Owning a horse involves a lot of responsibility, and as well as caring for your horse and investing in its upkeep and maintenance, you also need equestrian insurance which will cover it for a range of issues. But as a horse rider, whether you own your horse or you’re riding someone else’s, you also need your own insurance cover; specifically, you need personal accident insurance.
Personal accident insurance defined
Just as equine insurance will cover a range of issues relating to your horse and horsebox insurance will protect your investment in your transportation vehicle, personal accident insurance will protect you whilst riding your horse.
Personal accident insurance is intended to provide for you in the event that you are injured or worse. At a basic level, it will pay out in the event that you suffer loss of limbs, partial or complete paralysis, loss of sight or hearing, or other conditions, up to and including death.
As well as paying out a lump sum in a single instance though, your personal accident insurance can also be tailored to provide you with more frequent payments to support you in the aftermath of an accident. For example, you can receive payments to cover loss of income during the period which you are in recovery and unable to work. You can also get insurance which will provide you with frequent pay outs and regular intervals that will cover you financially in the event that you are rendered permanently disabled by your accident.
Horse riders and personal accident insurance
Most people can benefit from having a robust personal accident insurance policy, but for horse riders it is particularly important. Horse riding accidents are not uncommon, and can occur as a result of the horse becoming spooked, or itself falling at a jump, or it can simply be a freak accident that results in the rider falling from the horse. Whatever the cause of the accident, the results to the rider can potentially be serious, as a fall of some distance and at a problematic angle is often involved.
For professional horse riders, an accident that renders them unable to compete for a length of time, or permanently, can be catastrophic, as it effectively removes their main source of income. In such an instance, personal accident insurance can provide for the rider until such a time as they are ready to return to professional horse riding again.
But a horse riding accident can result in serious financial trouble for casual horse riders too. If you break your leg or are otherwise injured for example and are unable to work for a period of time, then you may struggle to support yourself and your family. Once again, personal accident insurance can pay out regular amounts which will cover you for the loss of income during this period. This means that though such an accident may result in a lot of frustration and pain, you will not have the added burden of financial loss to worry about.
If you’re self-employed and so are not entitled to sick-pay from an employer, personal accident insurance can be particularly useful during any periods that you are unable to work.
Buying personal accident insurance
When purchasing personal accident insurance it is important to not only consider the cost of the policy, but also to look closely at what it will cover you for, and if there are any types of accidents or situations that are omitted from the policy. For a friendly chat about your horse riding personal accident insurance needs, get in touch with Park Insurance.