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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Insurance

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Insurance
  • Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2004 08:58:39 -0700

Julie Hensley wrote:
>Has anyone ever checked with other nonprofit equine establishments to find
>out how they go about managing insurance? For different reasons, I would
>expect that equine therapeutic programs or even 4-H would have similar
>concerns.

My unit did that last year, contacting many insurance agencies.
The results were pathetic.

Like many old sheriff's posse groups, we own property, including
a building; the building is insured against loss, and the group
has liability insurance equal to the value of the entire property.
But, and this is a HUGE but, that liability insurance is limited
to the kinds of events that are typical of most equestrian clubs:
it covers us against liability, should we be sued by participants
and onlookers injured during equestrian and social events on our
property. None of our SAR activities are covered, apart from
training in our arena. Some agencies would not insure us for any
activities, given the nature of *some* of those activities. Is
SAR a "police type activity"? Some agencies think so.

When on SAR missions, the state covers us for liability, medical,
and property loss. In theory; I know nothing about how this
works out in practice. Safety is our first priority and we have
a good record there.

As a member of the US Polo Association, I get a nice $1,000,000
personal liability policy that covers my horse. It protects my
assets if my horse injures anyone or damages anything and I get
sued as a result. Having this insurance greatly eases my mind
when I allow non-riders to be carried by my horse on SAR missions
(eg, medical examiner to a death scene). She is an exceptionally
reliable horse, but anyone can fall off any horse and try to sue
you for it.

SAR-related expenses and property losses are deductible from US
federal personal income taxes (generally, see a knowledgeable tax
accountant for details), but here the trick is in documenting
the replacement cost of a specific horse. Like a really old but
totally reliable car that may have a book value of $1000 but you
could not hope to replace for less than $5000, a good MSAR horse
has a replacement cost far beyond its book value. What is the
book value of a sound, fit horse in its late 20's? Most riders
would say they might buy such a horse for $1000, but we all know
outstanding older horses that the owner would never sell at that
price.

Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico




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