- Over 30 years’ experience insuring horses
- We insure horses up to 25 years old for injury and
illness, if insured before your horse’s 20th birthday - We can pay your vet directly



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What does Petplan horse insurance cover?
Our flexible horse insurance policies can be tailored to suit the individual needs of each horse. The following benefits are included in all of our policies:
Cover for the loss of your horse by theft or straying
Protection in the sad event of your horse’s death
Legal Advice Helpline open 24 hours a day
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When you take out a quote you can customise your cover to the benefits and cover amount that suits your needs. The benefits below show the highest cover available:
Veterinary Fees Cover up to £5,000 per condition
This benefit covers the cost of veterinary treatment required to treat illness and injury, including complementary treatments specifically recommended by your vet. Each condition is covered up to the maximum Veterinary Fees limit you've selected for a period of 12 months. This benefit does not provide cover for any illness or injury that occurred before the start of the policy and an excess will apply for each unrelated illness or injury during each policy year. Choose from £3,500 (£500 excess) or £5,000 (£145 excess) per condition per policy year.
Third Party Liability Cover up to £5 million
If your horse causes damage or injury and you are legally responsible, this covers the legal costs and expenses and the claimant's compensation. An excess of £250 will apply for each unrelated incident during each policy year. Choose from £1 million, £3 million or £5 million cover per incident.
Personal Accident Cover up to £20,000
The personal accident benefit provides cover for injury or death for you, or anyone else aged 5-75 years old riding or handling your horse with your permission. We will cover up to £1,000 towards dental treatment for the rider or handler, and choose from £10,000 or £20,000 maximum benefit following the death or permanent disability to the rider or handler
Permanent Loss Of Use Cover up to 100% Loss of Use
If an illness or injury permanently prevents your horse participating in any one of the insured activities, we will pay the percentage you select of your horse’s current value. This benefit is only available for horses aged between 2 and 16 years. Choose from 60% or 100% of the sum insured.
Disposal following Death Cover up to £200
This benefit pays up to £200 towards the cost to remove and dispose of your horse’s body following death or euthanasia, provided you have a valid Death claim.
Cover for Saddlery and Tack Cover up to £5,000
This benefit covers your saddlery and tack in the case of damage or theft. If your saddlery and tack is stolen or destroyed, we will cover the cost to replace as brand new. If your saddlery and tack is damaged we will either pay the cost of repair or, if the repair costs are more than the item is worth, we will cover the cost to replace as brand new. In order for us to pay over £400 for an item of saddlery or tack you must have formal proof of purchase for that item (receipt or saddler's valuation). An excess of £100 will apply in the event of a claim. Choose from £1,000 to £5,000 for 12 months.
Cover for Trailer or horse-drawn vehicle Covers the cost of repair or the market value (up to the sum insured).
This benefit provides cover for your horse trailer or horse-drawn vehicle. If your vehicle is damaged, we will pay the cost of repair. If the repair costs exceed the market value, or the item is stolen or destroyed, we will pay the market value (up to the sum insured).Covers the cost of repair or the market value (up to the sum insured). Also includes £1million Third Party Liability cover for incidents involving your Horse Trailer or Horse-Drawn Vehicle.
Read more about our horse insurance cover
Details of cover
For further details about the benefits available and which are mandatory and which are optional, view our
Details of cover table.
Terms and Conditions
All of our policies are subject to Terms and Conditions, we recommend you read these for full details of all the benefits and limitations of the policy.
What you need to provide
When you apply for horse insurance you may be asked to provide additional information depending on the cover that you require.
Find out more >
Why not Get a Quote to review your cover options and create your tailored policy?
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Why choose Petplan Equine
Petplan Equine is one of the UK’s leading equine insurers, and with over 30 years' experience insuring horses, you know you’re in really good hands.
Here are just some of the benefits of insuring your Horse with Petplan:

No hidden limits
We believe in transparency so we don't set hidden limits on our vet fees cover. Some insurers restrict how much they'll pay per condition, or for diagnostic tests. For expensive procedures this could leave a claim shortfall in the thousands.

Full Complementary Treatment
We don’t limit the amount that can be claimed for complementary treatments such as physiotherapy, acupuncture and specialist farriery - provided the cost is within the maximum veterinary fee benefit.

Illness Cover up to
25 years of age
While some insurers limit cover to injury only for horses aged 20 years or over, we cover illness up to 25 years of age - as long as cover is taken out before the horse’s 20th birthday.

