For many of us, 2025 has been a wild ride — so after taking a collective sigh of relief, let’s get started making a plan to insure your horse for 2026!
If the last few years have taught us anything, it is to prepare for the unexpected. That being said, no one wants to hang out in the barn chatting with friends about worst case scenarios – it tends to kill the vibe. But as in many areas of life, what you don’t know can hurt you, and putting your head in the sand is rarely a successful strategy.
In the spirit of the old proverb “Forewarned is Forearmed,” and in the interest of helping you protect your horses and your bank account, I’m going to rebut the top five misconceptions about horse insurance and convince you to put “Insure My Horse” on your 2026 to-do list.
#1) Mortality Insurance is Just Too Expensive.
Cost is the most common misconception, with the general assumption that insuring the average horse is just too expensive. One of the common comments we hear after calculating a quote for a potential client is, “Wow, that’s not as much as I thought it would be.”
The annual premium for a Full Mortality policy (life insurance and theft, and generally with some of coverage for Colic Surgery expenses) on a horse is based on a rate. The rate is a percentage of the horse’s insured value, determined by the horse’s breed, age, and use.
Marshall+Sterling has relationships with many top equine insurance carriers, making us one of the country’s most competitive agencies. For a Show/Pleasure (no jumping) horse through age 14 and insured for a value of $10,000, the rate for Full Mortality coverage begins at 3.0-3.7% of the insured value, for an annual mortality premium of $300-$370.
Other examples for horses 2-14 years old: Rates for Dressage horses range from 2.9%-3%. Reining and Cutting horses start at 3%. For Show Hunter/Jumpers, Barrel Horses, and Ropers rates range from at 3.25-3.7%. Eventers start at 3.9%.
For more info on Coverages,click here.
To get answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click here. To get a Quote for your Horse, click here.
An extra benefit – free Emergency Colic Surgery coverage. Full Mortality policies usually include up to $5,000 of Emergency Colic Surgery (ECS) coverage, at no extra charge. The exact amount depends on the horse’s insured value and the insurance company offering the coverage. This endorsement is available for horses without a history of colic or gastrointestinal issues.
Pro Tip: When looking for a quote, you want to work with an equine insurance agent with access to several companies. This gives them access to competitive rates and coverages to find a policy that fits for both cost and coverage. Look for someone who answers your questions clearly, and promptly responds to emails and voice mails. And most important–find an agent who is also an experienced horse person. They need to know the difference between combined driving and combined training, understand conditions from EPM to OCD, and recognize breeds from the Arabian to the Zangersheide. You want someone who understands your passion.
#2) Even if I can afford Mortality coverage, the Medical/Surgical coverage is what I really need, and will be out of my price range.
While Full Mortality is your starting point, most people also want some amount of Medical/Surgical coverage. (More on the actual coverage in item #4).
Annual coverage limits of $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 and $15,000 are available, depending on the insurance company and the horse’s age and insured value. Annual premiums start at $250 per year and increase as the coverage limits increase.
The Math: A policy for a Show/Pleasure horse, age 2-14, insured for a Full Mortality at a $5,000 value with a $5,000 Medical/Surgical endorsement could cost as low as $413 a year. Depending on the company, a $10,000 Dressage horse with $10,000 Medical/Surgical coverage could cost as low as $825. Installment plans are usually available for premiums over $500. Click here to get an emailed quote, or give us a call at (844) 320-8060.
#3) It’s too complicated to apply.
The response we often hear after discussing the required paperwork is: “Well that’s pretty simple.” For the average sound and healthy horse, an application from the owner is all that is needed. Vet certificates are usually only required for horses older than 15 or valued over $100,000.
Applications are available as fillable PDFs that can be electronically completed, signed, and emailed back to us. In most cases, less than five minutes of paperwork and the click of the Send button is all it takes.
Payment – Premium payment is not required up front. It is the paperwork and underwriting approval that allows coverage to be bound. That gives you time to make payment to either the insurance company directly or to our office. Payment can be made by check, or most credit or debit cards. Installment plans are also generally available.
#4) Medical/Surgical Coverage isn’t available due to my horse’s value.
It is difficult to find companies offering comprehensive Medical/Surgical coverage for horses valued under $20,000. That coverage can be invaluable if your horse suffers an injury, illness, lameness, accident, or disease.
Common uses for these coverages include: diagnosis and treatment of lamenesses, surgically or medically treated colics (even a colic that only requires medical treatment for a day or two at the vet hospital can still easily run into the thousands of dollars), blunt force traumas and lacerations, puncture wounds, gastric ulcers, and diagnosis and treatment of conditions ranging from EPM and Lyme Disease to melanomas and respiratory infections.
At Marshall+Sterling we have access to a markets that will offer Medical/Surgical coverage on horses regardless of insured value or that have a relatively low insured value requirement.
#5) If I make a claim the company will raise my rates or refuse to renew my coverage.
In most cases, a claim does not result in a non-renewal of coverage. Underwriters understand bad luck and the nature of horses, and seldom make knee-jerk decisions. In most cases renewal is offered, and rate increases are not applied based on a claims history.
Keep in mind though that horse insurance policies are 12-month property/casualty policies. Unlike most human health insurance policies, pre-existing conditions are excluded. This means that if the horse experiences a new health problem during a policy year, if you renew your policy it is possible that an exclusion for that problem will apply to the following year’s policy and potentially any future policies. That said, most policies include varying types of extensions of coverage that may help protect you for a period of time after the policy expires.
Bonus Point – Quick! Knock on Wood!
My horse has never colicked/taken a lame step/been sick a day in his life, so I don’t need insurance.
Hopefully that streak will continue. But in my experience many claims happen to horses that previously had stellar health histories. They’ve never coilcked—until the night they end up in surgery. Or they’ve never been unsound a pasturemate plays too rough or they take a bad step while turned out.
But wait – What about my pets?
Marshall+Sterling also offers medical coverage for dogs and cats. Check out our website to find out more. And to get an instant quote, go to our dedicated Portal through our trusted partners at Prudent Pet!
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Putting into perspective all the time, money, and effort that we put into our horses, who we often consider members of our family, and the fact that we insure all our other major investments–trucks, trailers, houses, barns–adding your horse to that list is definitely something to consider to give you peace of mind in the year to come.
