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Procedures/Claims

Veterinary Requirements

You should assume that Insurers will require examination by a veterinarian prior to accepting the risk of insuring your horse.

The cost of the veterinary examination is your responsibility and from an Insurer’s point of view, it is to determine that the horse is in good health and does not suffer from a pre-existing problem which may influence the future health of the horse.

Newmarket Insurance Brokers will give you specific guidance in this important pre-insurance requirement.

Requirements for Insured Horses

  1. In the event of any illness, disease, lameness, injury, accident or physical disability:
    • Immediately appoint a veterinarian to treat the horse.
    • Immediately notify the Owner and Newmarket Insurance Brokers of the problem.

      Note: Failure to immediately appoint a veterinarian to treat an insured horse could prejudice the owner’s insurance claim. If the failure to notify is the fault of the stud/agistor, trainer, manager, etc., they risk having a claim made against them.

  2. Medication should only be administered by a veterinarian, or an experienced person under the direction of a veterinarian.

  3. Prior to any non-life saving surgery, notify Newmarket Insurance Brokers.

      Note: Policies specifically excludes death caused by the administration of any medication (including any drug, hormone, vitamin, protein or other substance other than unadulterated food and drink) unless administered by a qualified veterinary surgeon (or experienced personnel directed by him or her) and certified by the veterinary surgeon to have been of a prophylactic nature or necessitated by accident, disease or illness.

  4. Prior to any non-life saving surgery, notify Newmarket Insurance Brokers.

      Note: Insurance Policies specifically exclude death caused by surgical operation, unless conducted by a qualified veterinary surgeon and certified by him or her to have been necessitated solely by accident, disease or illness and to have been carried out in an attempt to preserve the horse’s life.

  5. Insurance Policies specifically exclude intentional slaughter unless:
    • The Insurer agrees to the destruction.
    • In the case of injury, a veterinary surgeon appointed by the Insured (owner) certifies that the suffering of the horse is incurable and so excessive that immediate destruction is imperative for humane reasons.
    • In the case of an excessively painful disease, a veterinary surgeon appointed by the Insurer certifies that the suffering of the horse is incurable and so excessive that immediate destruction is imperative for humane reasons.


  6. In the case of the death of a horse, a post mortem and autopsy examination must be carried out at the Insured's (owner's) expense.

  7. In the case of humane destruction, the Insurer must be given the opportunity to have a post mortem and autopsy examination carried out by a veterinarian of the Insurer's choice.