Horses may be working animals or sporting partners, but for many people they are also a passion, a daily companion and a matter of the heart. Keeping a horse is expensive, though, and when the animal falls ill, vet bills can quickly run into the thousands. Horse health insurance (Pferdekrankenversicherung) lets owners give their animal good medical care without getting into financial trouble. It protects people and animals alike.
Because of their size, way of life and anatomy, horses are especially prone to certain illnesses. Colic is one of the most common and most dangerous conditions in horses and can be fatal without immediate veterinary treatment. Illnesses of the airways, the musculoskeletal system, the eyes or the skin can also cause high treatment costs. Without insurance, this quickly becomes an existential burden.
In Germany, keeping a horse comes with far-reaching duties of care. Horse owners must call a vet without delay when their animal is ill. A colic operation can cost between 3,000 and 10,000 euros or more, depending on severity. Aftercare costs and possibly long-term rehabilitation come on top. These sums show why health insurance for horses is worthwhile.
Horse health insurance is for all horse owners, whether the horse is kept as a sport horse, leisure horse or breeding horse. It is especially important for owners of valuable sport horses or broodmares, since the animal's economic value has to be considered as well as the treatment costs. But a leisure horse with no commercial value also deserves full medical care.
When you take out horse health insurance, look closely at the scope of cover: Which illnesses are covered? Are there exclusions for certain breeds or conditions? What is the reimbursement rate, and is there an excess? These questions should be fully settled before you sign the contract.
We are happy to help you find the right policy for your horse, so you can enjoy your passion without financial worries.
Horse Health Insurance Benefits
Basic insurance benefits (all tariffs):
Free choice of vet, with no restriction to particular practices. Lifelong cover from the eighth week of life, with no upper age limit. Operations after accidents or illness. Procedures under general anaesthesia, partial anaesthesia, local anaesthesia or sedation. Final examination before an operation and diagnostic procedures. Aftercare following operations. Treatment without a prior operation (outpatient and inpatient). Reimbursement under the fee schedule for vets (Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte, GOT) at 2x the standard rate.
Dental treatment and surgical procedures in the mouth. Removal of joint chips. Regenerative therapies (IRAP, PRP, ACP, stem cells) in higher tariffs. Physiotherapy without a prior operation. Telemedicine services. Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT). Prostheses and implants.
Cover in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the UK. Reimbursement of emergency service fees. Euthanasia costs for incurable illness. Direct billing with vets. Wechseloption (switch option) as an optional add-on module.
Basic prevention: Worming, vaccinations as recommended by the Standing Committee on Veterinary Vaccination (Ständige Impfkommission Veterinär), therapeutic vaccinations and one-off identification (microchip), with no excess and no waiting period.