Equine Law - Insurance needs, please advise!

[Orenda]

Hi Everyone,

What type of insurance do I need to obtain for clinics, for starters, in the Carolinas? These clinics will be based on developing better communications with your horse(s) and will be on the ground. Our first 2 clinics were a huge success and we have demands for more in both NC and SC -

Please let me know - all I really know at this point is inter-state equine liability and care, control and custody - is the latter needed when you are working with an owner and their horse? Just want to be covered. We will have clinics at established facilities -

Please guide me...

Also...reputable equine insurance companies would be greatly appreciated as well

thanks in advance,
anne

 

[NYClex]

You are operating a clinic, I guess that means a building, probably a stable, grounds for the horses to walk on, a parking lot etc etc.

You want liability insurance covering:

-any damage to your customers, any other person or their property on any place on your property, from the parking lot to the grounds and between, resulting out of any negligence by you, your employees, fault of the building, the cleaning person etc etc. In short: the typical liability coverage every business owner has.

-any damage a horse might cause to a person or property or other horse, no matter if it is your horse or not. The owner probably is insured, too, but if you happen to get the one customer who did not insure his horse and it damages your neighbors Bentley he will surely sue you. You want to be covered.

-any damage you might cause to the horse. Kind of professional liability coverage.

-Building, fire, water whatever damage coverage including any damage to the valuable horses on the property

You should talk to a knowledgable insurance agent about what insurance covers these things.

 

[Orenda]

Thank you for your reply.

The farms/commercial equine facilities - would they not have insurance for damage to their property - in other words, do we have to purchase insurance for damage to their own property?

Remember - thiese clinics will NOT be on our property.

Do you know of any good equine lawyers?

thanks you,
anne

 

[NYClex]

oh, I misunderstood, I thought you wanted to open a business location.

You are absolutely right, the owners of the places where you conduct your clinics should have all that kind of coverage, but sometimes their coverage does not extend to outsiders' commercial activities on their property. That you need to check each time you go somewhere!

You should discuss this with an insurance agent.

No, sorry, I used to own a horse, but I never had to deal with an equine lawyer and I don't know any.

You probably will find more information here: http://www.americanequestrian.com/Default.htm