiums be outrageous. Also, can you insure them through your home policy? I have heard of some that will insure them through a home policy and/or get a policy similar to renters insurance so that the asset of the monetary value is covered. Just curious on that aspect of it.
I had Justin Insurance and at age 15, the premiums SKY-ROCKET, so at that age, I have dropped my horses. So far, I haven't insured my 8 yr old, I'm just not convinced it's worth it anymore. I have never filed a claim but lordy, if I would have just saved all that money I have spent in premiums throughout the years, I'd have QUITE a stockpile of money. Now if I had a $30K horse - YES, I would insure it. My truck is a 2003 still valued at $30K (blue book) and I most DEFINATELY keep full-coverage on it. I don't have $30K lying around somewhere to buy another one. |
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boon
Posts: 1
Location: Hillsboro Tx | I've on both sides of the fence! I had to have colic surgery on a horse that was not insured in January. After $7,500++ worth of vet bills i learned how important and very cost efficient it is to insure a horse. With that being said i went and got my license and now work for Sonora selling equine insurance. I felt if i was not educated enough about equine insurance i wanted to learn and educate others how reasonable it really is to insure a horse.
My take in insurance is this, yes we pay premiums on everything, house, car, life and health and now horses and we hardly ever use it. BUT when we need it, we need it.
We dont insure any of ours for what they are really worth or what we could sell them for. We insure ours if something happens, to replace them with a 3 or 4 yr old or cutting reject to make another one. It does get pricey when you are insuring them for 20k and up!
Through Sonora, the mortality policies come with a colic reimbursement! You can also add major medical medical if you want too! Feel free to call or email me any time and i will be more than happy to answer questions! 9405508200 or jsmith@sonorains.com |
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Member
Posts: 26
| Broadstone Equine which is the broker for the Hartford policy. Made one medical claim so far and they were absolutely wonderful to work with. I feel like the policy was affordable, and my deductible is $300. I was pleased to have it.
Also- You cannot do loss of use on a barrel horse (through any company that I am aware of), unfortunately.
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Insuring a horse