More about insurance--State Farm

[Marsha Cassada]

When I talked to our agent a few months ago, he told me I was covered by our Homeowner's policy with my horse. But we called him again this week to make sure, as I have several events scheduled. He took 3 days to call us back, and now he has the info from the underwriter. I am NOT covered with my horse with liability, even on our own property. I have to buy Event Insurance at $50 a pop every time I take my horse somewhere and any time anyone comes HERE to play horses.

I have a school day, a nursing home, the County Fair, and a birthday party coming up. I am happy to do all those events as a volunteer, and as an ambassador for miniature horses, but that gets pretty expensive! Some of those may have umbrella coverage for me, but I will have to ask before commiting.

I think I will look into some of the equine insurance companies. The alternative is to never take my horse into public, and that isn't really an option. The agent told us that when economic times are bad, more people will attempt to sue. That is not a happy thought.

 

[NoddalottaFarm]

I don't know about taking your horses *out*, but for at home, how about a farm policy? We had 2 minis and our insurance agent told us to get a farm policy for $200 more (yearly). It covers the horses getting out and eating/destroying neighbor's things or (God forbid) getting out and hit by a car. To us it is worth the extra since it was so small a sum. Hope you can find something better.... check insurance agents who have horses themselves and check farm policies.

 

[Boinky]

I just picked up basic "liability" insurance through Kentucky Farm Bureau for i think it was like $120 per year (ended up being like $10.50 a month). it is $100,000 coverage. trying to remember exactly what it covered but i know it covers if someone gets hurt on the property and i know it also covered if the horses got out and go hit by a car ...didn't cover the actual horse but damage to other property Ie. the car or passengers. I forgot to ask if it covers off property as well. Anyhow that was some cheap insurance in my opinion. I was told each state has a farm bureau and each has different pricing and stuff but might be worth looking at them!

 

[keystonefarm]

I would definatly check into Farm Bureau. I switched from State Farm several years ago and will never go back.

Kentucky Farm Bureau has been great

But you do need the farm policy if you want good coverage.

 

[Boinky]

what do you mean by "good coverage"? i got my liability because i am leasing a peice of property for pasture for my horses and owner wanted me to have some sort of liability. i didn't really discuss any other coverage with them... curious now! lol

 

[wildoak]

Insurance is a giant headache if you have horses (or even if you don't lol). We had a hard time getting coverage when we moved. They made no distinction for miniatures even though we explained to them repeatedly that we were not raising 1000 lb animals, we did not have rodeos, ropings, concessions stands, etc on the property... We essentially had to say that no one ever comes to the barn, we never take friends there - I guess they think the horses just exist with no interaction & no attention.

Jan

 

[choclat dreams]

If it is for parties and such. There are agencies that do like petting zoo and insurance like that. I have a birthday party business with my minis, pulling carts, that I do insure them. You can do it per party or for the year it is not cheap but you can do it. Look on line for petting zoo insurance, something should be in your area. Your state farm agent should be able to help you as well, to find someone that can insure you. But if he does not know anyone, you should be able to find it on line.

 

[garyo]

Marsha:

Gary and I posted about this last fall when State Farm announced it was pulling out of Florida for homeowners. Our State Farm agent checked for us and not only did State Farm not cover the horse related issues but they sent us a 6 mo. cancellation notice. We ended up having to buy a farm policy that covers the house, barns, equipment, Horses in case of accidental death ($3000 ea.), and 2 million in liability on or off the property for us and the horses. It is EXPENSIVE although all home related insurance is ridiculous here. According to the insurance appraiser it would cost $450,000 to rebuild the house and the insurance costs about $5000/year. Keep in mind that plain old State Farm homeowners was over $3000/year. We got our policy through an agent in Kentucky, Marnitz & Assoc.. Florida Farm Bureau insurance will not cover us as our property is worth too much and we have "hooved animals". According to our local insurance agent there are only two companies that will write the type of policy we now have in our county (too close to the Gulf and sink holes are frequent).

To add to the stress, our neighbor just told my husband that a company ran radar on his property and he has "sink holes". They will be pouring $80,000 of concrete into the ground under his house and doing $40,000 of repairs to his house. Undoubtedly this will raise our risk and possibly our insurance cost. It will also impact our longterm plan which was to sell this place in two years and move to smaller house, more acreage. Now we have a possible defect to disclose. I am also concerned about what pouring concrete under his house may do to our well water.

 

[gvpalominominis]

I just picked up basic "liability" insurance through Kentucky Farm Bureau for i think it was like $120 per year (ended up being like $10.50 a month). it is $100,000 coverage. trying to remember exactly what it covered but i know it covers if someone gets hurt on the property and i know it also covered if the horses got out and go hit by a car ...didn't cover the actual horse but damage to other property Ie. the car or passengers. I forgot to ask if it covers off property as well. Anyhow that was some cheap insurance in my opinion. I was told each state has a farm bureau and each has different pricing and stuff but might be worth looking at them!

Wow... the farm liability insurance I had was almost $1,000 a year! I can deal with $120.... Could you provide a contact name and phone number for this company?

Thanks!

