[HollysHobbies]

Hi all-

Considering a mortality/major medical insurance policy on an 11 year old Rescue OTTB (from TRF)...but how does that work? How do they determine the value of the horse if...well...there wasn't any value? I adopted him June 1--how much medical history do they require? (I really just want major medical on this horse, but I don't think you can get medical without purchasing mortality!)

Approximate cost of such a plan/month?

Anyone have a rescue that's insured?

Thanks for any insight!

[ryansgirl]

Yes you can unsure him though some companies I have spoken to won't insure for less than a certain amount (one said $3000 and another said $6000 ). I had another company tell me it's not worth insuring a horse who has a small value (think $1000-$2000) - I guess they don't think they are worth it (sorry insurance company but they can get hurt just as easily as a six figure horse and some of us like to make sure our horses are covered just in case). I have my OTTB pasture pet insured through Hallmark - they are great to do business with and didn't care about her "value" amount. As long as your OTTB isn't racing anymore then you should be fine . They will ask about previous medical issues if there are any that they may exclude (i.e. colic surgery). I would definitely call Hallmark and speak to a rep there - they were extremely helpful when I started my policy.

It would be nice to find a company that offers only major medical but all the ones I have seen require mortality to be a part of the package...

Thanks for adopting from the TRF - a lot of horses get sent there and it's good when they can find homes after .

[DMK]

i've insured "free" horses, but it was generally a few months after I had some training in them or they had a show record. I also just purchased a yearling last year for what could safely be called dirt cheap. Even though his previous auction sale price and stud fee was 5X what i paid for him, i could only insure him for my sales price plus major med. this year at renewal i printed out his show record (1 hb class) and it was no problem to increase by 5X.

usually no physical exam, just written statement by owner for anything under 10K, and its fairly easy with limited training (even trng done by owner) to get up to 5K in covg. i think its usually 3.5% for mortality and between 175-300/yr for major med depending on deductible and annual max.

(left handed typing sux)

[HollysHobbies]

Thanks RyansGirl, I was thinking that thread was going to die a sad death.

I don't want to have to think about how little money I have if my "worthless" OTTB needs medical help. I don't want to be stuck with a choice between bankrupting myself and helping my new friend.

I'll contact Hallmark.

TRF rules!!!--shameless plug for them, but there are some REALLY nice, competitive OTTBs there...and the people there REALLY want to find you the right match. Since I have ZERO interest in selling horses, and am a dressage rider on a frighteningly low, school teacher budget, TRF was the place for me!

[HollysHobbies]

Thx DMK, but since he's a TRF horse, I couldn't ever sell him...he returns to them if I can't keep him. Thus, I have no idea how they determine his value. So, I guess I'll have to call and ask. Just figured some COThers have done this before.

He's a solid Training Level dressage horse at this point with no show record. Schooling some First Level stuff.

[Jleegriffith]

I have my insurance with Dietrich and Company who uses Great American as an underwriter. I was just having this discussion with them earlier this week. I bought a horse for dirt cheap who is now a big, beautiful 5 yr getting ready to do BN but he is solid training level dressage as well as 2'6" jumper. They said I could write that in and justify the amount I wanted him to have his mortality for. I did the same thing for my other horse who was a 3 yr conn/tb that I bought for $1k but later insured him for $15k based on competition record.

I do like to have the mortality and major medical and have used it many times. I don't think it is necessary to have the mortality but I would like a bit of money towards another horse if something happened to mine.

[elmerandharriet]

My trf horse is insured and has been for awhile

[ivy62]

I have an OTTB that is insured for about $5000 and he has major medical...he is also a booboo magnet! Marshall and Sterling insured him and it is worth every penny! My policy is pnly about 450/year or so....

[DMK]

Thx DMK, but since he's a TRF horse, I couldn't ever sell him...he returns to them if I can't keep him. Thus, I have no idea how they determine his value. So, I guess I'll have to call and ask. Just figured some COThers have done this before.

He's a solid Training Level dressage horse at this point with no show record. Schooling some First Level stuff.

it's not about the intent to sell, trust me, the freebie in my profile pic will not be sold and this is going on year 16 of ownership. it's about the am't of training you put into the horse that dictates his value. i suspect if you call up an agent, say you got the horse in X month, have put y months of training into him and would like to insure him for 5k w/7500 major med, i suspect they will ask you how fast can you send a binder check. once you get over 10k then i think you need to justify it.

but since i know the most frightning pos that most sane people wouldn't give you 3K for ... and his owner told me he was appraised and insured for 50k uh, i suspect that reality is not attached to this valuation process