Fixed
excess
Our simple fixed excess means
there’s no additional percentage
to pay towards your claim.
What our customers say

Petplan customer Evie shares how having lost her previous horse to colic, she was devastated to learn her beloved Valentine had to have emergency lifesaving surgery for the same condition.
Over the years Petplan has paid more than £13,000 in claims to help Valentine stay healthy, allowing Evie to do the best for Valentine without worrying about the vet bills.
FAQs
How much is horse insurance per month?
The cost of your horse insurance will largely be determined by which optional extras you choose and the cover level required. Our premiums are carefully calculated for each individual horse so why not get a quote and create a policy that suits your needs.
Does horse insurance cover vet bills?
Veterinary treatment is covered if you selected this option when taking out your insurance policy. This benefit covers the cost of veterinary treatment required to treat illness and injury, including complementary treatments specifically recommended by your vet. Each condition is covered up to the maximum Veterinary Fees limit you've selected for a period of 12 months. This benefit does not provide cover for any illness or injury that occurred before the start of the policy.
Is horse insurance worth it?
The cost of emergency surgery, such as a colic operation, can easily cost several thousand pounds, and the cost of ongoing treatment often needed for conditions such as lameness can amount to many hundreds or even thousands of pounds. It’s easy to see how quickly these costs can mount up. Insurance is designed to help reduce the worry of meeting these bills and ultimately allows you to choose the right treatment without worrying about the cost.
What does horse insurance cover?
This will depend on the benefits you choose when you take out your insurance policy. At Petplan this can range from vet fees and complementary treatments through to cover for saddlery and tack. Check out our Details of Cover page to find out more about our policy benefits and options.
See all FAQs
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Horse Advice

Health and Wellbeing
For over 30 years we've been working to keep horses healthy and their owners happy so we’ve created our top tips to keeping your horse in top notch condition.

Training & Competition
We’ve got all your horse training and competition information covered from cross country training to area festivals.

Best Practice
Our handy guides cover everything from eventing to dressage and useful tips to help you decide if buying a horse is right for you.
Award Winning Horse Insurance


