Horse owners know equine medical care can be expensive. According to the 2023 Equine Lifetime of Care study, veterinarians recommend that horse owners set aside $6,500 per year to pay for their horse’s veterinary expenses. Veterinarians surveyed said most horses have one or two serious medical issues—every year.
To help cover some of your horse’s medical care, you might consider purchasing horse insurance. Depending on the policy, horse insurance may cover emergency veterinary care for accidents and illnesses and treatment for conditions such as colic. We researched several insurance companies and identified the best ones that offer horse insurance.
In this guide:
Multiple types of horse insurance can provide coverage for medical expenses and other health-related concerns. Here are several common policies you might consider if you own a horse:
| Type of insurance | Description | Coverage details | Policy notes |
| Major medical insurance | Health insurance for horses. | May cover treatment for accidents, illnesses, lameness, or injuries. | Available as a standalone policy or as an endorsement to mortality insurance. |
| Accident-and-illness insurance | Similar to major medical insurance but with less coverage. | Covers treatment following an accident or illness, including colic. | Available from some pet insurance companies, including ASPCA, and equine insurance providers. |
| Mortality insurance | Life insurance for horses. | Reimburses for the insured value of the horse in case of death due to accident, injury, or illness. Also covers theft. | You might be able to add major medical and loss-of-use coverage to your policy. |
| Loss-of-use insurance | For income-generating horses in events or competitions. | Provides reimbursement if the horse becomes disabled and can no longer perform its duties. | Often an addition to a mortality insurance policy. |
Horse insurance is uncommon. However, we found several insurance companies that cover horses. Based on our research, here are the four best insurance companies that provide veterinary coverage for horses.
Click the company name in the table to see more about its horse insurance options.
| Company | Plans for horses | Notes |
| ASPCA Horse Insurance | Accident only Accident and illness | Transparent policy information online |
| Blue Bridle Insurance | Major medical Accident and illness | Minimal information about coverage is available online |
| Broadstone Equine Insurance | Major medical (only available if added to a horse mortality insurance policy) | Reimbursement and waiting period information are unavailable online |
| Pet Assure | Wellness plan with veterinary discounts | Minimal insurance coverage limits (up to $1,100 per year) |
ASPCA sells accident-only and accident-and-illness plans for horses. Both plans cover colic caused by accidents and illnesses, as well as treatment for cuts, toxic ingestion, hoof abscesses, cancer, injuries from trailer accidents, and hereditary conditions.
You also have the option to add a preventive care plan to your accident-only or accident-and-illness plan. ASPCA’s preventive care plan covers costs including vaccines, dental care, and your horse’s annual vet exam.
Blue Bridle sells multiple insurance plans that can cover your horse’s medical care. The company’s major medical insurance covers surgeries, medical treatments, and diagnostic testing for illnesses and injuries. Covered conditions include ulcers, Lyme disease, infections, colic, pneumonia, and soft-tissue injuries. You can also get surgical-only or colic-only coverage.
The company also sells a traditional accident-and-illness plan for horses. This plan covers neurological treatment (when resulting from an illness), colic that requires medical or surgical intervention, medical or surgical treatment for illnesses or accidents, and some diagnostic testing. No plans are available that cover wellness exams or preventive care.
Broadstone Equine Insurance has specialized in horse insurance since 2003. If you purchase a horse mortality insurance policy, you can add major medical coverage, which helps pay for treatment associated with accidents, injuries, illnesses, lameness, and disease. Coverage is available for most horses between 30 days and 20 years old, depending on the company that underwrites the policy.
You have the option to select an annual coverage limit of $5,000, $7,500, $10,000, or $15,000. The deductible options range from $250 to $675, depending on the underwriter and coverage limit. According to Broadstone’s website, major medical insurance premiums start at $200 per year.
Pet Assure’s wellness plan, called Mint Wellness, is available for all pet types, including horses. This plan will reimburse you for your horse’s preventive veterinary care. The three tiers of coverage available are basic, essential, and premium. Depending on the plan tier, you might be eligible for coverage for annual vet visits, routine blood work, grooming, and dental care.
Every Mint Wellness plan also includes Pet Assure’s veterinary discount plan, which can help you save money on your horse’s medical bills (not just routine care). When you visit a participating vet, you can use your benefits to get a discount on routine care, dental care, hospitalizations, cancer treatment, surgical procedures, vaccines, and more. There’s no reimbursement percentage, deductible, or waiting period.
