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Do Individual Horse Owners Need Liability Insurance?

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Is your horse properly insured? Insuring your horse is a smart idea for private horse owners, as it protects you from getting sued if your horse injures another person or causes damage to another’s property.  Your insurance policy will cover the cost of the damages for which you are liable, with $1 million usually as the minimum.

For private horse owners, there are several different types of insurance policies you can choose from. Our equine law experts provide a brief overview of the various insurance policies that are available, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.

Homeowners Insurance

Many homeowner insurance policies will cover horse liability when the horse is used for personal/recreational use only. This type of coverage is for horses that are kept at home and aren’t transported by horse trailers. To be covered by homeowner’s insurance, the horse can’t be used for anything that creates commercial value, such as breeding or professional competitions. The homeowner’s insurance policy should cover the damage caused by your horse, should it run off and cause an auto accident or cause damage to your neighbor’s property. Check with your homeowner’s insurance company to see if your horse can be covered under your plan. These policies also limit the amount of horses you can own, which is usually capped at two to four.

Farm Owner’s Insurance

Privately owned horses can also be insured by Farm Owner’s Insurance. These policies provide similar coverage as homeowner’s insurance but do not limit the number of horses you can own. They won’t protect horses used in shows or competitions. But, if you choose to board another’s horse or use your horse for breeding or riding, you can add others to your base policy to cover accidents with those visiting your farm.

Private Horse Owner Liability Insurance

A Private Horse Owner Liability Insurance policy is recommended for horse owners who board their horse on someone else’s property. In fact, most horse boarding operations require horse owners to have this insurance. This policy will protect you and your horse both on and off your own property.

These are three insurance policies available to private horse owners. Talk to your agent or contact Catanese & Wells to learn more about liability insurance and why it’s important.