Riding other people's horses

Riding other people's horses: How to make sure you are well insured

Are you a riding student or do you have shared ownership of a horse? Riding other people's horses carries risks, such as injuries to the horse. Additional coverage for riders of other people's horses may cover veterinary expenses, losses due to damaged equipment, and other compensation to the owner. It supplements personal liability insurance, which does not cover damage to the borrowed horse itself.

In Switzerland, there are several thousand riding accidents every year, in which not only riders may be injured, but also the borrowed horse and equipment. Even if you ride a horse that does not belong to you, there may be costs that you have to pay. 

An accident can happen all too easily: You are a riding student or have shared ownership of a horse and regularly ride out with the borrowed horse. One day you give the horse the wrong command, the animal falls and is injured, and some equipment is also damaged. In this case, the insurance would cover the veterinary costs for riders of other people's horses. If the horse cannot be used during the healing phase, the insurance also pays compensation to the owner. Furthermore, it also pays for damaged riding equipment. Without such insurance, you would have to pay for these costs yourself. After all, they are not insured as part of private liability insurance without additional coverage.

Insurance benefits

At Zurich Insurance, the corresponding additional coverage is called "Horse Renter." You can include it in personal liability cover through your insurance advisor. Additional coverage is worthwhile for anyone who regularly or occasionally rides horses that are not their own.

The following benefits are included in the additional coverage: 

  • Veterinary expenses
  • Equipment damage

Optionally, you can include the following benefits:

  • Damage during participation in equestrian events 
  • Daily allowance payment to the horse owner

Personal liability insurance alone is not enough

Basic personal liability insurance protects you against the financial consequences of damage to third parties. This is the case, for example, if you as a rider cause damage to other persons or property. However, there are exceptions: If you injure the borrowed horse, it is not insured. Therefore, special additional insurance for riding other people's horses makes sense. 

The "Horse Renter" option is additional coverage for your personal liability policy. If you would like to take this out, contact your insurance advisor directly

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