Defaqto is an independent rating of financial service products, analysing and rating policies on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the quality and coverage that they provide.
FAQs
Is horse insurance worth it in RDR online? ›
If you have horse insurance, it will recover faster and be automatically taken care of, meaning it will always be well-fed and well-cleaned. According to US Gamer, no horse will permanently die, regardless if it's insured or not.
What is the average price of horse insurance UK? ›The average paid for horse insurance in UK is around £25 per month. Of course, you can pay more or less depending the horse insurance you choose: If you take just a horse rider insurance, meaning that you don't own a horse, it can be around £10 per month.
What insurance should I get for my horse? ›Aside from general health coverage, you should also opt for major medical and surgical coverage for your horse. This covers surgeries as a result of an accident, illness or serious injury.
At what age does horse insurance stop? ›Underwriters will no longer insure for Mortality and Major Medical once your horse reaches the age of 21.
Is the red chestnut Arabian worth it? ›Whether you're looking to ride around in style, or just looking to find a more reliable steed, the Red Chestnut Arabian horse is a great catch, and honestly one of the best horses that you'll find available early on in Red Dead Online.
What is the number 1 horse in Red Dead Online? ›What is the best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2? The Rose Grey Arabian is a 7 in terms of health and stamina, and a 6 for speed and acceleration. Once fully upgraded, the Arabian horse can have a total of 10 health and stamina alongside 8 in speed and acceleration.
What is the average cost of horse insurance? ›Annual premiums are based on your horse's estimated value. You can generally expect to pay $200 to $1,200 per year for horse insurance.
Does horse insurance cover vet bills? ›Equine medical insurance covers veterinary costs such as diagnostic procedures, surgery, medication and veterinary visits associated with an illness or injury. Most policies have a deductible for each incident, and all have a limit on the amount the policy will cover per incident and per horse per year.
Can you insure a 20 year old horse? ›All-Risk Mortality insurance protects you, the owner, from loss if your horse must be put down, dies, or is stolen. Most policies will cover any type of death, but can only be purchased if the horse is between 2 and 17 years of age; typically, a horse 20 years old or older will not be eligible for coverage.
Can you ride a 30 year old horse? ›There is no set age for retiring your horse. Some horses have physical conditions or diseases that require an early retirement. Other horses can be ridden late into their life without issues. As a general rule, most horses should stop being ridden between 20 to 25 years old.
What age is a horse considered a senior? ›
Typically, a horse will begin to be considered a senior between the ages of 15-18. By age 20, a horse is definitely a senior, but that does not mean that they cannot be ridden or still enjoyed. Many horses in their teens and 20s today are continuing to live active lives.
Should you buy a 15 year old horse? ›Horses can live to 30 years plus with good care, so don't exclude older horses from your search–your veterinarian will be able to advise you on an older horse's prospects for long-term health and soundness. If a horse is still sound and active at, say, age 15, there's a good chance he has many good years left.
What is the rarest Arabian coat? ›Black is one of the least common coat colors in Arabian horses, as it's often suppressed by the dominant Agouti gene. The Agouti gene (A) is responsible for bay coat coloring and is visible only on black.
Is the black Arabian horse better than the white? ›The Black Arabian is the best horse in the game, with it being a slight upgrade on the White Arabian. It will definitely be a major boost to your efforts in-game, and you should definitely add it to your stable if you have the chance.
Which colour is best on chestnut? ›Any 'redhead' horse (i.e. chestnuts, duns, red roans) tends to look good with tones of beige, brown, peach and green.
What is the prettiest horse in RDR2? ›Buel. There is no doubt that Buel is one of the most beautiful horses in the game, and it is a one-of-a-kind sport that is very rare and cannot be purchased from a stable. The Buel can only be found at the pen of the veteran homestead in Online RDR2.
What horse does Bonnie give you? ›A golden pearl horse.
What is the largest horse in RDR2? ›20 Shire. No, these aren't meant for hobbits, these are in fact the largest horses in the game and among the strongest players can find. They'll pull anything players hook them to but don't expect them to turn on a dime as they're tough to handle.
Can you insure a 17 year old horse? ›Your horse must be between the ages of 24 hours through 20 years to insure for Full Mortality. If your horse is age 21 or older, Named Perils coverage is available (see Coverages For Your Horse for more details).
What is the average monthly cost of horse ownership? ›How much does owning a horse cost per month? The average monthly cost of caring for a horse in the United States is $600. This amount includes the average monthly cost of boarding fees, feed costs, and farrier visits.
Does insurance cover hitting a horse? ›
Since most accidents that involve a horse or cow being hit by a car are single-vehicle accidents, you will need to file a claim with your own insurance policy to start. In order for your policy to cover such an accident as a horse being hit by a car, you will need to carry comprehensive coverage.
Does horse insurance cover pre existing conditions? ›Pre-existing conditions are any injuries or occurrences of illness that your horse has had in the past. Insurance policies will generally exclude pre-existing conditions, but how far back in history they check depends on the company.
How much are horse vet bills a year? ›Expect to pay another $1,500 to $5,000 yearly if your horse is healthy. That range seems large but considering semi annual vet visits for vaccines and routine care like teeth floating will be around $500 per visit, add on farrier visits to trim your horses hooves and you are in a the lower end of the range.
Does homeowners insurance cover horse liability? ›A Homeowner's Insurance policy will provide you with Personal Liability, but it does not provide coverage for any commercial equine pursuits. For instance, if you are giving lessons, the equine professional liability risks created by this equine business activity will not be covered on your Homeowner's policy.
