Horsebox Breakdown Cover

Why You Need It All Year Round

We all know that owning a horse can be an expensive business. It’s thoroughly worth the investment, but it’s still great to save money where you can. Just don’t be tempted to skimp on, or even cancel, your trailer or horsebox insurance. If you do, you could find yourself on a cold, wet, hard shoulder with your horse at risk and facing a big bill. In this article, we answer your most popular questions to explain why you might need horsebox breakdown insurance all year round. We’ve got some useful tips on keeping your horsebox in good condition through the winter months. And we’ll share some handy money saving tips to make essential insurance as affordable as possible.

I’m not competing over winter. Why do I still need horsebox breakdown cover?

You might be planning to hang up your competition numnah until the spring. But don’t forget about your trailer or horsebox insurance. Just because you’re not planning on competing, it doesn’t mean you won’t need to use it. Make sure yours is fully insured and has the horsebox breakdown cover you need, so you can travel safely if you have to.

An all-year round essential

You might think that if you’re not competing, there’s no need to insure your horsebox. But there are lots of reasons you might need to transport your horse or pony during the winter, including:

Getting to the vets for an emergency or routine treatment.
You need to evacuate because of flooding or heavy snowfall.
To take your horses to the beach for a winter ride along the sand.
Winter competitions and events like cross-country.
Training sessions in another yard.

Even if you’re not planning on taking your horse anywhere during the winter, taking your horsebox out a couple of times a month will help to ensure it is still working properly when you do come to need it again in the spring.

Call us today on 0117 955 6835 if you need horsebox breakdown insurance.

Two compelling reasons not to cancel your insurance or breakdown cover

If you do need to go out in your horsebox and you don’t have insurance in place, it can cost you a lot more in the long run.

Firstly, insurance is a legal requirement. If you are towing, you’ll need to check that your vehicle is insured to tow a horsebox or add it on. If you drive a horsebox, you simply cannot take it on the road without insurance. And if you do go out when it is not insured you will commit an offence. You can be fined and points will be added to your licence which will make insurance much more costly in the future. And if you have an accident, you will be faced with large repair bills.
If you do have a breakdown, you’ll be faced with organising a rescue for you and your horses. This can be a very stressful time for all concerned, and emergency call-out fees for specialist horse recovery can be expensive. With breakdown cover as part of your horsebox insurance cover, you have peace of mind that there will be no surprise large bill to pay for.
Lastly, did you know that insurance can cost you more when you come to renew after allowing it to lapse? Your insurance company will be able to see any lapses in cover and may consider you a greater risk. It can actually save you money, in the long run, to keep insurance up to date.

Keeping your horsebox or trailer in tip-top condition during the winter months

It can be tempting to park up your trailer or horsebox over winter and forget about it. But just like your horses, your box needs care all year round too. If not, you could be faced with problems when you need to use it again when the weather improves.

Service your horsebox regularly to check for signs of wear and tear on brakes and lights. Winter nights draw in early and you don’t want to discover a bulb is out when you’re driving back from somewhere in the dark.
Make sure the oil is topped up. It’s easy to forget regular maintenance checks if you’re not using your vehicle so often.
Check the tread on your tyres. In icy, wet or muddy conditions it’s even more important to have plenty of tread so you don’t get stuck and to provide better grip on the road.
Top up washers with washer fluid. Salted, wet roads throw sludge onto your windscreen that can severely hamper your vision unless you can wipe it away easily.
Take your horsebox out for a drive around the block a couple of times a month just to help keep everything working properly.
Keep the fuel tank topped up at least half way in case of emergencies. If you need to get your horse to the vet quickly, you don’t want to have to stop to fill up on the way.
Carry high-vis jackets and warning triangles with you in case you do break down in the dark. These will help you to show up to other road users. Torches are another usual piece of kit that can make it easier to deal with an after-dark horsebox breakdown.
Keep a mobile phone charger in your car or horsebox in case you need to make an emergency call – and don’t forget to take your phone with you when you go out.

Why do I need horsebox breakdown cover?

If you use a trailer you might think you only need breakdown cover for your car. Well, think again. Car breakdown cover will only help you if your car and trailer can be repaired at the roadside. If it can’t, you’ll be stuck on the side of the road needing a recovery service that can not only tow your car away but can also arrange for safe onward travel for your horses, either back to your home or to safe overnight stabling.

Breaking down can be traumatic, but if you’ve got horses on board it can be distressing for both horse and owner. It’s bad enough if you break down on a country lane – but at least then you should be able to find an empty field nearby to take your horses to whilst you sort out the necessary arrangements. If you break down on a main road or the motorway, you’ll have no option but to wait for a specialist recovery vehicle. Taking out horsebox breakdown cover means you not only won’t have to pay for safely transporting your horses if you break down, but you also won’t have to worry about organising it all.

Saving money on horsebox breakdown insurance

Don’t be tempted to cancel your insurance and breakdown cover to save some cash. Instead, use our top tips for finding cheap horsebox breakdown cover:

Shop around. When it comes to saving money on insurance, shopping around is one of the most important things you can do. Horsebox insurance is more specialist than ordinary vehicle insurance, but don’t let that put you off. There are still plenty of insurers out there looking for your custom. If you don’t have the spare time to sit down and contact insurers, don’t worry. You can save time and money by asking an independent insurance broker, like Park Insurance, to do this for you. The friendly team at Park Insurance understands the specific needs of horse owners. They have forged strong links with insurers happy to cover horseboxes and trailers and provide specialist equine breakdown services. By chatting through your needs they can build insurance cover that can give you complete peace of mind. And as one of the UK’s biggest independent brokers, they can also negotiate great prices on your behalf.
Increase the excess. The excess is the amount you’ll pay if you need to make a claim. The higher you set the excess, generally the lower your premium. Just take care not to set your excess so high that it becomes unaffordable.
Limited mileage or limited call-out policies. You can often reduce your premium if you specify a limited mileage or set the number of breakdown call-outs you can make. This can be useful if you only use your horsebox more occasionally.
Check if international cover is included automatically. If you’re not planning on taking your horses abroad to compete or for a holiday, you don’t need international breakdown assistance included. Make sure you look for a tailored policy so you’re not paying for anything you don’t need.

Cheapest isn’t always the best value for money

Shopping around is essential if you’re looking for cheap horsebox insurance. But beware of deals that seem too good to be true – because they probably are. The cheapest option may not include everything you need, and that could cost you more in the long run. Make sure you check the small print for any exclusions very carefully.

Great value horsebox breakdown cover you can rely on

At Park Insurance our dedicated equine team has 30 years experience scouring specialist insurance companies to find the right level of cover at the best price.

We work together with horse owners and equestrian businesses to meet your individual needs and budget.

Call us today on 0117 955 6835 for free advice on insuring your horsebox and keeping it safely on the road with essential breakdown cover.