The cost of horse insurance depends on various factors, including the horse’s breed, age, coverage limit, and the insurance company. The type of horse health insurance plan you purchase has a significant impact on the cost of your insurance.
In general, equine major medical insurance is more expensive than pet insurance for horses because most insurers only sell major medical insurance as an endorsement to a mortality insurance policy. Based on our research, most insurance companies that specialize in equine insurance don’t sell standalone major medical insurance.
To give you a better idea of what you might pay for horse insurance, we obtained quotes from two of the above horse insurance companies. We used the sample profile of a five-year-old female Appaloosa in Dallas, Texas:
| Insurance provider | ASPCA | Blue Bridle Insurance (Mortality) | Blue Bridle Insurance (Mortality + A&I) |
| Type of plan | Accident & illness | Mortality only | Mortality + accident and illness |
| Annual premium | $672 | $525 | $825 (total) |
| Annual coverage limit | $7,000 | $15,000 | $5,000 (A&I) |
| Annual reimbursement | 90% | – | – |
| Annual deductible | $500 | – | – |
Horse health insurance and horse trailer insurance are not the same. Horse health insurance covers veterinary treatment related to accidents, injuries and illnesses. Horse trailer insurance often covers roadside assistance if the trailer breaks down, as well as theft of the trailer and damage to equipment.
However, most horse health insurance policies cover accidents related to horse trailers. For example, if your horse loses its balance in the trailer during transport and sustains a lower limb injury, your horse health insurance policy would likely cover treatment.
Owning a horse is often costly, so horse insurance can be worth it.
Pet insurance or specialty horse health insurance policies tend to be less expensive than routine medical bills for horses. For example, the Equine Lifetime of Care Study found that the average horse owner spends $480 per year on emergency care for a backyard or pastured horse. Colic treatment costs an average of $174, and medications cost around $472 annually.
When you add these costs together, a horse insurance policy can be cheaper than paying for individual veterinary costs out-of-pocket.
Erin Kinkade, CFP®, recommends considering whether your premiums might be tax-deductible: “Are you a professional equestrian business owner? If it’s a qualified business expense, the insurance premium could be tax-deductible. I recommend consulting with a tax advisor first. For a casual owner, this would essentially qualify as a hobby or a pet, so no tax deduction would be allowed for the insurance premium.”
One of the best alternatives to purchasing horse insurance is to set money aside for your horse’s medical expenses. The Equine Mortality Study found one in three horse owners has a dedicated savings account for their horse ownership costs. Putting money aside will provide a financial cushion in case your horse has a medical emergency.
Another option is to consider signing up for a veterinary discount plan, such as Pet Assure. When your horse goes to the vet, you can present your discount card and save money on your vet bill. The discount will depend on the service. Unlike horse insurance, there’s no monthly premium, deductible, or annual coverage limit.
When choosing a horse insurance company, it’s important to consider your personal needs, including the best plan for your horse. For example, maybe you want standalone accident-and-illness coverage or a bundle of several coverages. Also, look for insurers that provide the amount of coverage you want, and compare quotes to see which company can provide the lowest rates.
A few types of horse insurance can provide coverage for different activities, such as racing or competitions. For instance, if your horse races and provides income through their earnings, you might consider mortality insurance or loss-of-use insurance. If you give riding lessons, you should purchase liability insurance, which would apply if your horse injured someone who was taking a lesson.
Most horse health insurance plans don’t cover pre-existing conditions. If your horse has shown signs or symptoms of a pre-existing condition before being insured, the insurance company likely won’t cover their treatment. Medical conditions are only covered if your horse is insured before they start showing symptoms or get a diagnosis.
Typically, insurance companies don’t write policies for specific events—for example, a show or competition. However, if you’re trialing a new horse, some insurers offer a one-month policy that provides the necessary protections before you become the official owner. If you don’t purchase the horse, your insurance policy ends, and there’s no additional cost.
Every horse insurance company has different exclusions. For example, ASPCA’s horse insurance plans exclude coverage for grooming, boarding, elective surgeries, behavioral therapy, joint injections, pregnancy, breeding, and arthritis. Most horse health insurance companies won’t cover pre-existing conditions—those that occurred before your horse was insured.
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