Is a 20 year old horse worth buying? ›An older horse often has a lot to offer, despite its age. Even an 18 or 20-year-old horse can have many years of use proper care (and ponies even longer). For those just learning about keeping and riding a horse, an older horse may be the best choice.
Is 25 old for horses? ›You can expect a healthy horse to live for over 25 years. A horse living into its 30s is not uncommon any more.
Is 18 too old for a horse? ›Most experts agree a horse can be considered geriatric when he reaches 18 to 20 years of age.
Is 70 too old to ride a horse? ›As long as you have the desire to ride, a love for horses, and the ability to learn, you're never too old to ride!
Is 60 too old to ride a horse? ›Well, the good news is that you're never too old to ride a horse! * As long as you can manage to get in and out of the saddle, you'll be able to embark on all the equine adventures you could wish for.
What's the average life expectancy of a horse? ›The average horse lives for 25 to 30 years. However, in rare cases, domestic horses have lived into their 50s or 60s. There are many factors that affect the lifespan of a horse including: Nutrition.
How many times a week should a horse be ridden? ›
If you want to ride in upper-level competitions, it's not uncommon for horses to get an intense training session 6 days a week. However, if you just want to keep your horse in a healthy physical condition, riding your horse three times a week for at least 20 minutes at a time can help maintain a good level of health.
What is a 7 year old horse called? ›Colt: A male horse under the age of four. Filly: A female horse under the age of four. Mare: A female horse four years old and older. Stallion: A non-castrated male horse four years old and older.
What is an older horse called? ›Jade – Another term for an old horse that indicates a worthless horse. It also indicates an old, worn-out, temperamental horse. Keffel – Keffel is also used to describe a nag, an old horse, or a worthless horse. Dobbin – This is the term used for a farm horse or a draft horse. Dobbin also describes a quiet horse.
What is the best age to sell a horse? ›If you think your horse could possibly be very good in a certain sphere and you feel he's not going to reach it with you, it's best to sell while he's on the way up, ideally before he reaches his nine-year-old year as he's still got time to reach his potential.”
What is the best age horse to buy? ›Horses live to be 25 to 30 years of age, so the purchase of a 6 to 12 year old is wise for amateurs and novice. Older riders or those with more expertise and experience can buy, handle, and train yearlings or two year olds. These young horses do not make predictable mounts for beginners.
What is the age of the oldest living horse? ›The greatest age reliably recorded for a horse is 62 years for Old Billy (foaled 1760), bred by Edward Robinson of Woolston, Lancashire, UK.
Do you need insurance on your horse RDR2? ›Thankfully, players will have to buy Horse Insurance in Red Dead Online's first mission, but the first purchase is free. Purchasing Horse Insurance will give players' injured horses the ability to recover automatically over time, while an insured horse that dies can be healed at a stable for no extra fee.
Can you keep stolen horses Red Dead Online? ›Similarly to Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode, you can "break" wild horses, or steal owned horses, and you can ride with them. However, unlike Story Mode, you can't saddle or store wild horses and stolen horses in Red Dead Online, and you can't bond with them.
What is the strongest horse in Red Dead Online? ›Unlocked at Level 66, the Arabian is the ultimate all-rounder in Red Dead Online. This Superior class mount has best-in-class Elite handling, which you can't get on any other horse, and the difference in control is glaring.
What is the strongest horse in RDR2 online? ›Best All-Round Horse
When it comes to an all-round great horse, it's hard to look past the Arabian. Although it will set you back a rather hefty 42 Gold Bars, it's all 60 stats (Health, Stamina, Speed, and Acceleration) are what make the Arabian the best horse that you can purchase in Red Dead Online.
How does insurance work for horses? ›
Equine Full Mortality is life insurance for your horse. Equine full mortality insurance reimburses you the insured value of your horse for death due to accident, injury, illness, disease or humane destruction (when deemed necessary by a veterinarian) and includes theft.
Can you own stolen horse rdr2? ›You cannot keep stolen horses, no matter if you obtained them from an NPC or another player, but you can ride them temporarily. Meaning someone can jump onto your horse and ride away with it, leaving you stranded for a period of time.
Do you lose your horses when Arthur dies? ›When Arthur dies,he will lose all horses that he owned, even Buell.
Can you sell wild horses in RDR2 online? ›To sell horses in Red Dead Redemption 2's Red Dead Online mode, players need to head to the Stables, which are located in various towns around the world map. Speak to the man running the stables, and then choose the Manage Owned Horses option. From there, players can select whatever horse they want to sell.
What happens if someone kills your horse in RDR2 online? ›If someone else "kills" your horse, he will be liable to pay to cover the veterinary's fee. Likeways, if you "kill" another player's horse, you will be responsabile for the costs of healing it.
What is the bravest horse breed in Red Dead Online? ›The Strawberry Roan Ardennes is one of the bravest horses in Red Dead Online and you can use it to for serious missions. When you need to flee or destroy your enemies, you can count on this horse as it will not succumb to fear. Well-built and sturdy, this is one tough warhorse who will not let you down.
Is the black Arabian better than the white? ›The Black Arabian is the best horse in the game, with it being a slight upgrade on the White Arabian. It will definitely be a major boost to your efforts in-game, and you should definitely add it to your stable if you have the chance.
What is the most beautiful horse in Red Dead Redemption 2? ›Buel. There is no doubt that Buel is one of the most beautiful horses in the game, and it is a one-of-a-kind sport that is very rare and cannot be purchased from a stable. The Buel can only be found at the pen of the veteran homestead in Online RDR2.
What is the most fearless horse in RDR2? ›Andalusians are probably the bravest horses in the game. I've got the perlino andalusian (has to be tamed in the wild in story mode), and he'll go trotting through the swamps with gators every few feet and not even consider tossing me. He'll stand there surrounded by wolves and let me blow them away without tossing me.