Homeowners Insurance vs Owning horses

[Keri]

We're through Allstate. They never made a fuss when we said we had horses. Actually acted like it wasn't a problem. Never had problems with them as an insurance company as we have our cars and house insured through them.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Used to be that some companies would cover horses under HO policies so long as you were not selling, but had them for just personal use (Allstate) and often the size of farm mattered. Then they got out of it altogether in VA. Farm Bureau, in my area, is one of the few who will actually take on a "farm" and insure it as a farm situation but, equine are not favored. Let me tell you this, if you have ever thought to pick up a cute little piglet in front of a sow, you may have taken your life into your hands!

Yet, they are easily covered under every farm policy I have researched. Here we need to have things posted (equine liability laws for VA) to "share" the liability of equine activities and acknowledge their dangerous considerations. There just isn't much way for them to say one size equine is less of a problem than another -- their tendancies are the same

? OK, the law can't be perfect!

Let's say that for most FL companies the hurricanes are the biggest issues and I have a lot of property in FL for years and years. Remember Andrew? Wiped out Homestead -- a home and a couple hundred apartments for me

Thankfully when I renewed our polices about 6 months prior I did it my way and not the way hubby suggested, to lower premiums!!! Yep, FL has some issues for insurance

 

[valshingle]

I've had USAA since the early 80's and when we moved to TX 3 years ago, USAA agreed to insure us. But they asked that we get a separate liability policy for the horse activity, which they wouldn't cover. We went through Gen Corp and now have a separate equine liability policy (I think through Travelers?). It was just a little weird filling out the equine liability questionaire because it asks a lot about riding and racing the horses. I just kept putting N/A on those questions. They insured us, no problem. There were several questions about dogs and what breeds they were.

 

[garyo]

We also live in Florida. We also had State Farm. They also said they were going to cancel us because of the horses. Farm Bureau, Citizens (the Florida State pool), etc would not cover a farm situation in Florida either. If you ever breed or sell they considered it a farm, or if you had more that a few horses. We ended up going with an Agent out of Kentucky who helped us get farm insurance through American Bankers of Florida. Compared to regular homeowners at $2000/yr it is $4000/yr but includes 2 mil in liability on or off premises, accidental death coverage for the horses and some other non-homeowner type coverages. You can reach Chris Marnitz as follows:

Christopher J Marnitz

' Phone - 859-223-6728 ext 106

7 Fax - 859-223-6732

* (e-mail) [email protected]

* (Web Site) www.equirisk.com

Ruth

 

[Suzie]

We have the disclaimer signs on every corner of our barns, etc.

Suzie, have you heard of the results of any cases where a person was injured but the 'horse property' had the disclaimer signs posted?

We have them posted also...on our entry gate to the horse area and in the barn. Big signs. I'm just wondering how the law looks at them. I guess each state would be different, but the results in one state might be similar to others.

Charlotte

Charlotte, I have not heard of any cases myself. We have a lady who is a licensed insurance agent who comes here on the weekends and helps out with our minis. She thinks we have everything "covered" that we can here in NC. We go the extra mile here to not have anything really dangerous that folks can get hurt on laying around and the horses we have are all very gentle. I really hope I never have to find out how our insurance would pay on anything

Like many have said here, every state seems to be different on this.

 

[dgrminis]

We have Farm Bureau and I have for as long as I can remember -- left once to try American Family as it was a little cheaper each year BUT found out that I much perferred the service I got from Farm Bureau and went back...

Good Luck!

 

[Sandee]

Yep, hope we never have to find out what State Farm will cover or not. We've been with the company for years. When we moved to the country all they asked about were if we were going to get a dog (which is funny as we had one in the city) and if we had or were going to get a gun! I did mention we were moving to have horses and he had no comment on that.

Oh, and our car insurance went up because we "were more likely to hit a deer" living in the country.

