What does Care Custody & Control insurance cover that my regular liability insurance doesn't cover?

Care Custody & Control covers horses that are boarded on your property but not owned by you, should they become sick, injured or die due to your negligence.

What are some key points to look for when comparing mortality and major medical policies for my horse?

The most important thing to consider is how the claims are handled. This is the time that the policy is most important. Call your veterinarian and ask them which companies are best with paying claims in a timely manner. 

Next you will want to consider the limits of coverage that you are choosing, Mortality value and Medical limits of coverage. Premium is also important, but be sure you are doing an apples-to-apples comparison.

What sorts of vehicles can a farm property insurance policy cover?

Mobile Farm equipment, Golf carts, ATV’s, all of which are not licensed for road use. We can also provide commercial auto coverage when we are providing a full farm package policy.

Do I need any sort of special coverage if I conduct occasional clinics and shows at my farm?

Yes. We can add coverage for clinics or shows to a current liability policy. We can also provide a policy specifically for a show or a clinic. The charges are based on a per day basis. If you are going to have multiple events through the year, we can issue a policy including each of those dates. This policy will include a day for set up and a day for take down at no additional charge.

I have an independent trainer giving lessons at my farm.  Should I name this person on my liability policy? What sort of insurance should I insist that the trainer carry?

We require that our insureds provide us with a certificate of insurance from any independent instructor or trainer that is operating on their property. The certificate of insurance should have our customer listed as an additional insured on the instructor’s or trainer’s policy. Our customer should not put the instructor or trainer on their policy. If our customer has an employee that gives instruction or trains horses, they will be included but not necessarily listed by name.

If I have adequate coverage for liability, personal property, structures and care custody & control, do I really need an umbrella liability policy too?

This is a question you should discuss with your accountant and lawyer. It would be impossible for me to determine what adequate coverage would be for you. Remember that you are trying to protect all of your current and future assets in the event of a loss. The Umbrella policy provides additional $1 million dollar increments of coverage over your base liability policy, which has a maximum liability pay out of $1 million. 

Does equine Mortality & Major Medical insurance for my horse cover …

… regular vet visit costs?  The policy will not cover routine care or maintenance.

… all prescription meds?  The ones that are not specifically excluded, such as: performance enhancing treatments, joint injections, chiropractic work, acupuncture, farm call charges, animal transport fees and pre-existing conditions are not covered.

… all shots / vaccinations?  No, this is part of routine care and maintenance that is not covered.

… all injuries to my horse?  Any that are not pre-existing or excluded.

… anyone who might get injured while riding my horse?  This would be covered by an equine liability coverage.

… any damage to property / other horses?  This would be covered by an equine liability coverage.

My horse isn’t an expensive, fancy show horse … would insuring her be worth the cost in the long run?

This is a difficult question to answer. The cost of medical care for a horse can run into the thousands of dollars. The cost for destruction and burial of a horse can run into many hundreds of dollars, the cost to purchase a new horse can run many thousands of dollars. The minimum cost to insure a horse is $200 for the Mortality coverage and $375 for $10,000 of Major Medical for the year. Total minimum cost to insure a low valued horse for a year is $575.

Are there different levels / price ranges of coverage for horses of various “values”?

The mortality premium is based on a percentage of the current market value of a horse, the age of the horse and the specific use of the horse. The major medical coverage is offered at a $10,000 limit for a premium of  $375 or a $15,000 limit for a premium of $475 annually.

Is everything (every building, vehicle, piece of machinery, fencing, etc.) on my property covered under one policy?

Yes, they can be if they are all included on the application for coverage.