 

[keystonefarm]

When I had state farm I though the insurance I purchased covered me if my cattle or horses got caused and acciadent. I had even ask my insurance agent if the insurance I was purchasing did so. However Latter I found out the the insurance did not cover equine and it only covered the cattle if they were on my property.

Many insurance companies offer what they call "farm' insurance that is attached to your homeowners. However read these policies very carefully. They have alot of exemptions. My agent actually listed my horse as goats.

I did not find out that my horses were not covered until I tried to correct this. Anyway to make a long story shorter, make sure you are getting a true farm policy. The one I have now even covers liablity for my client horses when I take them to shows. It is only $50 more then the policy I had with state farm that didn't cover much at all. You have to be carefull and read everything. Dont count on your aggent to do it for you.

Another example: My Brother thought his flood and storm insurance would cover damage caused by storms. However when their electric went out during a storm - their sunk pump stopped working and their basement flooded with 3 feet of water. Guess what -- Not coverd.

This was an electical Failure not storm damage.

Anyway make sure you ask lots of questions and good luck

 

[~Lisa~]

I just picked up basic "liability" insurance through Kentucky Farm Bureau for i think it was like $120 per year (ended up being like $10.50 a month). it is $100,000 coverage. trying to remember exactly what it covered but i know it covers if someone gets hurt on the property and i know it also covered if the horses got out and go hit by a car ...didn't cover the actual horse but damage to other property Ie. the car or passengers. I forgot to ask if it covers off property as well. Anyhow that was some cheap insurance in my opinion. I was told each state has a farm bureau and each has different pricing and stuff but might be worth looking at them!

Everyone should have this policy if someone is coming to look at a horse for sale or a cart for sale or well anything for sale your homeowners is not going to cover at least that is what I was told the general liability I have from equisport covers any damage my horse might cause on or off the farm.

Also do not think having a sign warning of the risk will make you not responsible for any damages that is not true

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I will be doing some more research on coverage. Meanwhile, I contacted the birthday party event and they are going to pay my $50 insurance fee. Have to call the nursing home. Also found out, that even events such as city parades are not personally covered. The city's insurance only protects THEM, not me, for liability. That means I need to call the County and find out if I am insured if I take my horse to be petted in the petting farmyard. This is a can of worms, and sure takes alot of the fun out of playing with my horses.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

State Farm specifically does cover my on-the-property equine liability, non-commercial.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Some State Farms do, but not all areas. The agent explained it, but it was hard for me to understand. I think I understand I am in the TX, OK, LA region. Horses are not covered here.

Just found out my antique tractor is not covered either unless I am in an organized event. It's getting so a person just can't play with any toys anymore!!

 

[keystonefarm]

You need to check with your Farm Bureau. My Kentucky Insurance with them is great. It would cover your liablitiy at the events you are talking about. I have a old Ford 8N and they cover it as well.

Im not sure about your area but Kentucky also offers an antique vehicular insurance. Not sure if it covers tractors not

 

[Boinky]

yeah but the problem is KY farm bureau doesn't cover out of state. I asked them since my parents have a farm in maine they were thinking about renting out and after hearing about my coverage they wanted me to find out if they'd cover out of state and they said no. each state has their own farm bureau which has different prices ect. Maine didn't even have their own coverage their farm bureau was through a independent agency. course maine is not a very big farm industry.

bummer!

 

[SilverDollar]

A few weeks ago I called the company where I have our auto insurance; our house insurance is with another company where we also currently have an umbrella liability policy. I wanted to compare rates since I was thinking of consolidating our policies. When I told her I wanted a $2 million umbrella policy she did a Google Earth on my address. She asked "how many horses do you have?" and I answered 6. She then said that they can only insure us if we have no more than one horse per person in our family. There is only my husband and me. I tried to explain to her that I have 3 retired horses, 2 minis, and only 1 riding horse. No matter, only one horse per person.

What is THAT all about?? I've never heard of that. We've used our current agent for 20 years and he's never asked how many horses we have. Now I'm wondering if we've been paying for liability insurance all these years for NO coverage!?! If we had a claim against us, the company may not pay and we'd be out of luck. I suppose I really need to read all the fine print in that policy.

I hate insurance! Can't live with it...can't live without it.

Can anyone in California recommend a good insurance company that can provide liability insurance? We don't have an equine business, it's just an obsession...I mean hobby.

Thanks.

 

[Boinky]

several years ago when i lived in Maine we were looking for liability coverage on our horses (maine is very hard to get equine coverage). we were told at the time we could only have one or two horses by most of the insurance comapanies. They said that it was because we MUST be running a business if we had that many horses (and for a business you had to have something different for insurance which was even more difficult to get). Pretty silly they wont look at each circumstance case by case huh.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Farm Bureau does not cover horses off one's property. I went into the office and talked with the local agent. He raises race horses, so was aware of what was available.

Contacted Equisport and they gave us a quote. When we send in the form, we will know more. For a horse and cart for $500,000 is was $260 a year. One million was quoted at $290. This is more expensive than $50 a pop event coverage, but at least I could be spontaneous about horse outings.

Our State Farm agent is trying to work with the underwriter to work up a rider for our home owner's. I'm glad they care enough about keeping us as clients to TRY. In the mean time, I have a parade this weekend; but I don't think I will allow cart passengers.