 

[shorthorsemom]

In Delaware last year I read in the newspaper a scarey story that made me raise my insurance. A horse got out at night, was wearing reflective tape on the blanket and was running around. People were trying to catch the horse and had flashlights. Drunk driver ignores people yelling and waving flashlights and plows into the horse and kills horse. Drunk driver sues horse owner for injuries. Drunk driver won in court and the horse owners had to come up with a ton of money to pay damages. Horse owners were caring and careful people.

 

[Candice]

Ruth, Thankyou. I do have seperate insurance for the horses. I do like the idea of the extra liablity both on and off the farm. I don't really like the idea of higher premiums, but there is probably little to be done about that.

I will give them a call tomorrow and see what is available.

 

[Cathy_H]

Really. USAA won't cover farms anymore? Wonder if that applies to TX too. We have USAA as well and figured I'd never need to worry about not being able to get coverage. I'd really rather not have to go outside USAA for coverage!

This was what I was told last summer when I called them to ask if they would cover our new barn on our other property. They would not so I found someone else to cover that property............ If you are a current USAA customer - no problem. That is if you aren't going to move... We have been good customers but I guess that does not matter. I will be calling them to see if things have changed since last summer (if & when this property sells) to see if they will insure our new farm.......... They are such a great company - I wouldn't want to go with anyone else.

 

[Karen S]

Good Morning,

Let me re-interate one more time....

Allstate, State Farm, Farmers, USAA, Farm Bureau, etc......Each company HAS to FILE THIER rates, what they WILL and WILL NOT insured for EACH STATE. I hear it all the time, well so and so company in Illinois can do it why not Texas. Each state is unique in how they handle things. What we can do here in Texas isn't necessarily true for Kentucky. So I urge each and every one to one again as I stated yesterday, if you have ANY QUESTIONS concerning your policies, Please Please Please call your insurance agent and set up a time that is convenient for you to go over ALL of your concerns. I would much rather spend one hour with you helping to be sure you have what you need versus taking 15 minutes to rush through something and find out later that the coverage wasn't there. It's not always the agents fault when stuff happens. You have to communicate with them. If you feel they don't understand what you are asking, maybe it's the way the question was posed. Ask again.

I explain in laymans terms as much as I can to help people understand what they are buying. Your agent should be the same way. So, just because you have State Farm, USAA, etc in one state don't ASSUME the coverage is the same for the state YOU live in. Yes, it's true that a lot of companies are pulling out of states that have cost them alot of money in the past three to five years due to catastrophies, it hurts us all, I know all too well having to move thousands of policies and letting good clients go just because I didn't have a market to work with anymore.

Karen

 

[hunterridgefarm]

We also live in Florida. We also had State Farm. They also said they were going to cancel us because of the horses. Farm Bureau, Citizens (the Florida State pool), etc would not cover a farm situation in Florida either. If you ever breed or sell they considered it a farm, or if you had more that a few horses. We ended up going with an Agent out of Kentucky who helped us get farm insurance through American Bankers of Florida. Compared to regular homeowners at $2000/yr it is $4000/yr but includes 2 mil in liability on or off premises, accidental death coverage for the horses and some other non-homeowner type coverages. You can reach Chris Marnitz as follows:
Christopher J Marnitz

' Phone - 859-223-6728 ext 106

7 Fax - 859-223-6732

* (e-mail) [email protected]

* (Web Site) www.equirisk.com

Ruth

Ruth

We hope that you never have to make a claim on anythng with them as they will not pay...............

Robby's truck got broken into and we had to file in on homeowners and they said they would pay but when American Bankers wanted to know if the tools that got stolen out of his truck was for his use or work Robby told them that it was for work they told him that they was not covered

but if they was for his use and not work they would cover them. we are about to go with Nation wide as they are cheaper then anybody eles.

it seems like Lows would have to pay to have his tools replace since it happen at the store but there again they dont have too. it is all one big headache to us. other words we lost over 2000.00 worth of tools and can not get our money back on them. Robby did tell them he has never filed on a homeowners ins. before and when he does it is a slap in the face.

Good luck with them

Diane