Do you need horse rider insurance and what does it cover?

If you are not currently a horse owner but enjoy riding when you can, either by helping friends exercise their horses, or perhaps you have a share agreement or ride at a riding school, then a horse rider insurance policy may be a sensible choice.

Horse rider insurance is designed to protect riders who don’t own the horse that they ride, whether you are riding occasionally or on a regular basis. These policies typically cover the rider for accidents and injuries when you are riding someone else’s horse, as well as giving you liability cover for any damage or injury caused by the horse while it is in your care.

Who is horse rider insurance suitable for

It’s important to note that horse rider insurance does not cover professional horse riders. If you are riding as part of your job, then this isn’t the right type of insurance for you.

Cover is normally available for riders aged five to 75, with “junior” policies available for children. The Insurance Emporium, NFU Mutal, KBIS and PetPlan all have rider insurance policies for this age range.

What is covered?

Although horse rider insurance policies will vary between different companies, many include emergency veterinary fees for external visible accidental injury of the horse you are riding, as well as public liability and custodial liability linked to that animal while it is in your care.

Cover for damage or theft of saddlery and tack is also common, all of which gives peace of mind to the horse’s owner that cover is in place while you are riding.

For you, cover for dental treatment, should you require it following an accident, and a basic level of personal accident are typically included. Cover for riding clothing can be an added bonus, although you may need to pay an extra premium for this.

The Insurance Emporium’s junior policy also includes cover for private tutoring fees should a child be unable to attend full-time education following a horse riding accident.

While personal accident and public liability cover are typically included in most horse rider insurance policies, it is worth checking under what circumstances and up to what value this will pay out. If you want a higher level of cover, then a standalone personal accident or public liability policy may be more suitable. Some personal accident policies on the market include an optional upgrade to include fracture cover, which will pay out if you suffer broken bones as the result of a horse-related incident.

Also it is worth noting that income protection insurance is not normally included, so if you want peace of mind that your income will not be hit if you are unable to work for a period as a result of a horse-related incident, then this will need to be taken out separately.

Having researched the current market for horse rider insurance policies, we’ve found cover often includes the following, although it is important you check your specific policy details before signing on the dotted line:

• Loss of horse due to death by accident, theft or mysterious disappearance
• Advertising and rewards costs in the event of a horse’s disappearance
• Costs associated with a horse’s rescue if needed
• Emergency vets’ fees following an accident
• Personal accident cover for death and injuries, as outlined in each policy’s wording
• Accidental loss, or damage to, riding tack not owned by you
• Legal liability for injuries to others or damage to their property caused by a horse in your care
• Legal costs to provide you with advice and help with the cost of legal representation
• Horse riding clothes

What horse riding insurance doesn’t cover

Each policy will vary when it comes to what it doesn’t cover, but NFU Mutual and The Insurance Emporium outline the following, across their horse rider insurance policies.

• Any excess, which is the amount you’ll need to pay towards a claim
• Any horse that is known to have vicious tendencies or behavioural problems
• Any horse owned by you, on loan to you for more than four consecutive weeks, or insured by its owner
• Any existing injury you are aware of which has been diagnosed or being treated before your cover starts, or is due for renewal
• Any illness, disease or condition
• Euthanasia that was not needed on immediate humane grounds within the current British Equine Veterinary Association guidelines, or without our written consent
• Theft from a building unless there has been forcible or violent entry
• Any activity you undertake which is not within the class of use outlined in your policy
• Liability relating to any business, professional or trade use
• Theft as a result of deception or due to fraudulent scheme, trick, device or false pretence, or loss following an ownership dispute or animal welfare intervention

Possible exclusions

Horse rider insurance policies may exclude certain activities, conditions, and circumstances so you must check you are covered for the activities you are going to be taking part in.

The sort of activities that are likely to be excluded include racing as a professional, advanced level eventing, playing polo, team chasing, promotional, film, or stunt work, horse boarding or horse surfing. There may also be an option to reduce your premium if you are only taking part in less risky equestrian activities such as hacking, schooling and low level competitions.

Conditions that can be excluded from horse rider insurance can include existing equine injuries or illnesses that were diagnosed or being treated before the policy started and total permanent disability for more frequent or higher level competitive riding.

Everyone involved with horses knows that they are not a risk-free way to spend your spare time, so if you want the peace of mind of knowing you have cover in place, then a horse rider insurance policy may be worth considering.

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