Re: stable and boarding insurance

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Sat, 16 Jan 1999, Linda Cowles wrote:

> holzer wrote:
> > 
> > Does anyone know what is covered under "stable and boarding" liability
> > insurance? A group of riders at our stable is trying to get a dressage
> > instructor to teach at the stable where we keep our horses but the owner
> > says that in order for him to be insured for liability in the event of an
> > accident while the instructor is teaching, that the instructor either needs
> > to have her own insurance or buy additional insurance from the owner's
> > carrier.  The dressage instructor says that in order for her to obtain
> > coverage at our stable she has to pay an additional premium and that given
> > the expected use of her services, it is not financially practical.  ...

If this is the case, then the dressage instructor needs to get a new
insurance company...unless she doesn't have any insurance at all.

What the stable owner has (or should have) is a "care, custody, and
control" policy, and some kind of general liability policy (just what kind
depends on whether they own the premises that the stable is on). 

What the dressage instructor should have is a "professional liability"
policy.

For all of these kinds of policies, you can name "additional insured"
parties, and depending on their relationship to the insured, at no
additional cost.

So, for my CCC policy and my general liability for non-owned premises
policy, the additional insureds are the property managers (who are not
involved in the CCC of the horses) and the land-owners (who are not
involved in anything about the property except owning it and paying the
taxes...that's what they have property managers for :)).  For my
professional liability policy these same parties are named, as well as any
property owner/stable manager who asks for it if I am training horses at
their place.  Most of them don't they just want to have a copy of the
insurance certificate, but if they want it, it doesn't cost me anything
extra.

Mind you, this only covers the "additional insureds" if they are sued in
connection with my professional actions on their premises, it doesn't
cover them for if they are sued over their own care of the horses.

> When you join AHSA, you automatically get a $1M liability policy. I have
> 4 horses, and the membership is very reasonable, I think under $60. I
> would suggest that each owner get their own policy. 

When you join the AHSA (base membership $45) you get a $1 million PERSONAL
liability policy for any horse related incident.  This would cover neither
the professional activies of the dressage trainer, nor the stable business
of the boarding stable owner.  You can, however, (like I do) get these
additional kinds of insurance from Equisure (formerly the AHSA service
company) if you are a member.

You can also get full mortality, major medical, event insurance, and even
health insurance from them too.

I get all of my "horse liability" policies from them, since I am engaged
in several horse related businesses  and activities and it is not always
clear just which aspect of my activities would be covered by which policy.
Since they are all with the same insurance company (General Star
Indemnity, not to be confused with Equisure, who is only the agent), I
don't have to worry about it turning into an argument from my insurance
companies over just which one is responsible for covering me in that
particular instance.

So if I ever run an endurance ride...I'll get my insurance for that
from them too.

> I think their number is 1-800-328-8894.

Equisure's phone numbber is  800/752-2472
The AHSA's phone numbers are 212/972-2472 
and                          606/258-2472

for those of you who are wondering 2472 is AHSA.

they also have a website:

http://www.ahsa.org

kat
Orange County, Calif.

p.s.  I have never had to make a claim (not even on the mortality or major
medical), so I don't know how good they are when it comes to actually
paying out and/or defending you in a suit.