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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Insurance
  • Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 14:25:47 -0700 (PDT)

REspnding to:
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 19:01:10 -0500
From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Horse insurance
To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <0K0O00BBVD9HGK0A@vms046.mailsrvcs.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Our insurance carrier (VFIS) covers everything but the horse itself is
problematical.  Our coverage include equipment usually brought to a
mission
by a member with the exception of vehicles (which are covered by the
owner),
airplanes, and boats with over 100 horsepower.  This means that radios,
tack, GPS' owned by us or members and brought to a scene (live mission,
training, or other official act) is covered. 



I personally carry mortality insurance which includes surgical and
liability, both primary and secondary, on my mount.  As he approaches
20
years old it will become difficult to get mortality insurance.



Pennsylvania classifies search animals used by organized and recognized
search groups as police animals, including horses.  By statute, any
person
convicted of harassing a police animal at any time is responsible for
restitution to the owner/agency for all costs to restore the animal to
service or to replace the animal in kind.

The statute specifically includes vet bills, lost time of the human
partner
and any costs to cover his position, training or retraining, the cost
of a
replacement, and replacement equipment. 



My first horse cost $750 including tack, my current mount cost $1300
and is
insured for $3000 agreed value. The insurance carrier classifies him as
a
pleasure horse, no jumping.



Irv Lichtenstein

Chief of Operations

SE PA SAR
----------------------------
 
IRV,
 
In our area from  what or how we have insured our private stock in the past, most insurance companies offering individual "replacement" coverages for horses will only insure a horse until age 15. 
 
Dependant upon your individual situation, you could go insurance poor or broke in insuring the masses, case in point if you have a band of horses at your disposal.  One needs to assess the situation of his/her herd and go from there and do what is the most logical and practical financially. 
 
To garner any insurance a horses must go through a physical performed by a certified vetrinarian to gain initial coverage.
 
There seems to be a section of what is called "agreed" value, but most companies will start you out at what you paid for the animal. Then assess the animal from there dependant upon breed, ability etc.
 
Certain breeds have a minimum value of a foal when it hits the ground and then show horses and performance, breeding stock and the like often "appraise up" in insurable value on an incline as training and ribbons are added or wins due to racing or other activities.
 
Clauses covering colic surgeries and the like or hospitilization seem to be an extra on some companies.
 
Basically what most owners do on their individual coverage is insure to the reasonable cost of replacement.  That can really vary if your VMSAR mount doubles as a performance horse at shows or other events.  I would imagine this "value thing" could get  tacky with the governmental groups if they are offering any insurance on the animals that are "group" and not individually owned as in the case of a volunteer having their own personal mount.  An area open to discussion between the two tpes of mounts used in MSAR.  Which also opens an area of discussion for those individuals who volunteer.. hmmm, thoses horses then are not exactly "police" horses then or would they?  And when specifically?.... only when on a search then?  What about training?  The word "reasonable"  can be a caveat to the individual, dependant upon the breed he/she rides and on down the line. The  very term "reasonable" can go upsidown in a hurry!
-----
Regarding Colic -
Personally, your best insurance against colic is to feed the best quality of hay you can get that is balanced in proper nutrients.  One of the major causes of colic is actually pelleted feed.  Any vetrinarain worth his or her weight in salt can tell you that the "gunk" from the processing of the pellets is what will attatch itself to the lining of the horses intestines.  It is debris in the processed food in the "gunk" that makes like a pearl and that can cause a "gallstones" of sorts to form that causes the colic.  It is these "stones" that cause the blockages in the horses intestine and generally that is what has to be surgically removed because the can grow large and not pass.  What happens when the stone is causing the blocakge is it is very uncomfortable to the animal causing the horse to roll, thus twisting the intestine.  Possibly rupturing the gut even more.
 
K. Nesbitt
VMSAR
Iroquois County, Illinois
 


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