In collaboration with Cheval Assur
A stationary rider caresses her horse in the forest with a smile.

Are you a rider, professional or owner? Are you a regular or even daily rider? To protect yourself and your horse, you have certainly already considered taking out equestrian insurance, but you are still hesitating… We interviewed Pauline Garnier, client manager at Cheval Assur , to help you gain clarity and choose insurance that matches your riding practice and the specific needs of your equine. So you can live your passion to the full!

Why take out insurance?

Buying a horse is quite an adventure! Your health and comfort are your responsibility. Third-party liability, veterinary expenses, mortality – these are just some of the guarantees available to meet your needs as closely as possible, and which will complement the coverage offered by your FFE license.

Insuring your horse

Buying a horse is a major investment, and you want to cover yourself in the event of an accident, damage to a third party or illness. There are a number of different warranties to meet these different needs. Your choices will have to be adapted to your horse, your practice and your budget. An equine animal is not only an asset to be insured, but also a companion to be cared for when in pain, and a living being with the potential to injure someone. Below you’ll discover the different options available to you.

Protecting others

What happens if my horse damages equipment that doesn’t belong to me, or worse, injures someone? You’ve probably already asked yourself this question! Pauline Garnier explains with a concrete example: “Imagine your horse grazing peacefully in its pasture, then in the middle of the night it decides to leave to eat the neighbor’s grass… on its way, it walks on the pool cover and breaks it. Results: a fence to be redone, a gardener’s quote to re-lay the lawn: €1,500, and the repair of the pool cover for €3,000.” We then asked her who is considered responsible in such a case and who is liable for the payment of repairs. The expert replied: “Given that it was your equine that escaped from your property, you are considered responsible; it is up to you to settle the bill! Unless you benefit from an insurance guarantee for ‘ civil liability without deductible.'” “This insurance contract has a fairly low premium (generally between €35 and €55 per year) and covers damages (often costly!) caused by your equine to a third party.”

Young bay horse trotting through a meadow

Protecting yourself in the event of an unfortunate event

There are other situations that should be anticipated, even if you’d prefer not to think about them. You’ve emptied your Livret A passbook to finally buy your own horse, and you want to protect yourself in the event of death or theft? Here are the solutions offered by Cheval Assur: “We offer a package of guarantees that covers, among other things, the theft of the equine, as well as the mortality of the horse, whether due to an accident or an illness. The guarantee allows you to obtain a reimbursement within 30 days at the insured value (agreed value) with or without a deductible, for you to choose according to your budget.”

Anticipating veterinary expenses

The health of the horse is one of the owner’s main concerns. In the event of illness or complications, you’ll have peace of mind with dedicated coverage. Pauline Garnier warns us: “As an insurer specializing in the equestrian field for over 20 years, we are well-positioned to confirm that veterinary fees add up quickly!” Depending on your needs and budget, you will need to start by determining what you wish to insure. The account manager explains the various options :

  • The minimum: accidents and surgeries
  • The right compromise: accidents, surgeries, illnesses
  • The total: all this, plus comfort costs (vaccinations, deworming, dentistry)”.

She continues: “We often ask for a formula that covers colic, as treatment can be very expensive. But colic isn’t the only illness. We are observing a resurgence of piro-like diseases, for example (piroplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, etc.), caused by the proliferation of ticks.
Furthermore, accidents such as fractures can quickly increase the bill. Whether operated on or not, they frequently require hospitalization and quite intensive care. It should also be noted that the cost of veterinary fees varies enormously depending on the region in which you reside, as well as the clinic you consult.”

A horse sticks its head out of a van. A young boy kisses him on the nose.

Insuring myself as a rider

You’ve taken care to protect your horse, but have you thought about yourself? Riding is a high-risk activity, and accidents can happen very quickly, whatever your level or discipline. Pauline Garnier sums up the situation: “Unfortunately, there are no recent studies on the subject, but slightly older figures point to 770 deaths and 6,000 riding accidents per year!”

Once again, she explains with an example of a situation well-known to riders: “You are on your obstacle course, and there, a refusal causes you to fall… The doctor is formal, your leg is broken, and you have a 2-month work stoppage.” We then ask her who will cover the medical care and your loss of salary: ” For medical expenses (consultations, X-rays and other in-depth examinations), it’s the social security system that will cover them in the first instance, seconded by your mutual health insurance company if you’ve taken one out with no waiting period or substantial deductible, and provided it doesn’t exclude you from riding altogether! Social security may apply waiting periods (days during which you won’t be paid) to cover loss of salary in the event of sick leave. Compensation is limited to 50% of your basic daily wage. Some collective agreements may provide for your salary to be maintained (in full or in part).

On a showground, a rider tackles an obstacle with her horse.

This is where a provident-type contract comes in handy. At Cheval Assur, the rider’s insurance provides daily benefits to supplement your salary in the event of sick leave, as well as daily benefits in the event of hospitalization. ” And in the event of a more serious situation: “Lump sums are also available in the event of accidental death or permanent disability, to protect against the consequences of loss of independence (payment of a lump sum to cover the cost of home improvements). Thanks to these guarantees, you and your family will be well protected.

Now that you have the keys to choosing your insurance and that of your horse, you can directly contact the Cheval Assur team !